Romans 4

1 Then what shall we say that Abraham, our father according to the flesh, has found?

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

2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he has glorification; but not before 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 does the scripture say? Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness.

For what are the words of Scripture? ‘Abraham had faith in God, and his faith was regarded by God as righteousness.’

4 But to him that worketh, the reward is not reckoned according to grace, but according to debt;

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

5 but to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned for righteousness.

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

6 Indeed David also speaks of the blessedness of the man, to whom God imputes righteousness without works,

In precisely the same way David speaks of the blessing pronounced upon the man who is regarded by God as righteous apart from actions —

7 Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered;

‘Blessed are those whose wrong-doings have been forgiven and over whose sins a veil has been drawn!

8 blessed is the man of whom the Lord may not impute sin.

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

9 Then does this blessedness come on the circumcision, or on the uncircumcision? for we say That faith was imputed to Abraham for righteousness.

Is this blessing, then, pronounced upon the circumcised only or upon the uncircumcised as well? We say that — ‘Abraham’s faith was regarded by God as righteousness.’

10 Then how was it imputed? to him, being in circumcision or uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.

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

11 And he received the sign of circumcision, and the seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had in uncircumcision: that he should be the father of all who believed, through uncircumcision; and righteousness should be imputed to them;

Not after, but before. And it was as a sign of this that he received the rite of circumcision — to attest 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, that they also may be regarded by God as righteous;

12 and the father of circumcision to them 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.

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 to Abraham or his seed, that he should be the heir of the world, was not through the law, but through the righteousness 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 the heirs were by the law, faith has been made void, and the promise vitiated.

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 law works out wrath: for where there is no law, there is no transgression.

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

16 Therefore it is by faith, in order that it may be by grace; that the promise may be sure to all the seed; not only of the law, but also of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,

That is why all is made to depend upon faith, that all 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 has been written, That I have constituted thee the father of many nations, before God whom he believed, who quickens the dead, and calls things which are not as really existing:

as Scripture says — ‘I have made thee 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 who against hope confided in hope, that he should be the father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, So shall thy seed be:

With no ground for hope, Abraham, sustained by hope, put faith in God; in order that, in fulfilment of the words — ‘So many shall thy descendants be,’ he might become ‘the Father of many nations.’

19 and being not weak in faith, he considered not his body already dead, being about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah's womb:

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 but he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was filled up with dynamite through faith, having given glory to God;

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

21 and being fully assured, that whatsoever he has promised, he is able also to perform.

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 Therefore it was indeed imputed unto him for righteousness.

And therefore his faith ‘was regarded as righteousness.’

23 And it was not written on account of him alone, that it was imputed to him;

Now these words — ‘it was regarded as righteousness’ — were not written with reference to Abraham only;

24 but on account of us also, to whom it is about to be imputed, who believe on him who raised up our Lord Jesus 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 delivered on account of our transgressions, and raised for our justification.

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