Romans 4

1 What shall we say then, that Abraham our father hath found concerning the flesh?

What then, it may be asked, are we to say about Abraham, the ancestor of our nation?

2 For if Abraham were iustified by workes, he hath wherein to reioyce, but not with God.

If he was pronounced righteous as the result of obedience, then he has something to boast of. Yes, but not before God.

3 For what saith the Scripture? Abraham beleeued God, and it was counted to him for righteousnesse.

For what are the words of scripture? “Abraham had faith in God, and his faith was regarded by God as righteousness.”

4 Nowe to him that worketh, the wages is not counted by fauour, but by dette:

Now wages are regarded as due to the person who works, not as a favour, but as a debt;

5 But to him that worketh not, but beleeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly, his faith is counted for righteousnesse.

while, as for the person who does not rely on their obedience, but has faith in him who can pronounce the godless righteous, their faith is regarded by God as righteousness.

6 Euen as Dauid declareth the blessednesse of the man, vnto whom God imputeth righteousnes without workes, saying,

In precisely the same way David speaks of the blessing pronounced on the person who is regarded by God as righteous apart from actions –

7 Blessed are they, whose iniquities are forgiuen, and whose sinnes are couered.

“Blessed are those whose wrongdoings have been forgiven and over whose sins a veil has been drawn!

8 Blessed is the man, to whom the Lord imputeth not sinne.

Blessed the man whom the Lord will never regard as sinful!”

9 Came this blessednesse then vpon the circumcision onely, or vpon the vncircumcision also? For we say, that faith was imputed vnto Abraham for righteousnesse.

Is this blessing, then, pronounced on the circumcised only or on the uncircumcised as well? We say that – “Abraham’s faith was regarded by God as righteousness.”

10 Howe was it then imputed? when he was circumcised, or vncircumcised? not when he was cricumcised, but when he was vncircumcised.

Under what circumstances, then, did this take place? After his circumcision or before it?

11 After, he receiued the signe of circumcision, as the seale of the righteousnesse of ye faith which he had, when he was vncircumcised, that he should be the father of all them that beleeue, not being circumcised, that righteousnesse might be imputed to them also,

Not after, but before. And it was as a sign of this that he received the rite of circumcision – to show the righteousness due to the faith of an uncircumcised man – in order that he might be the father of all who have faith in God even when uncircumcised, so that they also may be regarded by God as righteous;

12 And the father of circumcision, not vnto them onely which are of the circumcision, but vnto them also that walke in the steppes of the faith of our father Abraham, which he had when he was vncircumcised.

as well as father of the circumcised – to those who are not only circumcised, but who also follow our father Abraham in that faith which he had while still uncircumcised.

13 For the promise that he should be the heire of the worlde, was not giuen to Abraham, or to his seede, through the Lawe, but through the righteousnesse of faith.

For the promise that he should inherit the world did not come to Abraham or his descendants through Law, but through the righteousness due to faith.

14 For if they which are of the Lawe, be heires, faith is made voide, and the promise is made of none effect.

If those who take their stand on Law are to inherit the world, then faith is robbed of its meaning and the promise comes to nothing!

15 For the Lawe causeth wrath: for where no Lawe is, there is no transgression.

Law entails punishment; but, where no Law exists, no breach of it is possible.

16 Therefore it is by faith, that it might come by grace, and the promise might be sure to all the seede, not to that onely which is of the Lawe: but also to that which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of vs all,

That is why everything is made to depend on faith: so that everything may be God’s gift, and in order that the fulfilment of the promise may be made certain for all Abraham’s descendants – not only for those who take their stand on the Law, but also for those who take their stand on the faith of Abraham. (He is the father of us all;

17 (As it is written, I haue made thee a father of many nations) euen before God whom he beleeued, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those thinges which be not, as though they were.

as scripture says – “I have made you the father of many nations.”) And this they do in the sight of that God in whom Abraham had faith, and who gives life to the dead, and speaks of what does not yet exist as if it did.

18 Which Abraham aboue hope, beleeued vnder hope, that he should be the father of many nations: according to that which was spoken to him, So shall thy seede be.

With no ground for hope, Abraham, sustained by hope, put faith in God; in order that, in fulfilment of the words – “So many will your descendants be,” he might become “the father of many nations.”

19 And he not weake in the faith, considered not his owne bodie, which was nowe dead, being almost an hundreth yeere olde, neither the deadnes of Saraes wombe.

Though he was nearly a hundred years old, yet his faith did not fail him, even when he thought of his own body, then utterly worn out, and remembered that Sarah was past bearing children.

20 Neither did he doubt of the promise of God through vnbeliefe, but was strengthened in the faith, and gaue glorie to God,

He was not led by want of faith to doubt God’s promise.

21 Being fully assured that he which had promised, was also able to doe it.

On the contrary, his faith gave him strength; and he praised God, in the firm conviction that what God has promised he is also able to carry out.

22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousnesse.

And therefore his faith “was regarded as righteousness.”

23 Nowe it is not written for him onely, that it was imputed to him for righteousnesse,

Now these words – “it was regarded as righteousness” – were not written with reference to Abraham only;

24 But also for vs, to whom it shalbe imputed for righteousnesse, which beleeue in him that raised vp Iesus our Lord from the dead,

but also with reference to us. Our faith, too, will be regarded by God in the same light, if we have faith in him who raised Jesus, our Lord, from the dead;

25 Who was deliuered to death for our sinnes, and is risen againe for our iustification.

for Jesus was given up to death to atone for our offences, and was raised to life that we might be pronounced righteous.