James 2:24 (YLT)

Passage

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

Nearby Context

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?

James 2:26 for as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also the faith apart from the works is dead.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "faith", "works", "declared", "righteous", and "only". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "faith" and "works", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 23's "and fulfilled was the Writing that is..." into verse 25's "and in like manner also Rahab the...", so "faith" and "works" 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 "faith" and "works" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.