Romerne 4

1 Hvad skulle vi da sige, at vor Stamfader Abraham har vundet efter Kødet?

What then shall we say that Abraham, our earthly forefather, has gained?

2 Thi dersom Abraham blev retfærdiggjort af Gerninger, har han Ros, men ikke for Gud.

For if he was held to be righteous on the ground of his actions, he has something to boast of; but not in the presence of God.

3 Thi hvad siger Skriften? „Og Abraham troede Gud, og det blev regnet ham til Retfærdighed.”

For what says the Scripture? "And Abraham believed God, and this was placed to his credit as righteousness."

4 Men den, som gør Gerninger, tilregnes Lønnen ikke som Naade, men som Skyldighed;

But in the case of a man who works, pay is not reckoned a favour but a debt;

5 den derimod, som ikke gør Gerninger, men tror paa ham, som retfærdiggør den ugudelige, regnes hans Tro til Retfærdighed;

whereas in the case of a man who pleads no actions of his own, but simply believes in Him who declares the ungodly free from guilt, his faith is placed to his credit as righteousness.

6 ligesom ogsaa David priser det Menneske saligt, hvem Gud tilregner Retfærdighed uden Gerninger:

In this way David also tells of the blessedness of the man to whose credit God places righteousness, apart from his actions.

7 „Salige de, hvis Overtrædelser ere forladte, og hvis Synder ere skjulte;

"Blessed," he says, "are those whose iniquities have been forgiven, and whose sins have been covered over.

8 salig den Mand, hvem Herren ikke vil tilregne Synd.”

Blessed is the man of whose sin the Lord will not take account."

9 Gælder da denne Saligprisning de omskaarne eller tillige de uomskaarne? Vi sige jo: Troen blev regnet Abraham til Retfærdighed.

This declaration of blessedness, then, does it come simply to the circumcised, or to the uncircumcised as well? For Abraham's faith--so we affirm--was placed to his credit as righteousness.

10 Hvorledes blev den ham da tilregnet? da han var omskaaren, eller da han havde Forhud? Ikke da han var omskaaren, men da han havde Forhud.

What then were the circumstances under which this took place? Was it after he had been circumcised, or before?

11 Og han fik Omskærelsens Tegn som et Segl paa den Troens Retfærdighed, som han havde som uomskaaren, for at han skulde være Fader til alle dem, som tro uden at være omskaarne, for at Retfærdighed kan blive dem tilregnet,

Before, not after. And he received circumcision as a sign, a mark attesting the reality of the faith-righteousness which was his while still uncircumcised, that he might be the forefather of all those who believe even though they are uncircumcised--in order that this righteousness might be placed to their credit;

12 og Fader til omskaarne, til dem, som ikke alene have Omskærelse, men ogsaa vandre i den Tros Spor, hvilken vor Fader Abraham havde som uomskaaren.

and the forefather of the circumcised, namely of those who not merely are circumcised, but also walk in the steps of the faith which our forefather Abraham had while he was as yet uncircumcised.

13 Thi ikke ved Lov fik Abraham eller hans Sæd den Forjættelse, at han skulde være Arving til Verden, men ved Tros-Retfærdighed.

Again, the promise that he should inherit the world did not come to Abraham or his posterity conditioned by Law, but by faith-righteousness.

14 Thi dersom de, der ere af Loven, ere Arvinger, da er Troen bleven tom, og Forjættelsen gjort til intet.

For if it is the righteous through Law who are heirs, then faith is useless and the promise counts for nothing.

15 Thi Loven virker Vrede; men hvor der ikke er Lov, er der heller ikke Overtrædelse.

For the Law inflicts punishment; but where no Law exists, there can be no violation of Law.

16 Derfor er det af Tro, for at det skal være som Naade, for at Forjættelsen maa staa fast for den hele Sæd, ikke alene for den af Loven, men ogsaa for den af Abrahams Tro, han, som er Fader til os alle

All depends on faith, and for this reason--that acceptance with God might be an act of pure grace,

17 (som der er skrevet: „Jeg har sat dig til mange Folkeslags Fader”), over for Gud, hvem han troede, ham, som levendegør de døde og kalder det, der ikke er, som om det var.

so that the promise should be made sure to all Abraham's true descendants; not merely to those who are righteous through the Law, but to those who are righteous through a faith like that of Abraham. Thus in the sight of God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and makes reference to things that do not exist, as though they did, Abraham is the forefather of all of us. As it is written, "I have appointed you to be the forefather of many nations."

18 Og han troede imod Haab med Haab paa, at han skulde blive mange Folkeslags Fader, efter det, som var sagt: „Saaledes skal din Sæd være;”

Under utterly hopeless circumstances he hopefully believed, so that he might become the forefather of many nations, in agreement with the words "Equally numerous shall your posterity be."

19 og uden at blive svag i Troen saa han paa sit eget allerede udlevede Legeme (han var nær hundrede Aar) og paa, at Saras Moderliv var udlevet;

And, without growing weak in faith, he could contemplate his own vital powers which had now decayed--for he was nearly 100 years old--and Sarah's barrenness.

20 men om Guds Forjættelse tvivlede han ikke i Vantro, derimod blev han styrket i Troen, idet han gav Gud Ære

Nor did he in unbelief stagger at God's promise, but became mighty in faith, giving glory to God,

21 og var overbevist om, at hvad han har forjættet, er han mægtig til ogsaa at gøre.

and being absolutely certain that whatever promise He is bound by He is able also to make good.

22 Derfor blev det ogsaa regnet ham til Retfærdighed.

For this reason also his faith was placed to his credit as righteousness.

23 Men det blev ikke skrevet for hans Skyld alene, at det blev ham tilregnet,

Nor was the fact of its being placed to his credit put on record for his sake only;

24 men ogsaa for vor Skyld, hvem det skal tilregnes, os, som tro paa ham, der oprejste Jesus, vor Herre, fra de døde,

it was for our sakes too. Faith, before long, will be placed to the credit of us also who are believers in Him who raised Jesus, our Lord, from the dead,

25 ham, som blev hengiven for vore Overtrædelsers Skyld og oprejst for vor Retfærdiggørelses Skyld.

who was surrendered to death because of the offences we had committed, and was raised to life because of the acquittal secured for us.