Romans 4
1 Abraham is the [revered] ancestor of us [Jews]. So think about what we can conclude [from what happened to Abraham about how God can erase the record of our sins]. [RHQ]
ⲁ̅ⲟⲩ ϭⲉ ⲡⲉⲧⲛ̅ⲛⲁϫⲟⲟϥ ϫⲉ ⲁⲁⲃⲣⲁϩⲁⲙ ϩⲉ ⲉⲣⲟϥ ⲡⲉⲛⲉⲓⲱⲧ ϫⲓⲛⲛ̅ϣⲟⲣⲡ̅ ⲕⲁⲧⲁⲥⲁⲣⲝ̅.
2 If it was because of Abraham’s doing [good] things that the record of his sins was erased {that [God] erased the record of his sins}, Abraham could then have been able to boast [about that to people], but he would not have [had any basis to] boast to God [about it].
ⲃ̅ⲉϣϫⲉⲛ̅ⲧⲁⲩⲧⲙⲁⲓ̈ⲉⲁⲃⲣⲁϩⲁⲙ ⲅⲁⲣ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲛ̅ⲛⲉϩⲃⲏⲩⲉ. ⲟⲩⲛ̅ⲧϥ̅ⲟⲩϣⲟⲩϣⲟⲩ ⲙ̅ⲙⲁⲩ ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ⲛ̅ⲛⲁϩⲣⲙ̅ⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲁⲛ.
3 [Remember that] in the Scriptures it is written {someone wrote} [PRS] that Abraham believed what God [promised] [RHQ], and as a result the record of his sins was erased {[God] erased the record of his sins}.
ⲅ̅ⲟⲩ ⲇⲉ ⲡⲉⲧⲉⲣⲉⲧⲉⲅⲣⲁⲫⲏ ϫⲱ ⲙ̅ⲙⲟϥ ϫⲉ ⲁⲁⲃⲣⲁϩⲁⲙ ⲡⲓⲥⲧⲉⲩⲉ ⲉⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲁⲩⲟⲡⲥ̅ ⲉⲣⲟϥ ⲉⲩⲇⲓⲕⲁⲓⲟⲥⲩⲛⲏ·
4 If we receive wages for work that we do, those wages are not considered to be a gift. Instead, they [are considered] to be what we have earned. [Similarly, if God erases the record of our sins because we did things to earn God’s favor], we would not consider that [God’s erasing the record of our sin] was [a gift. Instead, we would consider it as what we had earned].
ⲇ̅ⲡⲉⲧⲣ̅ϩⲱⲃ ⲇⲉ ⲉϣⲁⲩⲉⲡⲡⲉϥⲃⲉⲕⲉ ⲉⲣⲟϥ ⲁⲛ ⲕⲁⲧⲁⲟⲩϩⲙⲟⲧ ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ⲕⲁⲧⲁⲟⲩⲙ̅ⲡϣⲁ.
5 But suppose that we do not do things [to gain God’s acceptance]. Suppose that we instead trust [in God], who erases the record of sins of wicked people. Then the erasing of the record of our sins because of our trusting [in Christ] is considered to be a gift to us, [not something that we earned].
ⲉ̅ⲡⲉⲧⲉⲛϥ̅ⲣ̅ϩⲱⲃ ⲇⲉ ⲁⲛ ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ⲉⲧⲡⲓⲥⲧⲉⲩⲉ ⲉⲡⲉⲧⲧⲙⲁⲉⲓⲟ ⲙ̅ⲡⲁⲥⲉⲃⲏⲥ ϣⲁⲩⲉⲡⲧⲉϥⲡⲓⲥⲧⲓⲥ ⲉⲣⲟϥ ⲉⲩⲇⲓⲕⲁⲓⲟⲥⲩⲛⲏ.
6 Similarly, it is as David wrote [in the Psalms] about people being happy whose record of sins God has erased even though they have not done things [to earn it. David wrote]:
ⲋ̅ⲕⲁⲧⲁⲑⲉ ⲟⲛ ⲉϣⲁⲣⲉⲇⲁⲩⲉⲓⲇ ϫⲱ ⲙ̅ⲡⲙⲁⲕⲁⲣⲓⲥⲙⲟⲥ ⲙ̅ⲡⲣⲱⲙⲉ. ⲡⲁⲓ̈ ⲉⲧⲉⲣⲉⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲛⲁⲱⲡ ⲉⲣⲟϥ ⲛ̅ⲟⲩⲇⲓⲕⲁⲓⲟⲥⲩⲛⲏ ⲁϫⲛ̅ⲛⲉϩⲃⲏⲩⲉ.
7 [God] is pleased with people whose sins have been {whose sins [he] has} forgiven, and whose sins he [has decided] to forget [DOU].
ⲍ̅ϫⲉ ⲛⲁⲓ̈ⲁⲧⲟⲩ ⲛ̅ⲛⲉⲛⲧⲁⲩⲕⲱ ⲛⲁⲩ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲛⲛⲉⲩⲁⲛⲟⲙⲓⲁ. ⲁⲩⲱ ⲛⲉⲛⲧⲁⲩϩⲱⲃⲥ̅ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲉϫⲛ̅ⲛⲉⲩⲛⲟⲃⲉ.
8 [God] causes to be happy the people whose sins he no longer keeps a record of.
ⲏ̅ⲛⲁⲓ̈ⲁⲧϥ̅ ⲙ̅ⲡⲣⲱⲙⲉ ⲉⲧⲉⲙ̅ⲡϫⲟⲉⲓⲥ ⲛⲁⲉⲡⲛⲟⲃⲉ ⲉⲣⲟϥ ⲁⲛ.
9 As for our being happy [because God has erased the record of our sins], (it is not something that [only] we Jews [can experience]./is it [MTY] something that [only] we Jews [can experience]?) [RHQ] [No, it is] also something that non-Jews [can experience] [MTY]. [What is written in the Scriptures], that it was because Abraham trusted [in God] that the record of his sins was erased {[God] erased the record of his sins}, [also shows that this is true].
ⲑ̅ⲡⲉⲓ̈ⲙⲁⲕⲁⲣⲓⲥⲙⲟⲥ ϭⲉ ⲉϥϣⲟⲟⲡ ⲉϫⲙ̅ⲡⲥⲃ̅ⲃⲉ. ϫⲛ̅ⲉϥϣⲟⲟⲡ ⲉϫⲛ̅ⲧⲕⲉⲙⲛ̅ⲧⲁⲧⲥⲃ̅ⲃⲉ. ⲧⲛ̅ϫⲱ ⲅⲁⲣ ⲙ̅ⲙⲟⲥ ϫⲉ ⲁⲩⲉⲡⲧⲡⲓⲥⲧⲓⲥ ⲛ̅ⲁⲃⲣⲁϩⲁⲙ ⲉⲣⲟϥ ⲉⲩⲇⲓⲕⲁⲓⲟⲥⲩⲛⲏ.
10 ([Think about] when [God erased the record of Abraham’s sins]./When did [God erase the record of Abraham’s sins]?) [RHQ] (Consider whether [it happened] after someone circumcised [Abraham to mark him as one who belonged to God], or before someone circumcised him./[Did it happen] after [Abraham was] circumcised [to be marked as one who belonged to God], or before he was circumcised?) [RHQ] It happened before he was circumcised, not after he was circumcised.
ⲓ̅ⲛ̅ⲧⲁⲩⲟⲡⲥ̅ ϭⲉ ⲉⲣⲟϥ ⲛ̅ⲁϣ ⲛ̅ϩⲉ. ⲛⲉϥϩⲙ̅ⲡⲥⲃ̅ⲃⲉ ⲡⲉ. ϫⲛ̅ⲉϥϩⲛ̅ⲧⲙⲛ̅ⲧⲁⲧⲥⲃ̅ⲃⲉ. ⲛⲉϥϩⲙ̅ⲡⲥⲃ̅ⲃⲉ ⲁⲛ ⲡⲉ. ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ⲛⲉϥϩⲛ̅ⲧⲙⲛ̅ⲧⲁⲧⲥⲃ̅ⲃⲉ.
11 [Many years later, God commanded that] Abraham [be] circumcised. Abraham’s accepting that ritual simply showed [that he knew that God had accepted him]. [He knew that God] had [erased the record of his sins] because he trusted [in God] while he was still, [in effect, a non-Jew because] he had not been circumcised. [So we can understand that] Abraham became (a spiritual ancestor/like an ancestor) to [all] of us whose record of sins has been erased {whose sins [God] has erased the record of} because we believe [in God’s promise, even though some of us] are not circumcised.
ⲓ̅ⲁ̅ⲁⲩⲱ ⲁϥϫⲓ ⲛ̅ⲟⲩⲙⲁⲉⲓⲛ ⲛ̅ⲥⲃ̅ⲃⲉ ⲛ̅ⲥⲫⲣⲁⲅⲓⲥ ⲛ̅ⲧⲇⲓⲕⲁⲓⲟⲥⲩⲛⲏ ⲛ̅ⲧⲡⲓⲥⲧⲓⲥ ⲉⲧϩⲛ̅ⲧⲙⲛ̅ⲧⲁⲧⲥⲃ̅ⲃⲉ. ⲉⲧⲣⲉϥϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲛⲉⲓⲱⲧ ⲛ̅ⲛⲉⲧⲡⲓⲥⲧⲉⲩⲉ ⲧⲏⲣⲟⲩ ϩⲓⲧⲛ̅ⲧⲙⲛ̅ⲧⲁⲧⲥⲃ̅ⲃⲉ. ⲉⲧⲣⲉⲩⲟⲡⲥ̅ ϩⲱⲟⲩ ⲟⲛ ⲉⲣⲟⲟⲩ ⲉⲩⲇⲓⲕⲁⲓⲟⲥⲩⲛⲏ.
12 Likewise, Abraham is the [spiritual] ancestor of all us Jews who are not merely circumcised but who, more importantly, [believe in God’s promise] as our ancestor Abraham did, even before he was circumcised.
ⲓ̅ⲃ̅ⲁⲩⲱ ⲛ̅ⲉⲓⲱⲧ ⲙ̅ⲡⲥⲃ̅ⲃⲉ. ⲛ̅ⲛⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲁⲛ ϩⲙ̅ⲡⲥⲃ̅ⲃⲉ ⲙⲁⲩⲁⲁⲩ. ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ⲛ̅ⲕⲟⲟⲩⲉ ⲉⲧⲁϩⲉ ⲉⲧⲉϩⲓⲏ ⲛ̅ⲧⲡⲓⲥⲧⲓⲥ ⲉⲧϩⲛ̅ⲧⲙⲛ̅ⲧⲁⲧⲥⲃ̅ⲃⲉ ⲙ̅ⲡⲉⲛⲉⲓⲱⲧ ⲁⲃⲣⲁϩⲁⲙ.
13 God promised Abraham and his descendants that they would receive [the blessings that he promised to give to the people in] the world. But when he promised that, it was not because Abraham [obeyed] the laws [that God later gave to Moses]. Instead, it was because Abraham believed [that God would do what he promised that he would do]. As a result, God erased the record of his sins.
ⲓ̅ⲅ̅ⲟⲩⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲅⲁⲣ ⲁⲛ ϩⲓⲧⲙ̅ⲡⲛⲟⲙⲟⲥ ⲡⲉ ⲡⲉⲣⲏⲧ ⲉⲛⲧⲁϥϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲛ̅ⲁⲃⲣⲁϩⲁⲙ. ⲏ̅ ⲡⲉϥⲥⲡⲉⲣⲙⲁ ⲉⲧⲣⲉϥϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲛ̅ⲕⲗⲏⲣⲟⲛⲟⲙⲟⲥ ⲙ̅ⲡⲕⲟⲥⲙⲟⲥ. ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲓⲧⲛ̅ⲧⲇⲓⲕⲁⲓⲟⲥⲩⲛⲏ ⲛ̅ⲧⲡⲓⲥⲧⲓⲥ.
14 If [we think that] it is those who [obey God’s] laws who will receive [what he has promised], it is useless [for us to trust in him. And what he] promised is worthless. [Remember that] it is [stated] in God’s law [PRS] [that] he will punish [people who do not perfectly obey them], and remember that wherever [MTY] laws exist, [people] disobey them [LIT].
ⲓ̅ⲇ̅ⲉϣϫⲉⲉⲣⲉⲛⲉⲕⲗⲏⲣⲟⲛⲟⲙⲟⲥ ⲅⲁⲣ ϣⲟⲟⲡ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲙ̅ⲡⲛⲟⲙⲟⲥ. ⲉⲓ̈ⲉ ⲧⲡⲓⲥⲧⲓⲥ ϣⲟⲩⲉⲓⲧ. ⲁⲩⲱ ⲁⲡⲉⲣⲏⲧ ⲟⲩⲱⲥϥ̅.
ⲓ̅ⲉ̅ⲉⲣⲉⲡⲛⲟⲙⲟⲥ ⲅⲁⲣ ⲣ̅ϩⲱⲃ ⲉⲩⲟⲣⲅⲏ. ⲡⲙⲁ ⲇⲉ ⲉⲧⲉⲙⲛ̅ⲛⲟⲙⲟⲥ ⲛ̅ϩⲏⲧϥ̅. ⲟⲩⲇⲉ ⲙⲛ̅ⲡⲁⲣⲁⲃⲁⲥⲓⲥ.
16 So it is because [we] trust [in God that we will receive the things that he has promised]. [It is not because we perfectly obey God’s laws. He wants] (to [erase the record of our sins/to declare us no longer guilty]) without our earning it. As a result, what God now promises, he guarantees to give to all people who are [Abraham’s spiritual] descendants. [He promises to do that not only for us Jewish believers], who [have] God’s laws [and trust in him as Abraham did], but also for those [non-Jews who do not have God’s laws but] who trust [in him] as Abraham did. Abraham is the [spiritual] ancestor of all of us [believers].
ⲓ̅ⲋ̅ⲉⲧⲃⲉⲡⲁⲓ̈ ⲟⲩⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲛ̅ⲧⲡⲓⲥⲧⲓⲥ ⲧⲉ. ϫⲉⲕⲁⲁⲥ ⲕⲁⲧⲁⲟⲩϩⲙⲟⲧ ⲉⲧⲣⲉⲡⲉⲣⲏⲧ ϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲉϥⲧⲁϫⲣⲏⲩ ⲙ̅ⲡⲉⲥⲡⲉⲣⲙⲁ ⲧⲏⲣϥ̅. ⲙ̅ⲡⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲁⲛ ϩⲙ̅ⲡⲛⲟⲙⲟⲥ ⲙ̅ⲙⲁⲧⲉ. ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ⲙ̅ⲡⲕⲉⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲛ̅ⲧⲡⲓⲥⲧⲓⲥ ⲛ̅ⲁⲃⲣⲁϩⲁⲙ ⲉⲧⲉⲡⲁⲓ̈ ⲡⲉ ⲡⲉⲛⲉⲓⲱⲧ ⲧⲏⲣⲛ̅.
17 What is written {What [Moses] wrote} [in the Scriptures about what God promised Abraham shows that this is true]. [God said to him], “It is in order that you [(sg)] may be the ancestor of many ethnic groups that I have chosen you.” Romans 4:17b-22 God [guaranteed that he would give Abraham many descendants]. Abraham confidently believed that God [would do that],
ⲓ̅ⲍ̅ⲕⲁⲧⲁⲑⲉ ⲉⲧⲥⲏϩ ϫⲉ ⲁⲓ̈ⲕⲱ ⲙ̅ⲙⲟⲕ ⲛ̅ⲉⲓⲱⲧ ⲛ̅ϩⲁϩ ⲛ̅ϩⲉⲑⲛⲟⲥ ⲙ̅ⲡⲉⲙⲧⲟ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲙ̅ⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲉⲛⲧⲁϥⲡⲓⲥⲧⲉⲩⲉ ⲉⲣⲟϥ. ⲡⲁⲓ̈ ⲉⲧⲧⲁⲛϩⲟ ⲛ̅ⲛⲉⲧⲙⲟⲟⲩⲧ ⲉⲧⲙⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲉⲛⲉⲧⲉⲛⲥⲉϣⲟⲟⲡ ⲁⲛ ϩⲱⲥ ⲉⲩϣⲟⲟⲡ.
18 even though there was no physical reason for him to hope [that he would have descendants, because he and his wife were too old to bear children]. But God is the one who causes dead people to live again, and who talks about things that do not yet exist as already existing. [God said to Abraham], “You will have so many descendants that they will be [as impossible to count as the stars].” And Abraham believed that, and he believed that he would become the ancestor of many ethnic groups.
ⲓ̅ⲏ̅ⲡⲁⲓ̈ ⲡⲁⲣⲁⲟⲩϩⲉⲗⲡⲓⲥ ⲁϥⲡⲓⲥⲧⲉⲩⲉ ⲉⲩϩⲉⲗⲡⲓⲥ. ⲉⲧⲣⲉϥϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲛ̅ⲉⲓⲱⲧ ⲛ̅ϩⲁϩ ⲛ̅ϩⲉⲑⲛⲟⲥ ⲕⲁⲧⲁⲡⲉⲛⲧⲁⲩϫⲟⲟϥ. ϫⲉ ⲧⲁⲓ̈ ⲧⲉ ⲑⲉ ⲉⲧⲉⲣⲉⲡⲉⲕⲥⲡⲉⲣⲙⲁ ⲛⲁϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲙ̅ⲙⲟⲥ.
19 He did not doubt [that God would do what he promised], even though he knew that his body was already [as incapable of begetting children as if he were] dead [MET] because he was about 100 years old. And [even though he realized that] Sarah had never been able to become pregnant [IDM],
ⲓ̅ⲑ̅ⲁⲩⲱ ⲙ̅ⲡϥ̅ϭⲃ̅ⲃⲉ ϩⲛ̅ⲧⲡⲓⲥⲧⲓⲥ. ⲁϥⲛⲁⲩ ⲉⲡⲉϥⲥⲱⲙⲁ ⲉⲁϥⲕⲁϭⲟⲙ ⲉⲡⲧⲏⲣϥ̅ ⲉϥⲛⲁⲣ̅ⲁϣⲉ ⲛ̅ⲣⲟⲙⲡⲉ ⲙⲛ̅ⲡⲙⲟⲩ ⲛ̅ⲧⲟⲟⲧⲉ ⲛ̅ⲥⲁⲣⲣⲁ.
20 he did not doubt at all that God [would do what he had] promised. Instead, he trusted [in God] more/very strongly, and he thanked God [for what God was going to do].
ⲕ̅ⲉⲡⲉⲣⲏⲧ ⲇⲉ ⲙ̅ⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲙ̅ⲡϥ̅ⲣ̅ϩⲏⲧ ⲥⲛⲁⲩ ϩⲛ̅ⲟⲩⲙⲛ̅ⲧⲁⲡⲓⲥⲧⲟⲥ. ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ⲁϥϭⲙ̅ϭⲟⲙ ϩⲛ̅ⲧⲡⲓⲥⲧⲓⲥ. ⲉⲁϥϯⲉⲟⲟⲩ ⲙ̅ⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ.
21 He was also convinced {very sure} that the thing that God promised, God was able to do.
ⲕ̅ⲁ̅ⲁⲩⲱ ⲁϥⲧⲱⲧ ⲛ̅ϩⲏⲧ ϫⲉ ⲡⲉⲛⲧⲁϥⲉⲣⲏⲧ ⲙ̅ⲙⲟϥ ⲟⲩⲛ̅ϭⲟⲙ ⲙ̅ⲙⲟϥ ⲉⲁⲁϥ.
22 And that is the reason that the record of his sins was erased {[God] erased the record of his sins}.
ⲕ̅ⲃ̅ⲉⲧⲃⲉⲡⲁⲓ̈ ⲁⲩⲟⲡⲥ̅ ⲉⲣⲟϥ ⲉⲩⲇⲓⲕⲁⲓⲟⲥⲩⲛⲏ.
23 The words [in the Scriptures], “The record of his sins was erased {[God] erased the record of his sins},” are not only about Abraham.
ⲕ̅ⲅ̅ⲛ̅ⲧⲁⲩⲥⲁϩϥ̅ ⲇⲉ ⲁⲛ ⲉⲧⲃⲏⲏⲧϥ̅ ⲙⲁⲩⲁⲁϥ ϫⲉ ⲁⲩⲟⲡⲥ̅ ⲉⲣⲟϥ.
24 They were also written {[They] also wrote that} for us whose record of sins would be erased {[God] would erase}. They were written {[They] wrote it} for us who believe [God], the one who caused our Lord Jesus to become alive again after he died.
ⲕ̅ⲇ̅ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ⲉⲧⲃⲏⲏⲧⲛ̅ ϩⲱⲱⲛ ⲟⲛ ⲛⲁⲓ̈ ⲉⲧⲟⲩⲛⲁⲟⲡⲥ̅ ⲉⲣⲟⲟⲩ. ⲛⲉⲧⲡⲓⲥⲧⲉⲩⲉ ⲉⲡⲉⲛⲧⲁϥⲧⲟⲩⲛⲉⲥⲓ̅ⲥ̅ ⲡⲉⲛϫⲟⲉⲓⲥ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲛ̅ⲛⲉⲧⲙⲟⲟⲩⲧ
25 Jesus allowed [men] to execute [MTY] him so that [God could forgive] our evil deeds. And [God] caused Jesus to live again because [God wanted to show that because of the death of Jesus he was able to] erase the record of our sins.
ⲕ̅ⲉ̅ⲡⲁⲓ̈ ⲉⲛⲧⲁⲩⲧⲁⲁϥ ⲉⲧⲃⲉⲛⲉⲛⲛⲟⲃⲉ. ⲁⲩⲱ ⲁϥⲧⲱⲟⲩⲛ ⲉⲧⲃⲉⲡⲉⲛⲧⲙⲁⲉⲓⲟ.
