James 2.24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone (NET Bible)
ὁρᾶτε ὅτι ἐξ ἔργων δικαιοῦται ἄνθρωπος καὶ οὐκ ἐκ πίστεως μόνον.
Lets start with a corrected translation first before looking at one of the details
You see that a man is justified by works, and not only justified by faith.
James is saying that a by-faith justification is not the only kind of justification there is. There is also a by-works justification. The former type is before God; the latter type is before men.
The key to understanding this verse is the Greek adverb only (monon), which does not qualify the word 'faith' because the form would then have to be mones. As an adverb, however, it modifies the verb justified that is to be supplied in the second clause.
There is no justification that is by-faith PLUS works. You have two justifications that James is writing about.
ὁρᾶτε ὅτι ἐξ ἔργων δικαιοῦται ἄνθρωπος καὶ οὐκ ἐκ πίστεως μόνον.
Lets start with a corrected translation first before looking at one of the details
You see that a man is justified by works, and not only justified by faith.
James is saying that a by-faith justification is not the only kind of justification there is. There is also a by-works justification. The former type is before God; the latter type is before men.
The key to understanding this verse is the Greek adverb only (monon), which does not qualify the word 'faith' because the form would then have to be mones. As an adverb, however, it modifies the verb justified that is to be supplied in the second clause.
There is no justification that is by-faith PLUS works. You have two justifications that James is writing about.