2:22
In 2:22, James explained the lesson that we can learn from the example of Abraham in 2:21. That lesson is that faith and deeds go together.
The Good News Translation, King James Version, Revised English Bible, Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English translate this verse as a rhetorical question. For example:
Can’t you see that his faith and his actions were, so to speak, partners—that his faith was implemented by his deed? (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)
Most other English versions follow the Greek text and translate 2:22 as a statement. You should translate this verse in a way that shows emphasis. This can be done as a rhetorical question or as an emphatic statement.
2:22a
You see that: The clause You see that emphasizes that faith and deeds go together. Some other ways to translate this clause are:
You can understand that
-or-
It is clear that
As in 2:20a, the word You is singular and refers to the person who disagreed with James. This is the person that James has been answering since 2:18c. However, James was also addressing anyone who believed that it was possible to have faith without good deeds. So, in some languages, it will be more natural to use the plural form of “you” here.
his faith was working with his actions: The Greek clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as his faith was working with his actions is literally “his faith was working together with his works.” In some languages, it is not possible to say that two things like faith and actions “work together.”
Some other ways to translate this clause are:
his faith and what he did occurred together at the same time
-or-
Abraham’s trust in God went together with his doing good deeds
-or-
he was not only trusting in God, but he was also doing what God told him to do
2:22b
and his faith was perfected by what he did: The clause his faith was perfected by what he did is passive. There are at least two ways to translate this clause:
• Use a passive verb. For example:
His faith was made complete by what he did—by his actions. (New Living Translation, 1996 edition)
• Use an active verb. For example:
His actions made his faith complete. (New Living Translation (2004 Revision))
his faith was perfected by what he did: This clause indicates that Abraham’s deeds showed that he had true faith. True faith leads to good deeds, so faith is not complete until there are good deeds to go with it. This should not imply that Abraham’s faith was in some way faulty or inadequate before he offered Isaac.
Some other ways to translate this clause are:
His faith was shown to be genuine by what he did. (God’s Word)
-or-
He proved that his faith was real by what he did. (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
What he did showed that his faith was real/genuine.
-or-
That which he did showed that there was no lack in his believing God.
© 2012 by SIL International®
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All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible. BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.