diff --git a/jas/02/21.md b/jas/02/21.md
index 1514ebb3ca..0dfca0a184 100644
--- a/jas/02/21.md
+++ b/jas/02/21.md
@@ -6,9 +6,9 @@ Since these are Jewish believers, they know the story of Abraham, about whom God
 
 This rhetorical question is used to rebut the foolish man's arguments from [James 2:18](../02/18.md), who refuses to believe that faith and works go together. Alternate translation: "Abraham our father was certainly justified ... on the altar." (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion]])
 
-# justified by works
+# Was not Abraham our father justified by works ... on the altar?
 
-James speaks of works as if they were objects that one can own. Alternate translation: "justified by doing good deeds" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])
+This can be restated to remove the abstract noun "works." This can also be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "Did not God justify Abraham our father because of what he did ... on the altar?" or "God certainly justified Abraham our father because of what he did ... on the altar." (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]])
 
 # father