James 2:23 (GNV)

Passage

And the Scripture was fulfilled which sayeth, Abraham beleeued God, and it was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse: and hee was called the friende of God.

Nearby Context

James 2:21 Was not Abraham our father iustified through workes, when he offred Isaac his sonne vpon the altar?

James 2:22 Seest thou not that the faith wrought with his workes? and through the workes was the faith made perfect.

James 2:23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which sayeth, Abraham beleeued God, and it was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse: and hee was called the friende of God.

James 2:24 Ye see then howe that of workes a man is iustified, and not of faith onely.

James 2:25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot iustified through workes, when she had receiued ye messengers, and sent them out another way?

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "called", "scripture", "fulfilled", "sayeth", "abraham", "beleeued", "imputed", and "vnto". 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 "Seest thou not that the faith wrought..." into verse 24's "Ye see then howe that of workes...", 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.