Προς Ρωμαιους 4
1 Τι λοιπόν θέλομεν ειπεί ότι απήλαυσεν Αβραάμ ο πατήρ ημών κατά σάρκα;
Let's take Abraham as an example. From a human viewpoint he is the father of our nation. Let's ask, “What was his experience?”
2 Διότι εάν ο Αβραάμ εδικαιώθη εκ των έργων, έχει καύχημα, αλλ' ουχί ενώπιον του Θεού.
For if Abraham was set right by what he did, he would have had something to boast about—but not in God's eyes.
3 Επειδή τι λέγει η γραφή; Και επίστευσεν Αβραάμ εις τον Θεόν, και ελογίσθη εις αυτόν εις δικαιοσύνην.
However, what does Scripture say? “Abraham trusted God, and so he was considered as being a good person who did right.”
4 Εις δε τον εργαζόμενον ο μισθός δεν λογίζεται ως χάρις, αλλ' ως χρέος·
Whoever works gets paid—it's not considered as a gift, but because they've earned their wages.
5 εις τον μη εργαζόμενον όμως, πιστεύοντα δε εις τον δικαιούντα τον ασεβή, η πίστις αυτού λογίζεται εις δικαιοσύνην,
But God, who makes sinners right, considers them as right not because they've worked for it but because they trust in him. This is why
6 καθώς και ο Δαβίδ λέγει τον μακαρισμόν του ανθρώπου, εις τον οποίον ο Θεός λογίζεται δικαιοσύνην, χωρίς έργων·
David speaks of the happiness of those whom God considers as right, and not because they worked for it:
7 Μακάριοι εκείνοι, των οποίων συνεχωρήθησαν αι ανομίαι και των οποίων εσκεπάσθησαν αι αμαρτίαι·
“How happy are those whose wrongs are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
8 μακάριος ο άνθρωπος, εις τον οποίον ο Κύριος δεν θέλει λογίζεσθαι αμαρτίαν.
How happy are those the Lord does not consider sinful.”
9 Ούτος λοιπόν ο μακαρισμός γίνεται διά τους περιτετμημένους ή και διά τους απεριτμήτους; διότι λέγομεν ότι η πίστις ελογίσθη εις τον Αβραάμ εις δικαιοσύνην.
Now is this blessing just for the Jews, or is it for others too? We've just stated that Abraham was accepted as good and right because he trusted God.
10 Πως λοιπόν ελογίσθη; ότε ήτο εν περιτομή ή εν ακροβυστία; Ουχί εν περιτομή αλλ' εν ακροβυστία·
But when did this happen? When Abraham was a Jew or before?
11 και έλαβε το σημείον της περιτομής, σφραγίδα της δικαιοσύνης της εκ πίστεως της εν τη ακροβυστία, διά να ήναι αυτός πατήρ πάντων των πιστευόντων ενώ υπάρχουσιν εν τη ακροβυστία, διά να λογισθή και εις αυτούς η δικαιοσύνη,
It was actually before he became a Jew by being circumcised, which was a confirmation of his trust in God to make him right. This happened before he was circumcised, so he is the father of everyone who trusts in God and are considered as right by God, even though they may not be circumcised Jews.
12 και πατήρ της περιτομής, ουχί μόνον εις τους περιτετμημένους, αλλά και εις τους περιπατούντας εις τα ίχνη της πίστεως του πατρός ημών Αβραάμ της εν τη ακροβυστία.
He is also the father of circumcised Jews not merely because they're circumcised, but because they follow the example of the trust in God our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.
13 Επειδή η επαγγελία προς τον Αβραάμ ή προς το σπέρμα αυτού, ότι έμελλε να ήναι κληρονόμος του κόσμου, δεν έγεινε διά του νόμου, αλλά διά της δικαιοσύνης της εκ πίστεως.
God's promise to Abraham and his descendants that the world would belong to him was not based on his keeping of the law, but because he was made right through his trust in God.
14 Διότι εάν ήναι κληρονόμοι οι εκ του νόμου, η πίστις εματαιώθη και κατηργήθη η επαγγελία·
For if the promised inheritance is based on keeping the law, then the issue of trusting God is not necessary, and the promise is pointless.
15 επειδή ο νόμος επιφέρει οργήν· διότι όπου δεν υπάρχει νόμος, ουδέ παράβασις υπάρχει.
For the law results in punishment—but if there's no law then it cannot be broken.
16 Διά τούτο εκ πίστεως η κληρονομία, διά να ήναι κατά χάριν, ώστε η επαγγελία να ήναι βεβαία εις άπαν το σπέρμα, ουχί μόνον το εκ του νόμου, αλλά και το εκ της πίστεως του Αβραάμ, όστις είναι πατήρ πάντων ημών,
So the promise is based on trusting God. It is provided as a free gift, guaranteed to all the children of Abraham—not merely to those who follow the law, but also to those who trust like Abraham, the father of us all.
17 καθώς είναι γεγραμμένον, ότι πατέρα πολλών εθνών σε κατέστησα, ενώπιον του Θεού εις τον οποίον επίστευσε, του ζωοποιούντος τους νεκρούς και καλούντος τα μη όντα ως όντα·
As Scripture says, “I've made you the father of many nations.” For in the presence of God, Abraham trusted in the God who makes the dead alive and speaks into existence what didn't previously exist.
18 όστις καίτοι μη έχων ελπίδα επίστευσεν επ' ελπίδι, ότι έμελλε να γείνη πατήρ πολλών εθνών κατά το λαληθέν· Ούτω θέλει είσθαι το σπέρμα σου·
Against all hope Abraham in hope trusted God, so he could become the father of many peoples, just as God had promised him: “This is how many descendants you'll have!”
19 και μη ασθενήσας κατά την πίστιν δεν εσυλλογίσθη το σώμα αυτού ότι ήτο ήδη νενεκρωμένον, εκατονταετής περίπου ων, και την νέκρωσιν της μήτρας της Σάρρας·
His trust in God didn't weaken even though he thought his body was practically dead (he was around a hundred years old), and knew that Sarah was too old to have children.
20 ουδέ εδίστασεν εις την επαγγελίαν του Θεού διά της απιστίας, αλλ' ενεδυναμώθη εις την πίστιν, δοξάσας τον Θεόν,
He held on to God's promise—he didn't doubt it. Instead his trust in God grew stronger, and he gave glory to God.
21 και πεποιθώς ότι εκείνο, το οποίον υπεσχέθη, είναι δυνατός και να εκτελέση.
He was totally convinced that what God had promised he had the power to deliver.
22 Διά τούτο και ελογίσθη εις αυτόν εις δικαιοσύνην.
That's why Abraham was considered right by God.
23 Δεν εγράφη δε δι' αυτόν μόνον, ότι ελογίσθη εις αυτόν,
The words “Abraham was considered right” weren't just written down for his benefit.
24 αλλά και δι' ημάς, εις τους οποίους μέλλει να λογισθή, τους πιστεύοντας εις τον αναστήσαντα εκ νεκρών Ιησούν τον Κύριον ημών,
They were for us too, those of us who will be considered as right, since we trust in God who raised our Lord Jesus from the dead.
25 όστις παρεδόθη διά τας αμαρτίας ημών και ανέστη διά την δικαίωσιν ημών.
Jesus was handed over to die because of our sins, and was raised to life to make us right.
