Abraham Justified Before Circumcision

⁹ Does this blessedness then come upon the circumcised only, or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness. ¹⁰ How then was it accounted? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised. ¹¹ And ^(A)he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that ^(B)he might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also, ¹² and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of the faith which our father ^(C)Abraham had while still uncircumcised.

The Promise Granted Through Faith

¹³ For the promise that he would be the ^(D)heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. ¹⁴ For ^(E)if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect, ¹⁵ because ^(F)the law brings about wrath; for where there is no law there is no transgression.

¹⁶ Therefore it is of faith that it might be ^(G)according to grace, ^(H)so that the promise might be ^[a]sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, ^(I)who is the father of us all ¹⁷ (as it is written, ^(J)“I have made you a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed—God, ^(K)who gives life to the dead and calls those ^(L)things which do not exist as though they did; ¹⁸ who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, ^(M)“So shall your descendants be.” ¹⁹ And not being weak in faith, ^(N)he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), ^(O)and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. ²⁰ He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, ²¹ and being fully convinced that what He had promised ^(P)He was also able to perform. ²² And therefore ^(Q)“it was accounted to him for righteousness.”

²³ Now ^(R)it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, ²⁴ but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe ^(S)in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, ^25 (T)who was delivered up because of our offenses, and ^(U)was raised because of our justification.

¹¹ By faith ^(A)Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and ^(B)she^[a] bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him ^(C)faithful who had promised. ¹² Therefore from one man, and him as good as ^(D)dead, were born as many as the ^(E)stars of the sky in multitude—innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.

⁵ No longer shall ^(A)your name be called ^[a]Abram, but your name shall be ^[b]Abraham; ^(B)for I have made you a father of ^[c]many nations.