Romans 4
4
Abraham Justified by Faith
1What then will we say that Abraham, our forefather # 4:1 Rm 1:3 according to the flesh, has found? # 4:1 Or What then shall we say? Have we found Abraham to be our forefather according to the flesh? or What, then, shall we say that Abraham our forefather found according to the flesh? 2If Abraham was justified # 4:2 Or was declared righteous, or was acquitted by works, # 4:2 1Co 1:31 he has something to boast about — but not before God. 3For what does the Scripture say? Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness. # 4:3 Gn 15:6,# 4:3 Gn 15:6; Gl 3:6; Jms 2:23 4Now to the one who works, # 4:4 Rm 11:6 pay is not credited as a gift, but as something owed. 5But to the one who does not work, but believes on him who justifies the ungodly, # 4:5 Jn 3:33; Rm 3:22 his faith is credited for righteousness.
David Celebrating the Same Truth
6Likewise, David also speaks of the blessing of the person to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:
7 Blessed are those whose lawless acts are forgiven
and whose sins are covered.
8 Blessed is the person
the Lord will never charge with sin. # 4:7–8 Ps 32:1–2,# 4:7–8 Ps 32:1–2; 2Co 5:19
Abraham Justified before Circumcision
9Is this blessing only for the circumcised, # 4:9 Rm 3:30 then? Or is it also for the uncircumcised? For we say, Faith was credited to Abraham for righteousness. # 4:9 Gn 15:6,# 4:9 Gn 15:6 10In what way, then, was it credited — while he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? It was not while he was circumcised, but uncircumcised. 11And he received the sign of circumcision # 4:11 Gn 17:10–11 as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith # 4:11 Lit righteousness of faith, also in v. 13,# 4:11 Jn 3:33 while still uncircumcised. This was to make him the father # 4:11 Lk 19:9 of all who believe # 4:11 Rm 3:22 but are not circumcised, so that righteousness may be credited to them also. 12And he became the father of the circumcised, who are not only circumcised but who also follow in the footsteps of the faith our father Abraham had while he was still uncircumcised.
The Promise Granted through Faith
13For the promise to Abraham # 4:13 Rm 9:8; Gl 3:16; Heb 6:15,17; 7:6; 11:9,17 or to his descendants that he would inherit the world # 4:13 Gn 17:4–6; 21:17–18 was not through the law, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. 14If those who are of the law are heirs, # 4:14 Gl 3:18 faith is made empty and the promise nullified, 15because the law produces wrath. # 4:15 Rm 7:7,10–25; 1Co 15:56; Gl 3:10 And where there is no law, # 4:15 Rm 3:20 there is no transgression.
16This is why the promise is by faith, so that it may be according to grace, # 4:16 Rm 3:24 to guarantee it to all the descendants # 4:16 Rm 9:8; 15:8 — not only to the one who is of the law # 4:16 Or not to the one who is of the law only but also to the one who is of Abraham’s faith. He is the father of us all. 17As it is written: I have made you the father of many nations — # 4:17 Gn 17:5,# 4:17 Gn 17:5 in the presence of the God in whom he believed, the one who gives life to the dead # 4:17 Jn 5:21 and calls # 4:17 Is 48:13; 51:2 things into existence that do not exist. # 4:17 1Co 1:28 18He believed, hoping against hope, so that he became the father of many nations # 4:18 Gn 17:5,# 4:18 Gn 17:5 according to what had been spoken: So will your descendants be. # 4:18 Gn 15:5,# 4:18 Gn 15:5 19He did not weaken in faith when he considered # 4:19 Other mss read He did not consider his own body to be already dead # 4:19 Heb 11:12 (since he was about a hundred years old) # 4:19 Gn 17:17 and also the deadness of Sarah’s womb. # 4:19 Gn 18:11 20He did not waver in unbelief at God’s promise but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, # 4:20 Mt 9:8 21because he was fully convinced # 4:21 Rm 14:5 that what God had promised, he was also able to do. # 4:21 Gn 18:14; Heb 11:19 22Therefore, it was credited to him for righteousness. # 4:22 Gn 15:6,# 4:22 Gn 15:6; Rm 4:3 23Now it was credited to him # 4:23 Gn 15:6 was not written for Abraham alone, # 4:23 Rm 15:4; 1Co 9:9; 10:11; 2Tm 3:16 24but also for us. It will be credited to us who believe in him # 4:24 Rm 10:9; 1Pt 1:21 who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. # 4:24 Ac 2:24 25He was delivered up for # 4:25 Or because of our trespasses # 4:25 Rm 5:6,8; 8:32; Gl 2:20; Eph 5:2 and raised for our justification. # 4:25 Rm 5:18; 1Co 15:17; 2Co 5:15
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© 2017 Holman Bible Publishers
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 credited (counted, reckoned)” to Avraham Avinu for TZEDAKAH#4:9 Gn 15:6 (righteousness). 10When then was it “credited”? 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 thy 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'YACHSHEVEHA 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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