Romans 4
4
Abraham Justified by Faith
1What then can we say that Abraham, our physical ancestor, # Lit our ancestor according to the flesh # Rm 1:3 has found? 2If Abraham was justified # Or was declared righteous, or was acquitted by works, # 1Co 1:31 he has something to brag about — but not before God. # He has no reason for boasting in God’s presence. 3For what does the Scripture say?
Abraham believed God,
and it was credited to him for righteousness. # Gn 15:6; Gl 3:6; Jms 2:23 # Gn 15:6
4Now to the one who works, # Rm 11:6 pay is not considered as a gift, but as something owed. 5But to the one who does not work, but believes on Him who declares the ungodly to be righteous, # Or who acquits, or who justifies # 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 man God credits righteousness to apart from works:
7How joyful are those whose lawless acts are forgiven
and whose sins are covered!
8How joyful is the man
the Lord will never charge with sin! # Ps 32:1-2; 2Co 5:19 # Ps 32:1-2
Abraham Justified before Circumcision
9Is this blessing only for the circumcised, # Rm 3:30 then? Or is it also for the uncircumcised? For we say, Faith was credited to Abraham for righteousness. # Gn 15:6 # Gn 15:6 10In what way then was it credited — while he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while he was circumcised, but uncircumcised. 11And he received the sign of circumcision # Gn 17:10-11 as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith # Lit righteousness of faith # Jn 3:33 while still uncircumcised. This was to make him the father # Lk 19:9 of all who believe # 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 # 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 # Gn 17:4-6; 21:17-18 was not through the law, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. # Lit righteousness of faith 14If those who are of the law are heirs, # Gl 3:18 faith is made empty and the promise is canceled. 15For the law produces wrath. # Rm 7:7,10-25; 1Co 15:56; Gl 3:10 And where there is no law, # Rm 3:20 there is no transgression.
16This is why the promise is by faith, so that it may be according to grace, # Rm 3:24 to guarantee it to all the descendants # Rm 9:8; 15:8 — not only to those who are of the law # Or not to those who are of the law only but also to those who are of Abraham’s faith. He is the father of us all 17in God’s sight. As it is written: I have made you the father of many nations. # Gn 17:5 # Gn 17:5 He believed in God, who gives life to the dead # Jn 5:21 and calls # Is 48:13; 51:2 things into existence that do not exist. # 1Co 1:28 18He believed, hoping against hope, so that he became the father of many nations # Gn 17:5 # Gn 17:5 according to what had been spoken: So will your descendants be. # Gn 15:5 # Gn 15:5 19He considered # Other mss read He did not consider his own body to be already dead # Heb 11:12 (since he was about 100 years old) # Gn 17:17 and also considered the deadness of Sarah’s womb, # Gn 18:11 without weakening in the faith. 20He did not waver in unbelief at God’s promise but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, # Mt 9:8 21because he was fully convinced # Rm 14:5 that what He had promised He was also able to perform. # Gn 18:14; Heb 11:19 22Therefore, it was credited to him for righteousness. # Gn 15:6; Rm 4:3 # Gn 15:6 23Now it was credited to him was not written for Abraham alone, # 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 # Rm 10:9; 1Pt 1:21 who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. # Ac 2:24 25He was delivered up for # Or because of our trespasses # Rm 5:6,8; 8:32; Gl 2:20; Eph 5:2 and raised for # Or because of our justification. # Or acquittal # Rm 5:18; 1Co 15:17; 2Co 5:15
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Romans 4
4
Justification by Faith Evidenced in Old Testament
1What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found? 2For if Abraham was justified by works, 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 as righteousness.” 4Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due. 5But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness, 6just as David also speaks of the blessing on the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:
7“Blessed are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven,
And whose sins have been covered.
8Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not take into account.”
9Is this blessing then on the circumcised, or on the uncircumcised also? For we say, “Faith was credited to Abraham as righteousness.” 10How then was it credited? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised; 11and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while uncircumcised, so that he might be the father of all who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be credited to them, 12and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also follow in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham which he had while uncircumcised.
13For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would be heir of the world was not through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith. 14For if those who are of the Law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise is nullified; 15for the Law brings about wrath, but where there is no law, there also is no violation.
16For this reason it is by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the Law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, 17(as it is written, “A father of many nations have I made you”) in the presence of Him whom he believed, even God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist. 18In hope against hope he believed, so that he might become a father of many nations according to that which had been spoken, “So shall your descendants be.” 19Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah’s womb; 20yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, 21and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform. 22Therefore it was also credited to him as righteousness. 23Now not for his sake only was it written that it was credited to him, 24but for our sake also, to whom it will be credited, as those who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25He who was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification.
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