James 2:25
23 And the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called a friend of God.
24 As you can see, a man is justified by his deeds and not by faith alone.
In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute justified by her actions when she welcomed the spies and sent them off on another route?
26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute justified by her actions when she welcomed the spies and sent them off on another route?
- KJV
- Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
- WEB
- In the same way, wasn’t Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?
- ASV
- And in like manner was not also Rahab the harlot justified by works, in that she received the messengers, and sent them out another way?
- DARBY
- 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?
- BLB
- And likewise was not Rahab the prostitute also justified by works, having received the messengers and having sent [them] out by another way?
- ÅB
- I like måte Rahab, skjøgen; ble hun ikke rettferdiggjort ved gjerninger, da hun tok imot utsendingene og slapp dem ut en annen vei?
- OTB
- På samme måte ble ikke Rahab, skjøgen, rettferdiggjort ved gjerninger da hun tok imot sendebudene og sendte dem av sted en annen vei?
- B1930
- I like måte Rahab, skjøgen; blev hun ikke rettferdiggjort ved gjerninger, da hun tok imot utsendingene og slapp dem ut en annen vei?
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Hebrews 11:31
By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies in peace, did not perish with those who were disobedient.
Read in contextJoshua 6:22–25
Meanwhile, Joshua told the two men who had spied out the land, “Go into the house of the prostitute and bring out the woman and all who are with her, just as you promised her.”
Read in contextJoshua 2:19–21
If anyone goes out the door of your house into the street, his blood will be on his own head, and we will be innocent. But if a hand is laid on anyone with you in the house, his blood will be on our heads.
Read in contextJoshua 2:15
Then Rahab let them down by a rope through the window, since the house where she lived was built into the wall of the city.
Read in contextJoshua 2:4
But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. So she said, “Yes, the men did come to me, but I did not know where they had come from.
Read in contextJoshua 6:17
Now the city and everything in it must be devoted to the LORD for destruction. Only Rahab the prostitute and all those with her in her house will live, because she hid the spies we sent.
Read in contextJoshua 2:1
Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies from Shittim, saying, “Go, inspect the land, especially Jericho.” So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there.
Read in contextMatthew 1:5
Salmon was the father of Boaz by Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse,
Read in context