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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© 1987, 2004 Bible League International
Romans 4
4
Abraham Justified by Faith
1What then shall we say that #Gen. 11:27—25:9; Is. 51:2; (Matt. 3:9); John 8:33Abraham our #(Luke 3:8); John 8:53; James 2:21father has found according to the flesh? 2For if Abraham was #Rom. 3:20, 27justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3For what does the Scripture say? #Gen. 15:6; Rom. 4:9, 22; Gal. 3:6; James 2:23“Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” 4Now #Rom. 11:6to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt.
David Celebrates the Same Truth
5But to him who #(Gal. 2:16; Eph. 2:8, 9)does not work but believes on Him who justifies #Josh. 24:2the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, 6just as David also #Ps. 32:1, 2describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works:
7“Blessed#Ps. 32:1, 2 are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven,
And whose sins are covered;
8Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin.”
Abraham Justified Before Circumcision
9Does this blessedness then come upon the circumcised only, or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness. 10How then was it accounted? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised. 11And #Gen. 17:10he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that #Luke 19:9; Rom. 4:16he might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also, 12and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of the faith which our father #Rom. 4:18–22Abraham had while still uncircumcised.
The Promise Granted Through Faith
13For the promise that he would be the #Gen. 17:4–6; 22:17heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. 14For #Gal. 3:18if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect, 15because #Rom. 3:20the law brings about wrath; for where there is no law there is no transgression.
16Therefore it is of faith that it might be #(Rom. 3:24)according to grace, #(Gal. 3:22)so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, #Is. 51:2who is the father of us all 17(as it is written, #Gen. 17:5“I have made you a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed—God, #(Rom. 8:11)who gives life to the dead and calls those #Rom. 9:26things which do not exist as though they did; 18who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, #Gen. 15:5“So shall your descendants be.” 19And not being weak in faith, #Gen. 17:17he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), #Heb. 11:11and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. 20He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, 21and being fully convinced that what He had promised #Gen. 18:14; (Ps. 115:3; Luke 1:37; Heb. 11:19)He was also able to perform. 22And therefore #Gen. 15:6“it was accounted to him for righteousness.”
23Now #Rom. 15:4; 1 Cor. 10:6it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, 24but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe #Acts 2:24in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25#Is. 53:4, 5; (Rom. 5:6, 8; 8:32; Gal. 2:20; Eph. 5:2; Heb. 9:28)who was delivered up because of our offenses, and #(Rom. 5:18; 1 Cor. 15:17; 2 Cor. 5:15)was raised because of our justification.
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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.