Romans 4
1 What then will we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, found?
让我们以亚伯拉罕为例。从人类的角度来看，他是我们国家的祖先。那么问题是：他经历了什么？
2 For if Abraham had been justified by works, he would have had a reason to boast, but not before God.
如果亚伯拉罕因其行为而被称为正义，他可能会因此而夸口，但决不能在上帝面前。
3 For what does the scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.”
经文是怎么说的？“亚伯拉罕相信上帝，所以就被视为正确行事的善良之人。”
4 Now for him who works, what he is paid is not counted as a gift, but as what is owed.
做工的人会获得酬劳，但不算是恩赐，而是他们应得的。
5 But for him who does not work but instead believes in the one who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness.
上帝让罪人转为正义，将他们视为正义之人，因为他们相信上帝，为上帝而工作。所以
6 David also pronounces blessing on the man to whom God counts righteousness without works.
大卫说过，上帝视为正义之人有福，并非是他们做工的一种交换！
7 He said, “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
“那些过错获得赦免、罪恶得到宽恕之人，如此有福，
8 Blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count sin.”
主没有将其视为有罪，如此有福。”
9 Then is this blessing pronounced only on those of the circumcision, or also on those of the uncircumcision? For we say, “Faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness.”
那么这福气只属于犹太人吗？或者也属于其他人？我们刚刚说过，亚伯拉罕被视为善良正义，是因为他相信上帝。
10 So how was it counted? When Abraham was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? It was not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.
那么，这又在何时发生呢？在亚伯拉是犹太人的时候，还是更早？
11 Abraham received the sign of circumcision. This was a seal of the righteousness of the faith that he had already possessed when he was in uncircumcision. The result of this sign was that he became the father of all those who believe, even if they are in uncircumcision. This means that righteousness will be counted for them.
其实是在他领受割礼之前，割礼确认了他对上帝的信任，这让他成为正义之人。这发生在他受割礼之前，所以他是所有相信上帝、被上帝视为正义之人的祖先，即使这些人没有受割礼成为犹太人也是如此。
12 This also meant that Abraham became the father of the circumcision for those who are not only circumcised but also for those who follow in the steps of faith of our father Abraham before he was circumcised.
他也是受割礼之人的父，不仅因为他们受割礼，还因为他们遵循我们祖先亚伯拉罕的例子，他在受割礼之前就信上帝。
13 For the promise to Abraham and to his descendants that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith.
上帝承诺亚伯拉罕和他的后裔：这个世界将属于他。但这个承诺并非因他遵循律法，而是因为他相信上帝而变成良善正直之人。
14 For if those who live by the law are to be the heirs, faith is made empty, and the promise is void.
如果这承诺的传承是根据律法而来，那么就无所谓相信上帝与否，承诺也就没有了意义。
15 For the law brings about wrath, but where there is no law, there is no trespass.
因为律法会带来惩罚。但如果没有律法，就谈不上违背律法。
16 For this reason it is by faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all of Abraham's descendants—not only to those who are under the law, but also to those who share the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all,
所以这承诺是基于对上帝的相信。上帝将其作为恩赐馈赠，是向所有亚伯拉罕的子孙做出的承诺，不只是那些遵循律法之人，还包括相信众人之父亚伯拉罕的所有人。
17 as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations.” Abraham was in the presence of him whom he trusted, that is, God, who gives life to the dead and calls the things that do not exist into existence.
如经文所记：“我已立你为万国之父。”在上帝面前，亚伯拉罕相信上帝，那让人起死回生、造物于世的上帝。
18 In hope he believed against hope, that he would become the father of many nations, according to what he had been told, “So will your descendants be.”
在没有希望的时候，亚伯拉罕仍心怀希望地相信上帝，这让他成为众人之父，正如上帝所承诺：“所以你将有众多的后裔！”
19 Without becoming weak in faith, he considered his own body as dead (because he was about a hundred years old)—and he considered the deadness of Sarah's womb.
他近一百岁时，感到自己的身躯已行将朽木，撒拉也无法生育，但他对上帝的信丝毫未曾减弱，
20 But because of God's promise, Abraham did not hesitate in unbelief. Instead, he was strengthened in faith and gave praise to God.
他坚信上帝的承诺，从未有丝毫怀疑。相反，他更坚定地相信上帝，将荣耀给予上帝。
21 He was fully convinced that what God had promised, he was also able to accomplish.
他完全确信上帝承诺之事，上帝必能成就。
22 Therefore this was also counted to him as righteousness.
这就是为什么上帝将亚伯拉罕视为正义之人。
23 Now it was not written only for his benefit, that it was counted for him.
“亚伯拉罕被视为正义之人”这句话，不只是为他而写，
24 It was written also for us, for whom it will be counted, we who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.
也为我们而写，我们中会有人被上帝视为正义之人，因为我们相信上帝让主耶稣死而复活。
25 This is the one who was delivered up for our trespasses and was raised for our justification.
耶稣因我们的罪而受到背叛并送死，又通过复活让我们成为良善正直之人。
