Romans 4
4
1What then shall we say about the one who according to the basar (flesh) is Avraham Avinu? What did he find to be the case?#4:1 T.N. See Ep 2:8-9
2For if Avraham Avinu was accounted to be YITZDAK IM HASHEM and acquitted before Hashem on the basis of ma'asim (of gezetz), he has something to boast about. But not before Hashem!
3For what does the Torah say? Avraham Avinu had emunah (faith) in Hashem V'YACHSHEVEHA LO TZEDAKAH#4:3 Gn 15:6 (and it was accounted, credited, reckoned, imputed to him for righteousness).
4Now to him who works, the loin (wages, batzalon [remuneration]) is not credited to oneʼs account as a favor or gift of chesed but as a choiv (debt).
5But to the man who does not “work” but has emunah and bitachon in the One who takes the impious man lacking chasidus and accounts him to be YITZDAK IM HASHEM (justified with G-d), such a man who does not “work” but has emunah (faith), such emunah is credited to him for TZEDAKAH#4:5 Gn 15:6 (righteousness).
6As also Dovid HaMelech speaks of the me'ushar (blessedness) of the person whom Hashem reckons to be YITZDAK IM HASHEM (justified with G-d) without dependence on#4:6 zokheh (merit-earning) ma'asim (of gezetz):#4:6 T.N. with merit viewed as “pay” earned for “work” rendered — see Ro 4:4
7Ashrey (blessed, happy) are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven, and whose sins have been covered over;
8ASHREY ADAM LO YAKHSHOV HASHEM LO AVON#4:8 Ps 32:1-2 (Blessed, happy is the one whose sin Hashem will by no means count).
9This me'ushar (blessedness), then, does it come on those of the milah (the circumcised) or also on those without the bris milah (the uncircumcised)? For we say, emunah “was counted, reckoned, credited” to Avraham Avinu for TZEDAKAH#4:9 Gn 15:6 (righteousness).
10When then was it “reckoned”? When Avraham Avinu was bris milah and was in the state of circumcision? Or when Avraham Avinu did not have the bris milah and was in the state of uncircumcision?
11Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision! And he received the ot (sign or distinguishing mark) of the milah (circumcision) as a chotam (seal) of the Tzidkat HaEmunah (the Righteousness of Faith) which he had in his uncircumcision, in order that he might be father of all who believe through uncircumcision, that to be YITZDAK IM HASHEM might be reckoned, counted to them as well,
12And in order that he might be Av (Father) to the Nimolim (Circumcised ones), to those who are not only HaNimolim but also who follow in the footsteps of the emunah of Avraham Avinu, which he had in [his] uncircumcision.
13For the havtachah (promise) to Avraham Avinu and his Zera (seed), that he should be Yoresh HaOlam (Heir of the World), did not come through the context of gezetz but through the Tzidkat HaEmunah (the Righteousness of Faith).
14For if those depending on [zokheh of] works are yoreshim (heirs), emunah (faith) is rendered invalid and the havtachah (the promise) is annulled,
15for gezetz (law) brings about the Charon Af Hashem,#4:15 Ro 1:18; 3:20; Ex 32:8-10 and where there is no gezetz there is no averah (transgression, violation of the Law).#4:15 see Ro 9:11-12
16For this reason the havtachah (promise) is of emunah (faith), in order that it might be in accordance with unmerited Chen v'Chesed Hashem, that the havtachah might be certain to all the zera (seed), not to him who is of the Torah only, but also to bnei emunat Avraham (the sons of the faith of Avraham Avinu, to those who are of the faith of Abraham). Avraham Avinu is the father of us all,
17as it is written, AV HAMON GOYIM N'TATICHA#4:17 Gn 17:5 (I have made you father of many nations). This was in the sight of Hashem in whom “he believed,” G-d who gives Chayyim to the Mesim and calls things which have no existence into existence.
18Against tikvah (hope), in tikvah “he believed,” in order that he might become AV HAMON GOYIM#4:18 Gn 17:5 (father of many nations) in accordance with what had been said, So shall your ZERA (seed) be.#4:18 Gn 15:5
19Without weakening in emunah (in personal faith, bitachon, trust) he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead vi-bahlt (since) he was about one hundred years old, and also the deadness of Sarahʼs womb.
20He did not, in disbelief, doubt the havtachah of Hashem (the promise of G-d), but was strengthened in emunah (faith), giving kavod (glory) to Hashem,
21Being fully convinced that what Hashem had promised He also was able to do.
22Therefore, V'YACHSHEVEHHA LO TZEDAKAH#4:22 Gn 15:6 (it#4:22 his faith in G-d, see also Ga 2:16 was credited to him for righteousness).
23Nor was it written down for his sake alone that “it was reckoned to him,”
24But also for us, to whom it is to be reckoned, who believe in Him who raised Yehoshua Adoneinu from the mesim (dead ones),
25Who was handed over for PEYSHA'EINU#4:25 Isa 53:5 (our transgressions), and made to stand up in his Techiyas HaMoshiach that we be YITZDAK IM HASHEM#4:25 see Ro 5:18 (be justified with G-d, that we have our justification, our acquittal, vindication).
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THE ORTHODOX JEWISH BIBLE
FOURTH EDITION © Artists For Israel Intl Inc., 2002-2011, 2021.
Romans 4
4
The Example of Abraham
1So what can we say about Abraham, the father of our people? What did he learn about faith? 2If Abraham was made right by the things he did, he had a reason to boast about himself. But God knew different. 3That’s why the Scriptures say, “Abraham believed God, and because of this he was accepted as one who is right with God.”#Quote from Gen. 15:6.
4When people work, their pay is not given to them as a gift. They earn the pay they get. 5But people cannot do any work that will make them right with God. So they must trust in him. Then he accepts their faith, and that makes them right with him. He is the one who makes even evil people right. 6David said the same thing when he was talking about the blessing people have when God accepts them as good without looking at what they have done:
7“It is a great blessing
when people are forgiven for the wrongs they have done,
when their sins are erased!
8It is a great blessing when the Lord accepts people
as if they are without sin!” Psalm 32:1-2
9Is this blessing only for those who are circumcised? Or is it also for those who are not circumcised? We have already said that it was because of Abraham’s faith that he was accepted as one who is right with God. 10So how did this happen? Did God accept Abraham before or after he was circumcised? God accepted him before his circumcision. 11Abraham was circumcised later to show that God accepted him. His circumcision was proof that he was right with God through faith before he was circumcised. So Abraham is the father of all those who believe but are not circumcised. They believe and are accepted as people who are right with God. 12And Abraham is also the father of those who have been circumcised. But it is not their circumcision that makes him their father. He is their father only if they live following the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.
God’s Promise Received Through Faith
13Abraham and his descendants received the promise that they would get the whole world. But Abraham did not receive that promise because he followed the law. He received that promise because he was right with God through his faith. 14If people could get God’s promise by following the law, then faith is worthless. And God’s promise to Abraham is worthless, 15because the law can only bring God’s anger on those who disobey it. But if there is no law, then there is nothing to disobey.
16So people get what God promised by having faith. This happens so that the promise can be a free gift. And if the promise is a free gift, then all of Abraham’s people will get that promise. The promise is not just for those who live under the Law of Moses. It is for all who live with faith as Abraham did. He is the father of us all. 17As the Scriptures say, “I have made you a father of many nations.”#Quote from Gen. 17:5. This is true before God, the one Abraham believed—the God who gives life to the dead and speaks of things that don’t yet exist as if they are real.
18There was no hope that Abraham would have children, but Abraham believed God and continued to hope. And that is why he became the father of many nations. As God told him, “You will have many descendants.”#Quote from Gen. 15:5. 19Abraham was almost a hundred years old, so he was past the age for having children. Also, Sarah could not have children. Abraham was well aware of this, but his faith in God never became weak. 20He never doubted that God would do what he promised. He never stopped believing. In fact, he grew stronger in his faith and just praised God. 21Abraham felt sure that God was able to do what he promised. 22So that’s why “he was accepted as one who is right with God.”#Quote from Gen. 15:6. 23These words (“he was accepted”) were written not only for Abraham. 24They were also written for us. God will also accept us because we believe. We believe in the one who raised Jesus our Lord from death. 25Jesus was handed over to die for our sins, and he was raised from death to make us right with God.
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