Romans 4

1 Let's take Abraham as an example. From a human viewpoint he is the father of our nation. Let's ask, “What was his experience?”

What do we then say that Abraham our father obtained by the flesh?

2 For if Abraham was set right by what he did, he would have had something to boast about—but not in God's eyes.

for if Abraham were justified by works, he might boast; but not before God.

3 However, what does Scripture say? “Abraham trusted God, and so he was considered as being a good person who did right.”

For what says the scripture? "And Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness."

4 Whoever works gets paid—it's not considered as a gift, but because they've earned their wages.

Now, to him who works, the reward is not counted as a favor, but as a debt.

5 But God, who makes sinners right, considers them as right not because they've worked for it but because they trust in him. This is why

But to him who does not work, but believes on him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

6 David speaks of the happiness of those whom God considers as right, and not because they worked for it:

In like manner, also, David describes the blessedness of the man to whom God counts righteousness without works: saying,

7 “How happy are those whose wrongs are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.

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

8 How happy are those the Lord does not consider sinful.”

Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not count sin."

9 Now is this blessing just for the Jews, or is it for others too? We've just stated that Abraham was accepted as good and right because he trusted God.

Does this blessedness come, then, on the circumcision only, or on the uncircumcision, also? for we affirm that faith was counted to Abraham for righteousness.

10 But when did this happen? When Abraham was a Jew or before?

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

11 It was actually before he became a Jew by being circumcised, which was a confirmation of his trust in God to make him right. This happened before he was circumcised, so he is the father of everyone who trusts in God and are considered as right by God, even though they may not be circumcised Jews.

And he received the mark of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness of the faith, which he had whilst uncircumcised; that he might be the father of all uncircumcised believers, that righteousness might be counted even to them.

12 He is also the father of circumcised Jews not merely because they're circumcised, but because they follow the example of the trust in God our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.

And a father to the circumcised, who are not only circumcised, but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith of our father Abraham, which he had whilst in uncircumcision.

13 God's promise to Abraham and his descendants that the world would belong to him was not based on his keeping of the law, but because he was made right through his trust in God.

For the promise to Abraham, that he should be the heir of a world, was not to him, nor to his seed, through law; but through a righteousness of faith.

14 For if the promised inheritance is based on keeping the law, then the issue of trusting God is not necessary, and the promise is pointless.

For if they who are of law are heirs; faith is rendered vain, and the promise is made of no effect.

15 For the law results in punishment—but if there's no law then it cannot be broken.

Farther, the law works out wrath; but where law is not, there is no transgression.

16 So the promise is based on trusting God. It is provided as a free gift, guaranteed to all the children of Abraham—not merely to those who follow the law, but also to those who trust like Abraham, the father of us all.

For this reason, it is through faith that it might be by favor, that 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 Scripture says, “I've made you the father of many nations.” For in the presence of God, Abraham trusted in the God who makes the dead alive and speaks into existence what didn't previously exist.

(as it is written, "Surely a father of many nations have I constituted you,") in the presence of him whom he believed, even of God, who makes alive the dead, and calls things which exist not, as though they existed.

18 Against all hope Abraham in hope trusted God, so he could become the father of many peoples, just as God had promised him: “This is how many descendants you'll have!”

He, contrary to hope, believed with hope, that he should be a father of many nations, according to what was spoken, "So shall your seed be."

19 His trust in God didn't weaken even though he thought his body was practically dead (he was around a hundred years old), and knew that Sarah was too old to have children.

And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body now dead, being about a hundred years old; neither the deadness of Sarah's womb.

20 He held on to God's promise—he didn't doubt it. Instead his trust in God grew stronger, and he gave glory to God.

Therefore, against the promise of God, through unbelief, he did not dispute; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God.

21 He was totally convinced that what God had promised he had the power to deliver.

And was fully persuaded that what was promised, he was able to perform.

22 That's why Abraham was considered right by God.

Therefore, also, it was counted to him for righteousness.

23 The words “Abraham was considered right” weren't just written down for his benefit.

Now it was not written for his sake only, that it was so counted,

24 They were for us too, those of us who will be considered as right, since we trust in God who raised our Lord Jesus from the dead.

even to those who believe on him who raised up Jesus, our Lord, from the dead;

25 Jesus was handed over to die because of our sins, and was raised to life to make us right.

who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised up again for our justification.