Romans 4

Abraham Justified by Faith

1 What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, *ver. 16our forefather according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but *[1 Cor. 1:31]not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? *ver. 9, 22;Gal. 3:6;James 2:23;Cited from Gen. 15:6(Gk.);[Titus 3:8]"Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness." 4 Now *[ch. 11:6;Deut. 9:4,5]to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. 5 And to the one who does not work but *ch. 3:22;See John 6:29believes in*4:5 Or but trusts; compare verse 24 him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, 6 just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works:

7 *Cited from Ps. 32:1,2"Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven,

and whose sins are covered;

8 blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not *2 Cor. 5:19count his sin."

9 Is this blessing then only for *ch. 3:30the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? *ver. 3For we say that faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness. 10 How then was it counted to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised. 11 *Gen. 17:10,11He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was *ver. 12, 16;[ch. 3:22]; See Luke 19:9to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised, so that righteousness would be counted to them as well, 12 and to make him the father of the circumcised who are not merely circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.

The Promise Realized Through Faith

13 For *Gal. 3:16;Heb. 6:15,17;7:6;11:9,17;[ch. 9:8]; See Acts 13:32the promise to Abraham and his offspring *Gen. 17:4-6that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. 14 *Gal. 3:17,18For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. 15 For *ch. 7:7,10-25;2 Cor. 3:7,9;Gal. 3:10the law brings wrath, but *[ch. 3:20] where there is no law *Gal. 3:19there is no transgression.

16 That is why it depends on faith, *See ch. 3:24in order that the promise may rest on grace and *Gal. 3:22;[ch. 15:8] be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, *[ch. 9:8]who is the father of us all, 17 as it is written, *Cited from Gen. 17:5;[ver. 18] "I have made you the father of many nations"—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, *[Heb. 11:19]; See John 5:21who gives life to the dead and calls into existence *1 Cor. 1:28;[Heb. 11:3]the things that do not exist. 18 In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, *Cited from Gen. 15:5"So shall your offspring be." 19 He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was *Heb. 11:12as good as dead (*Gen. 17:17since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered *Gen. 18:11the barrenness*4:19 Greek deadness of Sarah’s womb. 20 No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 21 fully convinced that *Gen. 18:14;[Heb. 11:19]God was able to do what he had promised. 22 That is why his faith was "counted to him as righteousness." 23 But *ch. 15:4;1 Cor. 9:9,10;10:6,11;2 Tim. 3:16,17;[Ps. 102:18]the words "it was counted to him" were not written for his sake alone, 24 but for ours also. It will be counted to us *ch. 10:9;1 Pet. 1:21who believe in *See Acts 2:24him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, 25 *ch. 5:6,8;8:32;Isa. 53:5,6;Matt. 20:28;Gal. 1:4who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised *ch. 5:18;[1 Cor. 15:17]for our justification.