Romans 4

1 What then will we say that Abraham, our forefather, has found according to the flesh?

What then shall we say that Abraham, our earthly forefather, has gained?

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

For if he was held to be righteous on the ground of his actions, he has something to boast of; but not in the presence of God.

3 For what does the Scripture say? "And Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness."

For what says the Scripture? "And Abraham believed God, and this was placed to his credit as righteousness."

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

But in the case of a man who works, pay is not reckoned a favour but a debt;

5 But to him who does not work, but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness.

whereas in the case of a man who pleads no actions of his own, but simply believes in Him who declares the ungodly free from guilt, his faith is placed to his credit as righteousness.

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

In this way David also tells of the blessedness of the man to whose credit God places righteousness, apart from his actions.

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

"Blessed," he says, "are those whose iniquities have been forgiven, and whose sins have been covered over.

8 Happy is the one whom the Lord will not charge with sin."

Blessed is the man of whose sin the Lord will not take account."

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

This declaration of blessedness, then, does it come simply to the circumcised, or to the uncircumcised as well? For Abraham's faith--so we affirm--was placed to his credit as righteousness.

10 How then was it credited? When he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.

What then were the circumstances under which this took place? Was it after he had been circumcised, or before?

11 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.

Before, not after. And he received circumcision as a sign, a mark attesting the reality of the faith-righteousness which was his while still uncircumcised, that he might be the forefather of all those who believe even though they are uncircumcised--in order that this righteousness might be placed to their credit;

12 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.

and the forefather of the circumcised, namely of those who not merely are circumcised, but also walk in the steps of the faith which our forefather Abraham had while he was as yet uncircumcised.

13 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.

Again, the promise that he should inherit the world did not come to Abraham or his posterity conditioned by Law, but by faith-righteousness.

14 For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void, and the promise is made of no effect.

For if it is the righteous through Law who are heirs, then faith is useless and the promise counts for nothing.

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

For the Law inflicts punishment; but where no Law exists, there can be no violation of Law.

16 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.

All depends on faith, and for this reason--that acceptance with God might be an act of pure grace,

17 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.

so that the promise should be made sure to all Abraham's true descendants; not merely to those who are righteous through the Law, but to those who are righteous through a faith like that of Abraham. Thus in the sight of God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and makes reference to things that do not exist, as though they did, Abraham is the forefather of all of us. As it is written, "I have appointed you to be the forefather of many nations."

18 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."

Under utterly hopeless circumstances he hopefully believed, so that he might become the forefather of many nations, in agreement with the words "Equally numerous shall your posterity be."

19 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.

And, without growing weak in faith, he could contemplate his own vital powers which had now decayed--for he was nearly 100 years old--and Sarah's barrenness.

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

Nor did he in unbelief stagger at God's promise, but became mighty in faith, giving glory to God,

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

and being absolutely certain that whatever promise He is bound by He is able also to make good.

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

For this reason also his faith was placed to his credit as righteousness.

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

Nor was the fact of its being placed to his credit put on record for his sake only;

24 but for our sake also, to whom it will be credited, who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead,

it was for our sakes too. Faith, before long, will be placed to the credit of us also who are believers in Him who raised Jesus, our Lord, from the dead,

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

who was surrendered to death because of the offences we had committed, and was raised to life because of the acquittal secured for us.