Romans 4

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

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

2 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.

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

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

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

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

Now to him who works, the reward is not counted as grace, but as something owed.

5 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.

But to him who does not work, but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness.

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

Even as David also pronounces blessing on the man to whom God counts righteousness apart from works:

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

“Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, whose sins are covered.

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

Blessed is the man whom the Lord will by no means charge with sin.”

9 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.

Is this blessing then pronounced only on the circumcised, or on the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness.

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

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

11 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;

He received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while he was in uncircumcision, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they might be in uncircumcision, that righteousness might also be accounted to them.

12 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.

He is 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.

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

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

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

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

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

For the law produces wrath; for where there is no law, neither is there disobedience.

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

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 offspring, 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.

17 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."

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.

18 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."

Against hope, Abraham in hope believed, to the end that he might become a father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, “So will your offspring be.”

19 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.

Without being weakened in faith, he did not consider his own body, already having been worn out, (he being about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb.

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

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

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

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

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

Therefore it also was “credited to him for righteousness.”

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

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

24 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,

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

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

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