Paul's Letter to the Romans, Chapter 4
{4:1} What then will we say that Abraham, our forefather, has found
according to the flesh? {4:2} For if Abraham was justified by works,
he has something to boast about, but not toward God. {4:3} For what
does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to
him for righteousness."[1] {4:4} Now to him who works, the reward is
not counted as grace, but as something owed. {4:5} But to him who
doesn't work, but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith
is accounted for righteousness. {4:6} Even as David also pronounces
blessing on the man to whom God counts righteousness apart from works,
{4:7} "Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
{4:8} Blessed is the man whom the Lord will by no means charge with
sin."[2]
{4:9} Is this blessing then pronounced on the circumcised, or on the
uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for
righteousness. {4:10} How then was it counted? When he was in
circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in
uncircumcision. {4:11} He received the sign of circumcision, a seal of
the righteousness of the faith which he had while he was in
uncircumcision, that he might be the father of all those who believe,
though they might be in uncircumcision, that righteousness might also
be accounted to them. {4:12} He is the father of circumcision to those
who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps
of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had in uncircumcision.
{4:13} For the promise to Abraham and to his seed that he should be
heir of the world wasn't through the law, but through the
righteousness of faith. {4:14} For if those who are of the law are
heirs, faith is made void, and the promise is made of no effect.
{4:15} For the law works wrath, for where there is no law, neither is
there disobedience. {4:16} For this cause it is of faith, that it may
be according to grace, to the end that the promise may be sure to all
the seed, not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which
is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all. {4:17} As it
is written, "I have made you a father of many nations."[3] This is in
the presence of him whom he believed: God, who gives life to the dead,
and calls the things that are not, as though they were. {4:18} Who in
hope believed against hope, to the end that he might become a father
of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, "So will
your seed be."[4] {4:19} Without being weakened in faith, he didn't
consider his own body, already having been worn out, (he being about a
hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's womb. {4:20} Yet,
looking to the promise of God, he didn't waver through unbelief, but
grew strong through faith, giving glory to God, {4:21} and being fully
assured that what he had promised, he was also able to perform. {4:22}
Therefore it also was "reckoned to him for righteousness."[5] {4:23}
Now it was not written that it was accounted to him for his sake
alone, {4:24} but for our sake also, to whom it will be accounted, who
believe in him who raised Jesus, our Lord, from the dead, {4:25} who
was delivered up for our trespasses, and was raised for our
justification.
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Footnotes:
[1] {4:3} Genesis 15:6
[2] {4:8} Psalm 32:1-2
[3] {4:17} Genesis 17:5
[4] {4:18} Genesis 15:5
[5] {4:22} Genesis 15:6
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