YAC 2:23 Interlinear View

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 2:14–26: Faith without good deeds is useless

In this section, James emphasized that true faith in Jesus is a matter of both believing and doing good deeds. There is no such thing as faith without good deeds to go with it. It is the good deeds that demonstrate that there is true faith. Faith without good deeds is not true faith at all.

James used examples from the lives of Rahab and Abraham to show that faith and good deeds always go together.

Some other possible headings for this section are:

Faith and good deeds

If you really believe/trust you will also do good deeds

Real faith is proved by good deeds.

Paragraph 2:20–26

In this paragraph, James gave two examples to show his readers that faith without deeds is useless. He used the examples of Abraham and Rahab from the Old Testament. He argued that it was because of their deeds that both Abraham and Rahab were declared righteous by God.

Throughout section 2:14–26, James was contrasting faith without deeds (for example, 2:14, 2:17, 2:18) with faith demonstrated by deeds (2:18). In this paragraph, when James said that Abraham was declared to be righteous “by deeds,” it does not mean by deeds alone. It is implied that Abraham had faith and that this faith was demonstrated by deeds. You may want to put some of this information in the translation or in a footnote. Some suggestions are in the notes on “for what he did” (2:21b) and “by his deeds” (2:24b).

2:23a

And the Scripture was fulfilled that says,

And so, the Scripture was shown to be true that says,
So his deed is an excellent example/illustration of what someone/Moses wrote in God’s book, which says,

And: The Greek conjunction that the BSB translates as And connects 2:23 to 2:21–22. Verse 2:23 gives two results of Abraham’s deed of offering Isaac in 2:21. The results were:

the scripture was fulfilled
Abraham was called God’s friend

Some other ways to connect 2:23 to 2:21–22 are:

And so (NLT)

In this way (NJB)

That is how

the Scripture: The phrase the Scripture refers to something that was written in the Old Testament. In this case, the words that James quoted are from Genesis 15:6. These words refer to events that took place about thirty years before Abraham offered Isaac to God.

Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

what was written in God’s book

God’s written words

the word of God that someone/Moses wrote

This phrase also occurs in 2:8b. See the note there for more information.

was fulfilled: There are at least two ways to interpret the Greek word that the BSB translates as was fulfilled:

It means that the Scripture was fully shown and demonstrated to be true. According to this interpretation, when Abraham offered Isaac, his action was the best possible illustration that what the scripture said about him was true. His action clearly showed that he believed/trusted God and that he was righteous (Genesis 15:6).
It means that the Scripture became true. According to this interpretation, God’s words in Genesis 15:6 were a prophecy. This prophecy was fulfilled when Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice. For example, the GNT says:
And the scripture came true that said,… (NLT, GNT, GW)

Many English versions translate this Greek word as “was fulfilled” and probably imply interpretation (2). However, it is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). Most commentators follow this interpretation. The quoted Scripture verse is not a prophecy or promise that needed to come true. It is a statement that was already true when spoken thirty years before Abraham was willing to offer Isaac as a sacrifice.

Some ways to translate this entire clause are:

And so the scripture was shown/demonstrated to be true that says

This fits/agrees perfectly with the Scripture that says

His action is a good/excellent example of the Scripture that says

And so his action perfectly demonstrated his trust in God as described in the scripture that says

2:23b–c

Verse 2:23b–c is a quotation of Genesis 15:6. If you have already translated the book of Genesis, you will probably want to quote that verse here just as you translated it there.

2:23b

“Abraham believed God,

“Abraham trusted God,
“Abraham had confidence that God would do what he promised,

Abraham believed God: The word believed here means “trusted in” or “relied on.” Abraham believed God’s promise in Genesis 15:5 that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars. In other words, he accepted God’s promise as true.

He believed God’s promise because of his deep level of trust in God and his loyalty to God. Abraham was confident that God would do what he had promised to do. He trusted God even when the promise seemed very difficult or impossible in human terms.

Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

had confidence/faith in God

trusted God

relied/depended on God

trusted/believed that God could do what he promised

See believe, meaning 2, in the Glossary.

2:23c

and it was credited to him as righteousness,”

and because of that he was considered to be a righteous person.”
and that is why God said that he was a person who had done what is right.”

it was credited to him as righteousness: The Greek word that the BSB translates as was credited means “regarded” or “considered.” The word it refers to Abraham’s faith in God (2:22b). So the clause it was credited to him as righteousness means that God considered Abraham righteous on the basis of his faith.

Some other ways to translate this clause are:

because of that, he was considered by God to be just/righteous

because of his faith God accepted him as righteous (GNT)

so God declared him to be righteous (NLT96)

was credited: The verb was credited is passive. There are at least two ways to translate it:

Use a passive verb. For example:
that faith was counted to him as righteousness (REB)
Use an active verb. God is the one who credited Abraham’s faith as righteousness. For example:
God declared him to be righteous (NLT96)

righteousness: The Greek word that the BSB translates as righteousness means “doing what is right and good in God’s sight.” God considered Abraham to have done what was good and right.

The word righteousness here is closely related in form and meaning to the word that is translated as “justified by” in 2:21b, 2:24b, and 2:25b. If possible, you may want to translate them in a similar way so it is clear that they are related.

Some other ways to translate this word are:

it was credited to him by God as right behavior

and that faith made him right with God (NCV)

God declared him to have done what is right

he was considered a person who lived the kind of life that God desires

God approved Abraham

See righteous, meaning 1, in the Glossary.

2:23d

and he was called a friend of God.

So he was called God’s friend.
As a result, God said about Abraham, “He is my friend.”

and: Verse 2:23d is a result of 2:23b–c. The word and may give the impression that 2:23d is another part of the quoted scripture in 2:23b–c. But it is not. Notice the closing quotes at the end of 2:23c. Some ways to make this clear are:

And so (GNT)

As a result

he was called a friend of God: In Isaiah 41:8 God called Abraham “my friend.” (See also 2 Chronicles 20:7.)

The verb was called is passive. There are at least two ways to translate it.

Use a passive verb. For example:
Abraham was called God’s friend (GNT)
Use an active verb. For example:
God called him “my friend”
he was God’s friend

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

ἐπληρώθη ἡ Γραφὴ

˓was˒_fulfilled the (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί ἐπληρώθη ἡ Γραφή ἡ λέγουσα ἐπίστευσεν Δέ Ἀβραάμ τῷ Θεῷ καί ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ εἰς δικαιοσύνην καί φίλος Θεοῦ ἐκλήθη)

If your language does not use this passive form, you can express this with an active form. Alternate translation: [this fulfilled the scripture]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

ἐπίστευσεν δὲ Ἀβραὰμ τῷ Θεῷ, καὶ ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ εἰς δικαιοσύνην

believed (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί ἐπληρώθη ἡ Γραφή ἡ λέγουσα ἐπίστευσεν Δέ Ἀβραάμ τῷ Θεῷ καί ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ εἰς δικαιοσύνην καί φίλος Θεοῦ ἐκλήθη)

This is a quotation from [Genesis 15:6](../gen/15/06.md). James assumes that his readers will know that it refers to how Abraham responded to God’s promise that even though he and his wife were old and had no children, he would have as many descendants as the stars in the sky. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could give an explicit indication of this. Alternate translation: [Abraham believed God’s promise that he would have many descendants, and so God considered Abraham to be in a right relationship with him]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

φίλος Θεοῦ ἐκλήθη

˓a˒_friend ˱of˲_God ˱he˲_˓was˒_called

James assumes that his readers will know that in [Isaiah 41:8](../isa/41/08.md), God refers to the Israelites as “the offspring of Abraham my friend” and that in [2 Chronicles 20:7](../2ch/20/07.md), in a prayer to God, King Jehoshaphat refers to the Israelites as “the descendants of Abraham your friend.” If it would be helpful to your readers, you could give an explicit indication of this. Alternate translation: [he was called a friend of God in later scriptures]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

φίλος Θεοῦ ἐκλήθη

˓a˒_friend ˱of˲_God ˱he˲_˓was˒_called

If your language does not use this passive form, you can express this with an active form, and you can state who did the action. Alternate translation: [God, speaking through Isaiah, later called him his friend, and in prayer King Jehoshaphat also described him as God’s friend]

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.

Acknowledgements: The SR Greek text, lemmas, morphology, and VLT gloss are all thanks to the CNTR.

OET interlinear YAC (JAM) 2:23

SR Greek word order