³ For the Scriptures tell us, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.”^[a]

⁶ And Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord counted him as righteous because of his faith.

²³ And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.”^[a] He was even called the friend of God.^[b]

⁹ Now, is this blessing only for the Jews, or is it also for uncircumcised Gentiles?^[a] Well, we have been saying that Abraham was counted as righteous by God because of his faith.

⁶ In the same way, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.”^{[a] 7} The real children of Abraham, then, are those who put their faith in God.

⁸ What’s more, the Scriptures looked forward to this time when God would make the Gentiles right in his sight because of their faith. God proclaimed this good news to Abraham long ago when he said, “All nations will be blessed through you.”^[b]

²² And because of Abraham’s faith, God counted him as righteous. ²³ And when God counted him as righteous, it wasn’t just for Abraham’s benefit. It was recorded ²⁴ for our benefit, too, assuring us that God will also count us as righteous if we believe in him, the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. ²⁵ He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised to life to make us right with God.

⁵ But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners.

¹¹ Circumcision was a sign that Abraham already had faith and that God had already accepted him and declared him to be righteous—even before he was circumcised. So Abraham is the spiritual father of those who have faith but have not been circumcised. They are counted as righteous because of their faith.

² No, God has not rejected his own people, whom he chose from the very beginning. Do you realize what the Scriptures say about this? Elijah the prophet complained to God about the people of Israel and said,