Abraham Justified by Faith^(A)

4 What then shall we say that ^(B)Abraham our ^(C)father^[a] has found according to the flesh? ² For if Abraham was ^(D)justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. ³ For what does the Scripture say? ^(E)“Abraham believed God, and it was ^[b]accounted to him for righteousness.” ⁴ Now ^(F)to him who works, the wages are not counted ^[c]as grace but as debt.

David Celebrates the Same Truth

⁵ But to him who ^(G)does not work but believes on Him who justifies ^(H)the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, ⁶ just as David also ^(I)describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works:

Abraham Justified Before Circumcision

⁹ 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

5 Therefore, ^(AF)having been justified by faith, ^[e]we have ^(AG)peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ^2 (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. ³ And not only that, but ^(AK)we also glory in tribulations, ^(AL)knowing that tribulation produces ^[f]perseverance; ^4 (AM)and perseverance, ^[g]character; and character, hope. ^5 (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

⁶ For when we were still without strength, ^[h]in due time ^(AP)Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷ For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. ⁸ But ^(AQ)God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. ⁹ 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.

Praise to God, the Ruler of the Earth

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.