Romans 4

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

What then shall we say that Abraham our father has discovered according to the flesh?

2 For if Abraham had been justified by works, he would have had a reason to boast, but not before God.

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

3 For what does the scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.”

For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.”

4 Now for him who works, what he is paid is not counted as a gift, but as what is owed.

Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift, but as something owed to him.

5 But for him who does not work but instead believes in the one who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness.

However, to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness,

6 David also pronounces blessing on the man to whom God counts righteousness without works.

just as David also speaks of the blessedness of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works:

7 He said, “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.

“Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.

8 Blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count sin.”

Blessed is the man against whom the Lord will never count sin.”

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.”

Is this blessedness then only for the circumcised, or is it also for the uncircumcised? For we say, “Faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness.”

10 So how was it counted? When Abraham was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? It was not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.

How then was it counted? When he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not when he was circumcised, but when he was uncircumcised.

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.

He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised, so that he might be the father of all who believe when they are uncircumcised, so that righteousness might be counted to them as well,

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.

and so that he might be the father of those who are not only circumcised in the flesh, but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had when he was uncircumcised.

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.

For the promise to Abraham, or to his offspring, that he would be the heir of the world was not through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.

14 For if those who live by the law are to be the heirs, faith is made empty, and the promise is void.

For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith has been made void and the promise has been invalidated,

15 For the law brings about wrath, but where there is no law, there is no trespass.

because the law brings wrath; for where there is no law, there is no transgression.

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,

For this reason the promise comes by faith, so that it may be according to grace and be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring, not only to the one who is of the law, but also to the one who is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all

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.

(just as it is written, “I have made yoʋ the father of many nations”). He is our father in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into being what does not yet exist.

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.”

Against all hope Abraham believed in hope that he would become the father of many nations according to what had been spoken: “So shall yoʋr offspring be.”

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.

Because he was not weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, now as good as dead (since he was somewhere around a hundred years old), or the deadness of Sarah's womb.

20 But because of God's promise, Abraham did not hesitate in unbelief. Instead, he was strengthened in faith and gave praise to God.

And he did not waver in unbelief at the promise of God but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God

21 He was fully convinced that what God had promised, he was also able to accomplish.

and being fully assured that God was able to do what he had promised.

22 Therefore this was also counted to him as righteousness.

Therefore, “it was counted to him as righteousness.”

23 Now it was not written only for his benefit, that it was counted for him.

Now the statement “it was counted to him” was not written only for Abraham's sake,

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.

but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead,

25 This is the one who was delivered up for our trespasses and was raised for our justification.

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