Romains 4
1 Quel avantage dirons-nous donc qu’Abraham, notre père, ait obtenu selon la chair?
What then shall we say that Abraham, our earthly forefather, has gained?
2 Si Abraham a été justifié par les œuvres, il a sujet de se glorifier. Mais il n’en a pas sujet devant Dieu.
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.
3 En effet, que dit l’Ecriture? « Abraham crut à Dieu, et cela lui fut imputé à justice. »
For what says the Scripture? "And Abraham believed God, and this was placed to his credit as righteousness."
4 Or, à celui qui fait une œuvre, le salaire est imputé, non comme une grâce, mais comme une chose due;
But in the case of a man who works, pay is not reckoned a favour but a debt;
5 et à celui qui ne fait aucune œuvre, mais qui croit en celui qui justifie l’impie, sa foi lui est imputée à justice.
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.
6 C’est ainsi que David proclame la béatitude de l’homme à qui Dieu impute la justice indépendamment des œuvres:
In this way David also tells of the blessedness of the man to whose credit God places righteousness, apart from his actions.
7 Heureux ceux dont les iniquités sont pardonnées, et dont les péchés ont été couverts!
"Blessed," he says, "are those whose iniquities have been forgiven, and whose sins have been covered over.
8 Heureux l’homme à qui le Seigneur n’impute pas son péché! »
Blessed is the man of whose sin the Lord will not take account."
9 Ce bonheur n’est-il que pour les circoncis, ou est-il également pour les incirconcis? Car nous disons que la foi fut imputée à justice à Abraham.
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.
10 Comment donc lui fut-elle imputée? Etait-ce en l’état de circoncision, ou en l’état d’incirconcision? Ce ne fut pas dans l’état de circoncision, il était encore incirconcis.
What then were the circumstances under which this took place? Was it after he had been circumcised, or before?
11 Il reçut ensuite le signe de la circoncision comme sceau de la justice qu’il avait obtenue par la foi quand il était incirconcis, afin d’être le père de tous ceux qui ont la foi bien qu’incirconcis, pour que la justice leur soit aussi imputée,
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;
12 et le père des circoncis, de ceux qui ne sont pas seulement circoncis, mais qui marchent en même temps sur les traces de la foi qu’avait notre père Abraham lorsqu’il était incirconcis.
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.
13 En effet, ce n’est pas par la Loi que l’héritage du monde a été promis à Abraham et à sa postérité; c’est par la justice de la foi.
Again, the promise that he should inherit the world did not come to Abraham or his posterity conditioned by Law, but by faith-righteousness.
14 Car si ceux qui ont la Loi sont héritiers, la foi est vaine et la promesse est sans effet,
For if it is the righteous through Law who are heirs, then faith is useless and the promise counts for nothing.
15 parce que la loi produit la colère, et que là où il n’y a pas de loi, il n’y a pas non plus de transgression.
For the Law inflicts punishment; but where no Law exists, there can be no violation of Law.
16 Donc c’est bien par la foi, afin que ce soit par grâce, pour que la promesse soit assurée à toute la postérité, non seulement à ceux qui relèvent de la Loi, mais encore à ceux qui relèvent de la foi d’Abraham, notre père à tous,
All depends on faith, and for this reason--that acceptance with God might be an act of pure grace,
17 selon qu’il est écrit: « Je t’ai fait père d’un grand nombre de nations. » Il l’est devant celui auquel il a cru, devant Dieu, qui donne la vie aux morts et qui appelle les choses qui ne sont pas comme si elles étaient.
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."
18 Espérant contre toute espérance, il crut, en sorte qu’il devint le père d’un grand nombre de nations, selon ce qui lui avait été dit: « Telle sera ta postérité. »
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."
19 Et, inébranlable dans sa foi, il ne considéra pas que son corps était déjà éteint, puisqu’il avait près de cent ans, ni que le sein de Sara était épuisé.
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.
20 Devant la promesse de Dieu, il n’eut ni hésitation ni défiance; mais puisant sa force dans la foi, il rendit gloire à Dieu,
Nor did he in unbelief stagger at God's promise, but became mighty in faith, giving glory to God,
21 pleinement convaincu qu’il saura accomplir la promesse qu’il a faite.
and being absolutely certain that whatever promise He is bound by He is able also to make good.
22 Et voilà pourquoi sa foi lui fut imputée à justice.
For this reason also his faith was placed to his credit as righteousness.
23 Or ce n’est pas pour lui seul qu’il est écrit qu’elle lui fut imputée à justice,
Nor was the fact of its being placed to his credit put on record for his sake only;
24 mais c’est aussi pour nous, à qui elle doit être imputée, pour nous qui croyons en celui qui a ressuscité d’entre les morts Jésus-Christ, Notre-Seigneur,
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,
25 lequel a été livré pour nos offenses, et est ressuscité pour notre justification.
who was surrendered to death because of the offences we had committed, and was raised to life because of the acquittal secured for us.
