Romans 4

1 What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has discovered?

2 If Abraham was indeed justified by works, he had something to boast about, but not before God.

3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”

4 Now the wages of the worker are not credited as a gift, but as an obligation.

5 However, to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness.

6 And David speaks likewise of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:

7 “Blessed are they whose lawless acts are forgiven, whose sins are covered.

8 Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him.”

9 Is this blessing only on the circumcised, or also on the uncircumcised? We have been saying that Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness.

10 In what context was it credited? Was it after his circumcision, or before? It was not after, but before.

11 And he received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. So then, he is the father of all who believe but are not circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them as well.

12 And he is also the father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised, but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.

13 For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world was not given through the law, but through the righteousness that comes by faith.

14 For if those who live by the law are heirs, faith is useless and the promise is worthless,

15 because the law brings wrath. For where there is no law, there is no transgression.

16 Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may rest on grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all.

17 As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the presence of God, in whom he believed, the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being what does not yet exist.

18 Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.”

19 Without weakening in his faith, he acknowledged neither the decrepitness of his body (since he was about a hundred years old) nor the lifelessness of Sarah’s womb.

20 Yet he did not waver through disbelief in the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God,

21 being fully persuaded that God was able to do what He had promised.

22 This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.”

23 Now the words “it was credited to him” were written not only for Abraham,

24 but also for us, to whom righteousness will be credited—for us who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.

25 He was delivered over to death for our trespasses and was raised to life for our justification.

1 ¶ What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?

2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath [whereof] to glory; but not before God.

3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.

4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.

5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,

7 [Saying], Blessed [are] they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.

8 Blessed [is] the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.

9 ¶ [Cometh] this blessedness then upon the circumcision [only], or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.

10 How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.

11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which [he had yet] being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:

12 And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which [he had] being [yet] uncircumcised.

13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, [was] not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.

14 For if they which are of the law [be] heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:

15 Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, [there is] no transgression.

16 Therefore [it is] of faith, that [it might be] by grace; to the end the promise might 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,

17 ¶ (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, [even] God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.

18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.

19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb:

20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;

21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.

23 ¶ Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him;

24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;

25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

1 What say we then of Abraham our father, that he was found according to the flesh?

2 This is what we say: If Abraham is righteous by works, he has glory, but not before God.

3 What then saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and this was counted to him for righteousness.

4 But to him that worketh the reward is not by grace, but by duty.

5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

6 According to which David also saith, that salvation is of man only, to whom God imputeth righteousness without works, saying:

7 Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.

8 Blessed is the man to whom God does not impute sin.

9 Now this blessedness, is it by circumcision, or by foreskin? We must ever say that Abraham's faith was counted for righteousness.

10 How then is he imputed to him, in circumcision, or in the foreskin? Without doubt, not in circumcision, but in the foreskin.

11 And the sign of circumcision he received for a seal of the righteousness of the faith which was in the foreskin, that he might be made a father of all them which believe in the foreskin, that they also might be counted for righteousness.

12 And would also be a father of the circumcision, not only of them that are of the circumcision, but also of them that walk in the footsteps of faith, which was in the foreskin of Abraham our father.

13 For the promise that he should be the heir of the world was not made to Abraham, nor to his seed, by the law, but by the righteousness of faith.

14 For where they that are of the law are heirs, faith is nothing, and the promise is taken away.

15 For the law worketh wrath: for where the law is not, there is no transgression.

16 Therefore righteousness must come by faith, that it may be by grace; and that the promise may stand fast unto all seed, not to him only who is under the law, but also to him who is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all,

17 As it is written, I have made thee the father of many nations before God, whom thou hast believed, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth him that is not, that he should be.

18 And he believed in hope, when there was no hope; that he might be a father of many nations: as it was said unto him, So shall thy seed be.

19 And he was not weak in faith, neither did he look upon his own body, which was dead, being almost an hundred years old, nor upon the dead body of Sarah.

20 For he doubted not the promise of God through unbelief, but waxed strong in faith, and gave glory to God.

21 Knowing most assuredly that what God promised he was able to do.

22 Therefore it is counted unto him for righteousness.

23 But this is not written for his sake only, that it should be imputed unto him,

24 But also for our sakes, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up our Lord Jesus from the dead.

25 Who for our sins was given up, and for our righteousness was raised from the dead.