4
1 What
then will we
say that Abraham,
our forefather,
has found
according to the
flesh?
2 For
if Abraham was
justified by works,
he has something
to boast about,
but not toward
God.
3 For
what does the
Scripture say? “Abraham
believed God, and
it was accounted
to him for
righteousness.”
4 Now
to him who
works, the reward
is not counted
as grace, but
as something owed.
5 But
to him who doesn’t
work, but believes
in him who
justifies the ungodly,
his faith is
accounted for
righteousness.
6 Even
as David
also pronounces blessing
on the man
to whom God counts
righteousness apart
from works:
7 “Blessed
are they
whose iniquities are forgiven,
whose sins are
covered.
8 Blessed
is the man
whom the Lord
will by no
means charge with sin.”
9 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 How
then was it
counted? When he
was in
circumcision, or
in uncircumcision? Not
in circumcision,
but in uncircumcision.
11 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 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 For
the promise
to Abraham and to
his offspring that
he would be
heir of the
world wasn’t
through the law,
but through the
righteousness of
faith.
14 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 produces
wrath; for where
there is no
law, neither is
there disobedience.
16 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 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 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 Without
being weakened in
faith, he didn’t
consider his own
body, already having
been worn out, (he
being about a
hundred years old),
and the deadness
of Sarah’s womb.
20 Yet, looking
to the promise
of God, he didn’t
waver through unbelief,
but grew strong
through faith,
giving glory to
God,
21 and
being fully
assured that what
he had promised,
he was also
able to perform.
22 Therefore
it also was “credited
to him for
righteousness.”
23 Now
it was not
written that it
was accounted to
him for his
sake alone,
24 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 delivered up
for our trespasses,
and was raised
for our
justification.