Parallel Verses
An Understandable Version
Was not our forefather Abraham made right with God by deeds [of obedience] when he offered his son Isaac [as a sacrifice] on the Altar?
New American Standard Bible
King James Version
Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
Holman Bible
Wasn’t Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar?
International Standard Version
Our ancestor Abraham was justified by his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar, wasn't he?
A Conservative Version
Was not Abraham our father made righteous from works, having offered up Isaac his son upon the altar?
American Standard Version
Was not Abraham our father justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son upon the altar?
Amplified
Was our father Abraham not [shown to be] justified by works [of obedience which expressed his faith] when he offered Isaac his son on the altar [as a sacrifice to God]?
Anderson New Testament
Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?
Bible in Basic English
Was not the righteousness of Abraham our father judged by his works, when he made an offering of Isaac his son on the altar?
Common New Testament
Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar?
Daniel Mace New Testament
was not our father Abraham treated as just, in consequence of his actions, when he had attempted to sacrifice his son upon the altar?
Darby Translation
Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
Godbey New Testament
Was not Abraham our father justified by works, having offered up his son Isaac on the altar?
Goodspeed New Testament
Was not our forefather Abraham made upright for his good deeds, for offering his son Isaac on the altar?
John Wesley New Testament
Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered up Isaac his son upon the altar?
Julia Smith Translation
Was not Abraham our father justified by works, having brought up Isaac his son upon the altar
King James 2000
Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
Lexham Expanded Bible
Was not Abraham our father justified by works [when he] offered up his son Isaac on the altar?
Modern King James verseion
Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
Modern Spelling Tyndale-Coverdale
Was not Abraham our father justified through works when he offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
Moffatt New Testament
When our father Abraham offered his son Isaac on the altar, was he not justified by what he did?
Montgomery New Testament
Was not Abraham our ancestor justified by deeds, in that he offered up Isaac, his son, upon the altar?
NET Bible
Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar?
New Heart English Bible
Wasn't Abraham our father justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son on the altar?
Noyes New Testament
Was not Abraham our father accepted as righteous through works, when he offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
Sawyer New Testament
Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar?
The Emphasized Bible
Abraham our father, was it not, by works, he was declared righteous - when he offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
Thomas Haweis New Testament
Was not our father Abraham justified by works, when he offered up Isaac his son upon the altar?
Twentieth Century New Testament
Look at our ancestor, Abraham. Was not it the result of his actions that he was pronounced righteous after he had offered his son, Isaac, on the altar?
Webster
Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
Weymouth New Testament
Was it, or was it not, because of his actions that he was declared to be righteous as the result of his having offered up his son Isaac upon the altar?
Williams New Testament
Was not our forefather Abraham shown to be upright by his good deeds, namely, by offering Isaac his son upon the altar?
World English Bible
Wasn't Abraham our father justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son on the altar?
Worrell New Testament
Was not Abraham, our father, justified by works, when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar?
Worsley New Testament
consider, Was not our father Abraham justified by works, when he offered his son Isaac upon the altar?
Youngs Literal Translation
Abraham our father -- was not he declared righteous out of works, having brought up Isaac his son upon the altar?
Themes
Abraham » Trial of his faith in the offering of isaac
Faith » True, evidenced by its fruits
Faith/faithfulness » Faith without works
isaac » The miraculous son of abraham » Offered in sacrifice by his father
Justification » What you are not justified by
Justification » What you are justified by
Interlinear
Anaphero
References
Easton
Fausets
Hastings
Word Count of 37 Translations in James 2:21
Images James 2:21
Prayers for James 2:21
Questions on James 2:21
Verse Info
Context Readings
Faith And Works
20 But will you acknowledge, you foolish person, that faith without [good] deeds is useless? 21 Was not our forefather Abraham made right with God by deeds [of obedience] when he offered his son Isaac [as a sacrifice] on the Altar? 22 [Do you not] see that faith cooperated together with his deeds, and faith was made complete by [his] deeds?
Cross References
Matthew 3:9
and quit thinking to yourselves, we claim Abraham as our forefather, because I tell you, God is able to make Abraham's children out of these stones.
Matthew 12:37
For you will be considered righteous by the words [you speak] and you will be condemned by the words [you speak]."
Matthew 25:31-40
"But when the Son of man comes [back] in [all] His splendor, accompanied by all the angels, then He will sit on His throne of splendor.
Luke 1:73
[This Agreement was] the oath by which He swore to Abraham, our forefather,
Luke 16:24
And he shouted out, 'Forefather Abraham, take pity on me and send Lazarus [to me], so he can dip the tip of his finger in water [and touch] my tongue to cool it, because I am in agony in these flames.'
Luke 16:30
Then the rich man said, 'No, forefather Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, [then] they will repent [i.e., change their hearts and lives].'
John 8:39
They answered Him, "Our forefather was Abraham." Jesus replied to them, "If you were Abraham's descendants, you would do the [kinds of] deeds that Abraham did.
John 8:53
Are you greater [i.e., more important] than our forefather Abraham and the prophets, who [all] died? Who do you think you are?"
Acts 7:2
And he answered, "Brothers and fathers, listen to me: Our glorious God appeared to our forefather Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, [even] before he lived in Haran
Romans 3:20
This is because no human being can be considered right with God by [obeying] the requirements of a law. [Note: It is difficult to determine the exact sense in which "law" is used in these verses. It may be law generally, or the law of Moses specifically. See Bruce, pages 52-58]. For the knowledge of what sin is comes from the law of Moses.
Romans 4:1
What should we say then [about what] our forefather Abraham discovered?
Romans 4:12
And he also became the father of circumcised people [i.e., the Jews], who are not only circumcised, but who also follow the [same] example of faith [in God] which our forefather Abraham had before he was circumcised.
Romans 4:16
For this reason, the promise [i.e., of being made right with God] comes through faith [in God], according to His unearned favor, so that it may be [given] with certainty to all of Abraham's descendants. The promise is given not only to those [who live] under the law [i.e., the Jews], but also to [all] those [who live] by faith, like Abraham. Abraham is the [spiritual] father of all of us [believers],
James 2:18
But someone may say, "You have faith and I have [good] deeds." [I reply], show me your faith without your [good] deeds, and I will show you my faith by my [good] deeds.
James 2:24
[So], you see, it is by deeds that a person is made right with God, and not by faith alone.