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 debt. {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 be in uncircumcision, that righteousness might also be
accounted to them. {4:12} 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 able also 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 Yeshua, 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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