Romans 4

1 What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather, has discovered?

What shall we say then that Abraham hath found, who is our father according to the flesh.

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

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

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

For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was reputed to him unto justice.

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

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

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

But to him that worketh not, yet believeth in him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is reputed to justice, according to the purpose of the grace of God.

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

As David also termeth the blessedness of a man, to whom God reputeth justice without works:

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

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

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

Blessed is the man to whom the Lord hath not imputed sin.

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.

This blessedness then, doth it remain in the circumcision only, or in the uncircumcision also? For we say that unto Abraham faith was reputed to justice.

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

How then was it reputed? When he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.

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.

And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the justice of the faith, which he had, being uncircumcised; that he might be the father of all them that believe, being uncircumcised, that unto them also it may be reputed to justice:

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.

And might be the father of circumcision; not to them only, that are of the circumcision, but to them also that follow the steps of the faithful, that is in the uncircumcision of our father Abraham.

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.

For not through the law was the promise to Abraham, or to his seed, that he should be heir of the world; but through the justice of faith.

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

For if they who are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, the promise is made of no effect.

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

For the law worketh wrath. For where there is no law, neither is there 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.

Therefore is it of faith, that according to grace the promise might be firm 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 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.

(As it is written: I have made thee a father of many nations, ) before God, whom he believed, who quickeneth the dead; and calleth those things that are not, as those that are.

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.”

Who against hope believed in hope; that he might be made the father of many nations, according to that which was said to him: So shall thy seed be.

19 Without weakening in his faith, he acknowledged the decrepitness of his body (since he was about a hundred years old) and the lifelessness of Sarah’s womb.

And he was not weak in faith; neither did he consider his own body now dead, whereas he was almost an hundred years old, nor the dead womb of Sara.

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

In the promise also of God he staggered not by distrust; but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God:

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

Most fully knowing, that whatsoever he has promised, he is able also to perform.

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

And therefore it was reputed to him unto justice.

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

Now it is not written only for him, that it was reputed to him unto justice,

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.

But also for us, to whom it shall be reputed, if we believe in him, that raised up Jesus Christ, our Lord, from the dead,

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

Who was delivered up for our sins, and rose again for our justification.