James 2:23 (ASV)

Passage

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.

Nearby Context

James 2:21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son upon the altar?

James 2:22 Thou seest that faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect;

James 2:23 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.

James 2:24 Ye see that by works a man is justified, and not only by faith.

James 2:25 And in like manner was not also Rahab the harlot justified by works, in that she received the messengers, and sent them out another way?

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "called", "scripture", "fulfilled", "saith", "abraham", "believed", "reckoned", and "righteousness". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "called" and "scripture", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 22's "Thou seest that faith wrought with his..." into verse 24's "Ye see that by works a man...", so "called" and "scripture" belong inside that flow. In James context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "called" and "scripture" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.