The Pharisee and the Tax Collector

⁹ He also told this parable to some ^(A)who trusted ^(B)in themselves that they were righteous, ^(C)and treated others with contempt: ¹⁰ “Two men ^(D)went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. ¹¹ The Pharisee, ^(E)standing by himself, prayed^{[a] (F)}thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. ^12 (G)I fast twice a week; ^(H)I give tithes of all that I get.’ ¹³ But the tax collector, ^(I)standing far off, ^(J)would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but ^(K)beat his breast, saying, ‘God, ^(L)be merciful to me, a sinner!’ ¹⁴ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For ^(M)everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

The Righteousness of God Through Faith

²¹ But now ^(A)the righteousness of God ^(B)has been manifested apart from the law, although ^(C)the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— ²² the righteousness of God ^(D)through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. ^(E)For there is no distinction: ²³ for ^(F)all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ^24 (G)and are justified ^(H)by his grace as a gift, ^(I)through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, ²⁵ whom God ^(J)put forward as ^(K)a propitiation ^(L)by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in ^(M)his divine forbearance he had passed over ^(N)former sins. ²⁶ It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

Abraham Justified by Faith

4 What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, ^(A)our forefather according to the flesh? ² For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but ^(B)not before God. ³ For what does the Scripture say? ^(C)“Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” ⁴ Now ^(D)to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. ⁵ And to the one who does not work but ^(E)believes in^[a] him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, ⁶ just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works:

⁹ Is this blessing then only for ^(H)the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? ^(I)For we say that faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness. ¹⁰ How then was it counted to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised.

⁵ Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and ^(A)works miracles among you do so ^(B)by works of the law, or by hearing with faith— ⁶ just as ^(C)Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”?

⁷ Know then that it is ^(D)those of faith who are ^(E)the sons of Abraham. ⁸ And the Scripture, foreseeing that ^(F)God would justify^[a] the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, ^(G)“In you shall all the nations be blessed.” ⁹ So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.