Abraham Justified by Faith(A)

What then shall we say that (B)Abraham our (C)father[a] has found according to the flesh? For if Abraham was (D)justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? (E)“Abraham believed God, and it was [b]accounted to him for righteousness.” Now (F)to him who works, the wages are not counted [c]as grace but as debt.

David Celebrates the Same Truth

But to him who (G)does not work but believes on Him who justifies (H)the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, just as David also (I)describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works:

“Blessed(J) are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven,
And whose sins are covered;
Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin.”

Abraham Justified Before Circumcision

Does this blessedness then come upon the circumcised only, or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness. 10 How then was it accounted? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised. 11 And (K)he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that (L)he might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also, 12 and 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 (M)Abraham had while still uncircumcised.

The Promise Granted Through Faith

13 For the promise that he would be the (N)heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For (O)if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect, 15 because (P)the law brings about wrath; for where there is no law there is no transgression.

16 Therefore it is of faith that it might be (Q)according to grace, (R)so that the promise might be [d]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, (S)who is the father of us all 17 (as it is written, (T)“I have made you a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed—God, (U)who gives life to the dead and calls those (V)things which do not exist as though they did; 18 who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, (W)“So shall your descendants be.” 19 And not being weak in faith, (X)he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), (Y)and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. 20 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully convinced that what He had promised (Z)He was also able to perform. 22 And therefore (AA)“it was accounted to him for righteousness.”

23 Now (AB)it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, 24 but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe (AC)in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25 (AD)who was delivered up because of our offenses, and (AE)was raised because of our justification.

Faith Triumphs in Trouble

Therefore, (AF)having been justified by faith, [e]we have (AG)peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, (AH)through whom also we have access by faith into this grace (AI)in which we stand, and (AJ)rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but (AK)we also glory in tribulations, (AL)knowing that tribulation produces [f]perseverance; (AM)and perseverance, [g]character; and character, hope. (AN)Now hope does not disappoint, (AO)because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Christ in Our Place

For when we were still without strength, [h]in due time (AP)Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But (AQ)God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified (AR)by His blood, we shall be saved (AS)from wrath through Him. 10 For (AT)if when we were enemies (AU)we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved (AV)by His life. 11 And not only that, but we also (AW)rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

Death in Adam, Life in Christ(AX)

12 Therefore, just as (AY)through one man sin entered the world, and (AZ)death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned— 13 (For until the law sin was in the world, but (BA)sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, (BB)who is a type of Him who was to come. 15 But the free gift is not like the [i]offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded (BC)to many. 16 And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many [j]offenses resulted in justification. 17 For if by the one man’s [k]offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)

18 Therefore, as through [l]one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through (BD)one[m] Man’s righteous act the free gift came (BE)to all men, resulting in justification of life. 19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by (BF)one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.

20 Moreover (BG)the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace (BH)abounded much more, 21 so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Dead to Sin, Alive to God

What shall we say then? (BI)Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who (BJ)died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that (BK)as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus (BL)were baptized into His death? Therefore we were (BM)buried with Him through baptism into death, that (BN)just as Christ was raised from the dead by (BO)the glory of the Father, (BP)even so we also should walk in newness of life.

(BQ)For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that (BR)our old man was crucified with Him, that (BS)the body of sin might be [n]done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For (BT)he who has died has been [o]freed from sin. Now (BU)if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that (BV)Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. 10 For the death that He died, (BW)He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, (BX)He lives to God. 11 Likewise you also, [p]reckon yourselves to be (BY)dead indeed to sin, but (BZ)alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

12 (CA)Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. 13 And do not present your (CB)members as [q]instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but (CC)present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14 For (CD)sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

From Slaves of Sin to Slaves of God

15 What then? Shall we sin (CE)because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! 16 Do you not know that (CF)to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? 17 But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart (CG)that form of doctrine to which you were [r]delivered. 18 And (CH)having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. 19 I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness [s]for holiness.

20 For when you were (CI)slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21 (CJ)What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For (CK)the end of those things is death. 22 But now (CL)having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit [t]to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. 23 For (CM)the wages of sin is death, but (CN)the [u]gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Romans 4:1 Or (fore)father according to the flesh has found?
  2. Romans 4:3 imputed, credited, reckoned, counted
  3. Romans 4:4 according to
  4. Romans 4:16 certain
  5. Romans 5:1 Some ancient mss. let us have
  6. Romans 5:3 endurance
  7. Romans 5:4 approved character
  8. Romans 5:6 at the right time
  9. Romans 5:15 trespass or false step
  10. Romans 5:16 trespasses
  11. Romans 5:17 trespass
  12. Romans 5:18 Or one trespass
  13. Romans 5:18 Or one righteous act
  14. Romans 6:6 rendered inoperative
  15. Romans 6:7 cleared
  16. Romans 6:11 consider
  17. Romans 6:13 Or weapons
  18. Romans 6:17 entrusted
  19. Romans 6:19 unto sanctification
  20. Romans 6:22 unto sanctification
  21. Romans 6:23 free gift

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