Romans 4
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Abraham Justified by Faith
4 What then can we say that Abraham, our physical ancestor,[a](A) has found? 2 If Abraham was justified[b] by works,(B) he has something to brag about—but not before God.[c] 3 For what does the Scripture say?
4 Now to the one who works,(D) pay is not considered as a gift, but as something owed. 5 But to the one who does not work, but believes on Him who declares the ungodly to be righteous,[e](E) his faith is credited for righteousness.
David Celebrating the Same Truth
6 Likewise, David also speaks of the blessing of the man God credits righteousness to apart from works:
7 How joyful are those whose lawless acts are forgiven
and whose sins are covered!
8 How joyful is the man
the Lord will never charge with sin!(F)[f]
Abraham Justified before Circumcision
9 Is this blessing only for the circumcised,(G) then? Or is it also for the uncircumcised? For we say, Faith was credited to Abraham for righteousness.(H)[g] 10 In what way then was it credited—while he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while he was circumcised, but uncircumcised. 11 And he received the sign of circumcision(I) as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith[h](J) while still uncircumcised. This was to make him the father(K) of all who believe(L) but are not circumcised, so that righteousness may be credited to them also. 12 And 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
13 For the promise to Abraham(M) or to his descendants that he would inherit the world(N) was not through the law, but through the righteousness that comes by faith.[i] 14 If those who are of the law are heirs,(O) faith is made empty and the promise is canceled. 15 For the law produces wrath.(P) And where there is no law,(Q) there is no transgression.
16 This is why the promise is by faith, so that it may be according to grace,(R) to guarantee it to all the descendants(S)—not only to those who are of the law[j] but also to those who are of Abraham’s faith. He is the father of us all 17 in God’s sight. As it is written: I have made you the father of many nations.(T)[k] He believed in God, who gives life to the dead(U) and calls(V) things into existence that do not exist.(W) 18 He believed, hoping against hope, so that he became the father of many nations(X)[l] according to what had been spoken: So will your descendants be.(Y)[m] 19 He considered[n] his own body to be already dead(Z) (since he was about 100 years old)(AA) and also considered the deadness of Sarah’s womb,(AB) without weakening in the faith. 20 He did not waver in unbelief at God’s promise but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God,(AC) 21 because he was fully convinced(AD) that what He had promised He was also able to perform.(AE) 22 Therefore, it was credited to him for righteousness.(AF)[o] 23 Now it was credited to him was not written for Abraham alone,(AG) 24 but also for us. It will be credited to us who believe in Him(AH) who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.(AI) 25 He was delivered up for[p] our trespasses(AJ) and raised for[q] our justification.[r](AK)
Footnotes
- Romans 4:1 Lit our ancestor according to the flesh
- Romans 4:2 Or was declared righteous, or was acquitted
- Romans 4:2 He has no reason for boasting in God’s presence.
- Romans 4:3 Gn 15:6
- Romans 4:5 Or who acquits, or who justifies
- Romans 4:8 Ps 32:1-2
- Romans 4:9 Gn 15:6
- Romans 4:11 Lit righteousness of faith
- Romans 4:13 Lit righteousness of faith
- Romans 4:16 Or not to those who are of the law only
- Romans 4:17 Gn 17:5
- Romans 4:18 Gn 17:5
- Romans 4:18 Gn 15:5
- Romans 4:19 Other mss read He did not consider
- Romans 4:22 Gn 15:6
- Romans 4:25 Or because of
- Romans 4:25 Or because of
- Romans 4:25 Or acquittal
Romans 4
World English Bible
4 What then will we say that Abraham, our forefather, has found according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not toward God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”(A) 4 Now to him who works, the reward is not counted as grace, but as something owed. 5 But to him who doesn’t work, but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness. 6 Even as David also pronounces blessing on the man to whom God counts righteousness apart from works:
7 “Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
8 Blessed is the man whom the Lord will by no means charge with sin.” (B)
9 Is this blessing then pronounced only on the circumcised, or on the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness. 10 How then was it counted? When he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. 11 He received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while he was in uncircumcision, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they might be in uncircumcision, that righteousness might also be accounted to them. 12 He is the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had in uncircumcision.
13 For the promise to Abraham and to his offspring that he would be heir of the world wasn’t through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void, and the promise is made of no effect. 15 For the law produces wrath; for where there is no law, neither is there disobedience.
16 For this cause it is of faith, that it may be according to grace, to the end that the promise may be sure to all the offspring, not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all. 17 As it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations.”(C) This is in the presence of him whom he believed: God, who gives life to the dead, and calls the things that are not, as though they were. 18 Against hope, Abraham in hope believed, to the end that he might become a father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, “So will your offspring be.”(D) 19 Without being weakened in faith, he didn’t consider his own body, already having been worn out, (he being about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. 20 Yet, looking to the promise of God, he didn’t waver through unbelief, but grew strong through faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully assured that what he had promised, he was also able to perform. 22 Therefore it also was “credited to him for righteousness.”(E) 23 Now it was not written that it was accounted to him for his sake alone, 24 but for our sake also, to whom it will be accounted, who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25 who was delivered up for our trespasses, and was raised for our justification.
Romans 4
Complete Jewish Bible
4 Then what should we say Avraham, our forefather, obtained by his own efforts? 2 For if Avraham came to be considered righteous by God because of legalistic observances, then he has something to boast about. But this is not how it is before God! 3 For what does the Tanakh say? “Avraham put his trust in God, and it was credited to his account as righteousness.”[a] 4 Now the account of someone who is working is credited not on the ground of grace but on the ground of what is owed him. 5 However, in the case of one who is not working but rather is trusting in him who makes ungodly people righteous, his trust is credited to him as righteousness.
6 In the same way, the blessing which David pronounces is on those whom God credits with righteousness apart from legalistic observances:
7 “Blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered over;
8 Blessed is the man whose sin Adonai
will not reckon against his account.”[b]
9 Now is this blessing for the circumcised only? Or is it also for the uncircumcised? For we say that Avraham’s trust was credited to his account as righteousness; 10 but what state was he in when it was so credited — circumcision or uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision! 11 In fact, he received circumcision as a sign, as a seal of the righteousness he had been credited with on the ground of the trust he had while he was still uncircumcised. This happened so that he could be the father of every uncircumcised person who trusts and thus has righteousness credited to him, 12 and at the same time be the father of every circumcised person who not only has had a b’rit-milah, but also follows in the footsteps of the trust which Avraham avinu had when he was still uncircumcised.
13 For the promise to Avraham and his seed[c] that he would inherit the world did not come through legalism but through the righteousness that trust produces. 14 For if the heirs are produced by legalism, then trust is pointless and the promise worthless. 15 For what law brings is punishment. But where there is no law, there is also no violation.
16 The reason the promise is based on trusting is so that it may come as God’s free gift, a promise that can be relied on by all the seed, not only those who live within the framework of the Torah, but also those with the kind of trust Avraham had — Avraham avinu for all of us. 17 This accords with the Tanakh, where it says, “I have appointed you to be a father to many nations.”[d] Avraham is our father in God’s sight because he trusted God as the one who gives life to the dead and calls nonexistent things into existence. 18 For he was past hope, yet in hope he trusted that he would indeed become a father to many nations, in keeping with what he had been told, “So many will your seed be.”[e] 19 His trust did not waver when he considered his own body — which was as good as dead, since he was about a hundred years old — or when he considered that Sarah’s womb was dead too. 20 He did not by lack of trust decide against God’s promises. On the contrary, by trust he was given power as he gave glory to God, 21 for he was fully convinced that what God had promised he could also accomplish. 22 This is why it was credited to his account as righteousness.[f]
23 But the words, “it was credited to his account . . . ,” were not written for him only. 24 They were written also for us, who will certainly have our account credited too, because we have trusted in him who raised Yeshua our Lord from the dead — 25 Yeshua, who was delivered over to death because of our offences and raised to life in order to make us righteous.
Footnotes
- Romans 4:3 Genesis 15:6
- Romans 4:8 Psalm 32:1–2
- Romans 4:13 Genesis 15:3, 5
- Romans 4:17 Genesis 17:5
- Romans 4:18 Genesis 15:5
- Romans 4:22 Genesis 15:6
Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.
by Public Domain. The name "World English Bible" is trademarked.
Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.