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 then will we say that Abraham, our forefather, has found according to 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 was justified by works, he has something to boast about, 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 does the Scripture say? "And Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness."

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

Now to the one who works, the pay is not counted as a gift, but as an obligation.

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 in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness.

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

Even as David also pronounces blessing on the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works,

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

"Happy are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.

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

Happy is the one whom the Lord will not charge with 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.

Is this blessing then pronounced on the circumcised, or on the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was credited to Abraham as righteousness.

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

How then was it credited? 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.

He received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while he was in uncircumcision, so that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they be in uncircumcision, that righteousness might also be credited 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.

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.

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 and to his descendants that he should be heir of the world was not through the law, but through the 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 those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void, 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.

For the law works wrath, for where there is no law, neither is there disobedience.

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 cause it is of faith, that it may be according to grace, to the end that the promise may be sure to all the descendants, 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, "I have made you a father of many nations." 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.

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!”

Who hoped in spite of hopeless circumstances, with the result that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, "so will your descendants 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 considered his own body, which was as good as dead (he being about a hundred years old), and 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.

Yet, looking to the promise of God, he did not waver through unbelief, but grew strong through faith, giving glory to God,

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

and being fully assured that what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

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

And therefore "it was credited to him as righteousness."

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

Now it was not written that it was credited to him for his sake alone,

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.

but for our sake also, to whom it will be credited, who believe in him who raised 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 up for our trespasses, and was raised for our justification.