What Does James 2:22 Mean in the King James?
Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
Trust reaches its fullness as it moves together with action.
THE MEANING
Trust works together with what you do, and through that activity it reaches completion. Action does not replace trust; it is where trust comes fully into view.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
This undoes the belief that trust can be complete while remaining separate from what a person does.
THE ROOT
ἐτελειώθη
eteleiōthē
GROWS FROM
τέλος
telos
End, goal, or intended outcome.
The verse says trust is brought to its goal through action. “Made perfect” here carries the sense of being completed, not merely becoming flawless.
ALSO GROWS
teleioō: Bring to completion; fulfill.
τελειόω
This is the verb used in the verse: action brings trust to completion.
teleios: Complete, mature.
τέλειος
It shows the family’s sense of reaching a complete or mature state.
πίστις
pistis
GROWS FROM
πείθω
peithō
Persuade, be persuaded, or trust.
The word translated “faith” belongs to a word family of persuasion and confidence. It points to trust as something a person rests in, and this verse shows that trust taking form in action.
ALSO GROWS
pisteuō: Trust, believe.
πιστεύω
This verb names the act of trusting that the noun in the verse describes.
pepoithēsis: Confidence, trust.
πεποίθησις
This related word makes the family’s sense of settled confidence visible.
συνήργει
synērgei
GROWS FROM
ἔργον
ergon
Work or deed.
“wrought” in this verse is synērgei. The verse’s verb carries the sense of working together. Its wording places trust alongside deeds in a shared activity, rather than leaving trust as an inward claim detached from action.
ALSO GROWS
synergeō: Work together, cooperate.
συνεργέω
This is the verb used here for trust working together with Abraham’s deeds.
ergazomai: Work, do, produce.
ἐργάζομαι
It connects the root to work as action carried out.
ergatēs: Worker, laborer.
ἐργάτης
It shows the same root extending from deeds to the person doing the work.
THE PATTERN
Trust reaches expression and maturity through action that answers it.
And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.THE THREAD
Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.The same Greek word for trust appears in both verses: here trust standing alone is called dead, while this verse shows it working with deeds and reaching completion through them. Together, the verses trace trust from isolation into action.
This reading is from Selah Verse.
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