Anakalypsis / Unveiling the Word

James 2:23

And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

KJV

καὶ ἐπληρώθη ἡ γραφὴ ἡ λέγουσα· ἐπίστευσεν δὲ Ἀβραὰμ τῷ θεῷ, καὶ ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ εἰς δικαιοσύνην, καὶ φίλος θεοῦ ἐκλήθη.

Greek NT

Et suppleta est Scriptura, dicens : Credidit Abraham Deo, et reputatum est illi ad justitiam, et amicus Dei appellatus est.

Vulgate

and the scripture was fulfilled which saith, And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness; and he was called the friend of God.

ASV

And the scripture was fulfilled, saying: Abraham believed God, and it was reputed to him to justice, and he was called the friend of God.

Douay-Rheims

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In this verse

People Abraham

In the original Greek

15 distinct Greek words appear in this verse.

αὐτός
autos
pronoun · 5564×
γραφή
graphe
noun · 50×
δέ
de
conjunction · 2781×
δικαιοσύνη
dikaiosune
noun · 92×
εἰς
eis
preposition · 1769×
θεός
theos
noun · 1311×
καί
kai
conjunction · 8973×
καλέω
kaleo
verb · 148×
λέγω
lego
verb · 2256×
λογίζομαι
logizomai
verb · 40×
πιστεύω
pisteuo
verb · 241×
πληρόω
pleroo
verb · 86×
φίλος
philos
noun · 27×
Ἀβραάμ
abraam
noun · 73×
ὁ
o
article · 19778×

Intertextual echoes

This verse quotes or alludes to 1 earlier text.

  • Gen 15:6 · exact_quote
    "And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness."
    Genesis: Abraham believed God — James on faith and works

Themes

Historic Christian voices

9 passages from patristic writers, Reformers, and church catechisms citing this verse.

§162Faith is an entirely free gift that God makes to man. We can lose this priceless gift, as St. Paul indicated to St. Timothy: "Wage the good warfare, holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting conscience, certain persons have made shipwreck of their faith."44 To live, grow and persevere in the faith until the end we must nourish it with the word of God; we must beg the Lo…
Christ did not abrogate the natural precepts of the law, but rather fulfilled and extended them. He removed the yoke and bondage of the old law, so that mankind, being now set free, might serve God with that trustful piety which becomes sons. 1. And that the Lord did not abrogate the natural [precepts] of the law, by which man is justified, which also those who were justified b…
Perfect righteousness was conferred neither by circumcision nor by any other legal ceremonies. The Decalogue, however, was not cancelled by Christ, but is always in force: men were never released from its commandments. 1. Moreover, we learn from the Scripture itself, that God gave circumcision, not as the completer of righteousness, but as a sign, that the race of Abraham might…
Source. Translated by J. Walker, J. Sheppard and H. Browne, and revised by George B. Stevens. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 11. Edited by Philip Schaff. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1889.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight. <https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/210230.htm>. Contact information. The editor of New Adven…
Abraham, styled "the friend," was found faithful, inasmuch as he rendered obedience to the words of God. He, in the exercise of obedience, went out from his own country, and from his kindred, and from his father's house, in order that, by forsaking a small territory, and a weak family, and an insignificant house, he might inherit the promises of God.
After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram. This chapter contains one of the most important passages in all of Scripture: Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. This is the very foundation of justification by faith. The covenant ceremony with the divided animals is a solemn ratification, in which God alone passes between the pieces, sh…

Cross-references

  • 2Chr 20:7 — Art not thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever?
  • 2Chr 20:7 — Art not thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever?
  • Exod 33:11 — And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacl
  • Exod 33:11 — And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacl
  • Gal 3:6 — Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
  • Gal 3:6 — Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
  • Gal 3:8 — And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.
  • Gal 3:22 — But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.
  • Gen 15:6 — And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
  • Gen 15:6 — And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
  • Gen 18:17 — And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do;
  • Isa 41:8 — But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend.
  • Isa 41:8 — But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend.
  • Job 16:21 — O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbour!
  • John 14:21 — He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
  • John 15:13 — Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
  • John 15:14 — Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
  • John 15:15 — Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
  • Luke 12:4 — And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.
  • Rom 3:22 — Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
  • Rom 4:3 — For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
  • Rom 4:3 — For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
  • Rom 4:10 — How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.
  • Rom 4:22 — And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.
  • Rom 5:1 — Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
  • Rom 9:17 — For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.
  • Rom 11:2 — God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying,