Romans 4

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

What then shall we say that Abraham our father has discovered according to the flesh?

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

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

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

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

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

Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift, but as something owed to him.

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

However, to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness,

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

just as David also speaks of the blessedness of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works:

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

“Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.

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

Blessed is the man against whom the Lord will never count sin.”

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 blessedness then only for the circumcised, or is it also for the uncircumcised? For we say, “Faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness.”

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

How then was it counted? When he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not when he was circumcised, but when he was uncircumcised.

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,

He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised, so that he might be the father of all who believe when they are uncircumcised, so that righteousness might be counted to them as well,

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.

and so that he might be the father of those who are not only circumcised in the flesh, but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had when he was 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 to Abraham, or to his offspring, that he would be the heir of the world was not through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.

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

For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith has been made void and the promise has been invalidated,

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

because the law brings wrath; for where there is no law, there is no transgression.

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,

For this reason the promise comes by faith, so that it may be according to grace and be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring, not only to the one who is of the law, but also to the one who is of the faith of Abraham, who 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.

(just as it is written, “I have made yoʋ the father of many nations”). He is our father in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into being what does not yet exist.

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.

Against all hope Abraham believed in hope that he would become the father of many nations according to what had been spoken: “So shall yoʋr offspring be.”

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.

Because he was not weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, now as good as dead (since he was somewhere around a hundred years old), or the deadness of Sarah's womb.

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

And he did not waver in unbelief at the promise of God but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God

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

and being fully assured that God was able to do what he had promised.

22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousnesse.

Therefore, “it was counted to him as righteousness.”

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

Now the statement “it was counted to him” was not written only for Abraham's sake,

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 for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe 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.

who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.