Romans 4

1 What shall we saye then that Abraham oure father as pertayninge to ye flesshe dyd finde?

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]

2 If Abraham were iustified by dedes the hath he wherin to reioyce: but not with god.

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].

3 For what sayth the scripture? Abraham beleved god and it was counted vnto him for rightewesnes.

[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}.

4 To him that worketh is the rewarde not reckened of favour: but of duty.

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].

5 To him that worketh not but beleveth on him that iustifieth the vngodly is his fayth counted for rightewesnes.

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].

6 Even as David describeth the blessedfulnes of the man vnto whom god ascribeth rihgtewesnes without dedes.

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]:

7 Blessed are they whose vnrightewesnes are forgeven and whose synnes are covered.

[God] is pleased with people whose sins have been {whose sins [he] has} forgiven, and whose sins he [has decided] to forget [DOU].

8 Blessed is that ma to whom the Lorde imputeth not synne.

[God] causes to be happy the people whose sins he no longer keeps a record of.

9 Came this blessednes then vpon the circumcised or vpon the vncircucised? We saye verely how that fayth was rekened to Abraham for rightewesnes.

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].

10 How was it rekened? in the tyme of circumcision? or in the tyme before he was circumcised? Not in tyme of circucision: but when he was yet vncircumcised.

([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.

11 And he receaved the signe of circumcision as a seale of yt rightewesnes which is by fayth which fayth he had yet beynge vncircucised: that he shuld be the father of all them that beleve though they be not circumcised that rightewesnes myght be imputed to them also:

[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.

12 and that he myght be the father of the circumcised not because they are circumcised only: but because they walke also in the steppes of that fayth yt was in oure father Abraham before the tyme of circumcision.

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.

13 For the promes that he shuld be the heyre of the worlde was not geven to Abraha or to his seed thorow the lawe: but thorow ye rightewesnes which cometh of fayth.

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.

14 For yf they which are of the lawe be heyres then is fayth but vayne and the promes of none effecte.

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].

15 Because the lawe causeth wrathe. For where no lawe is there is no trasgression.

16 Therfore by fayth is the inheritauce geven that it myght come of faveour: and the promes myght be sure to all the seed. Not to them only which are of the lawe: but also to them which are of the fayth of Abraham which is the father of vs all.

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].

17 As it is wrytten: I have made the a father to many nacions even before god whom thou hast beleved which quyckeneth the deed and called those thinges which be not as though they were.

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],

18 Which Abraham contrary to hope beleved in hope that he shuld be the father of many nacions accordynge to that which was spoken:

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.

19 So shall thy seed be. And he faynted not in the fayth nor yet consydered hys awne body which was now deed even when he was almost an hondred yeare olde: nether yet that Sara was past chyldeberinge.

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],

20 He stackered not at the promes of God thorow vnbelefe: but was made stronge in the fayth and gave honour to God

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].

21 full certifyed that what he had promised that he was able to make good.

He was also convinced {very sure} that the thing that God promised, God was able to do.

22 And therfore was it reckened to him for rightewesnes.

And that is the reason that the record of his sins was erased {[God] erased the record of his sins}.

23 It is not written for him only that it was reckened to him for rightewesnes:

The words [in the Scriptures], “The record of his sins was erased {[God] erased the record of his sins},” are not only about Abraham.

24 but also for vs to whom it shalbe counted for rightewesnes so we beleve on him that raysed vp Iesus oure Lorde from deeth.

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.

25 Which was delivered for oure synnes and rose agayne forto iustifie vs.

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.