James 2:23 (YLT)

Passage

and fulfilled was the Writing that is saying, `And Abraham did believe God, and it was reckoned to him--to righteousness;' and, `Friend of God' he was called.

Nearby Context

James 2:21 Abraham our father--was not he declared righteous out of works, having brought up Isaac his son upon the altar?

James 2:22 dost thou see that the faith was working with his works, and out of the works the faith was perfected?

James 2:23 and fulfilled was the Writing that is saying, `And Abraham did believe God, and it was reckoned to him--to righteousness;' and, `Friend of God' he was called.

James 2:24 Ye see, then, that out of works is man declared righteous, and not out of faith only;

James 2:25 and in like manner also Rahab the harlot--was she not out of works declared righteous, having received the messengers, and by another way having sent forth?

Study Lenses

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

The nearby context moves from verse 22's "dost thou see that the faith was..." into verse 24's "Ye see then that out of works...", so "called" and "fulfilled" 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 "fulfilled" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.