James 2:23 (DBY)

Passage

And the scripture was fulfilled which says, Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness, and he was called Friend of God.

Nearby Context

James 2:21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?

James 2:22 Thou seest that faith wrought with his works, and that by works faith was perfected.

James 2:23 And the scripture was fulfilled which says, Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness, and he was called Friend of God.

James 2:24 Ye see that a man is justified on the principle of works, and not on the principle of faith only.

James 2:25 But was not in like manner also Rahab the harlot justified on the principle of works, when she had received the messengers and put [them] forth by another way?

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "called", "scripture", "fulfilled", "says", "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 a man is justified...", 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.