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Romans 4:16-18
Disciples’ Literal New Testament
Romans 4:16-18
Disciples’ Literal New Testament
16 For this reason it is by faith, in order that it may be based on grace, so that the promise might be firm[a] to all the seed— not to the seed of the Law only[b], but also to the seed of the faith of Abraham,
Abraham Is The Father of All Who Believe
... who is the father of us all— 17 just as it has been written [in Gen 17:5] that “I have made you a father of many nations”— before God[c] Whom he believed, the One giving-life-to the dead and calling the things not being as[d] being,
He Believed God’s Promise, Contrary To All His Human Circumstances
18 ... who believed contrary-to[e] hope, upon hope, so that he might become[f] the father of many nations in accordance with the thing having been spoken [in Gen 15:5]: “So shall your seed be”.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Romans 4:16 Or, secure, certain.
- Romans 4:16 That is, to people like Paul; believing Jews.
- Romans 4:17 Abraham is the spiritual father of us all before God.
- Romans 4:17 Or, as-if. That is, calling the things not being [into] being, in an act of creation, as seen in the birth of Isaac. Or, calling/naming the things not [yet] being as-if being, as if they already existed, as when He calls Abraham the father of many nations when he had no child.
- Romans 4:18 Or, against, beyond. That is, contrary to all human hope could offer, upon the hope God promised.
- Romans 4:18 That is, from his viewpoint. Or, so that he became (from our viewpoint).
Romans 4:16-18
New International Version
Romans 4:16-18
New International Version
16 Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace(A) and may be guaranteed(B) to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all.(C) 17 As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.”[a](D) He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life(E) to the dead and calls(F) into being things that were not.(G)
18 Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations,(H) just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”[b](I)
Footnotes
- Romans 4:17 Gen. 17:5
- Romans 4:18 Gen. 15:5
Disciples’ Literal New Testament (DLNT) 
Disciples' Literal New Testament: Serving Modern Disciples by More Fully Reflecting the Writing Style of the Ancient Disciples, Copyright © 2011 Michael J. Magill. All Rights Reserved. Published by Reyma Publishing
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.