Abraham Justified before Circumcision

Is this blessing only for the circumcised,(A) then? Or is it also for the uncircumcised? For we say, Faith was credited to Abraham for righteousness.(B)[a] 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(C) as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith[b](D) while still uncircumcised. This was to make him the father(E) of all who believe(F) 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.

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 4:9 Gn 15:6
  2. Romans 4:11 Lit righteousness of faith

Therefore, is this blessing for those who are circumcised[a], or also for those who are uncircumcised[b]? For we say, “Faith was credited to Abraham for righteousness.”[c] 10 How then was it credited? While he[d] was circumcised[e] or uncircumcised[f]? Not while circumcised[g] but while uncircumcised[h]! 11 And he received the sign of circumcision as a seal[i] of the righteousness by faith which he had while uncircumcised[j], so that he could be the father of all who believe although they are uncircumcised[k], so that righteousness could be credited to them,[l] 12 and the father of those who are circumcised[m] to those who are not only from the circumcision, but who also follow in the footsteps of the faith of our father Abraham which he had while uncircumcised[n].

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 4:9 Literally “the circumcision”
  2. Romans 4:9 Literally “the uncircumcision”
  3. Romans 4:9 A quotation from Gen 15:6
  4. Romans 4:10 Here “while” is supplied as a component of the participle (“was”) which is understood as temporal
  5. Romans 4:10 Literally “in circumcision”
  6. Romans 4:10 Literally “in uncircumcision”
  7. Romans 4:10 Literally “in circumcision”
  8. Romans 4:10 Literally “in uncircumcision”
  9. Romans 4:11 Or “confirmation”
  10. Romans 4:11 Literally “in uncircumcision”
  11. Romans 4:11 Literally “through uncircumcision”
  12. Romans 4:11 Some manuscripts have “could be credited to them also”
  13. Romans 4:12 Literally “of the circumcision”
  14. Romans 4:12 Literally “of the in uncircumcision faith of our father Abraham”

Is this blessedness only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised?(A) We have been saying that Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness.(B) 10 Under what circumstances was it credited? Was it after he was circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before! 11 And he received circumcision as a sign, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised.(C) So then, he is the father(D) of all who believe(E) but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them. 12 And he is then also the father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised but who also follow in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.

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