Romans 4
English Standard Version
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:
7 (F)“Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven,
and whose sins are covered;
8 blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not (G)count his sin.”
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. 11 (J)He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was (K)to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised, so that righteousness would be counted to them as well, 12 and to make him the father of the circumcised who are not merely circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.
The Promise Realized Through Faith
13 For (L)the promise to Abraham and his offspring (M)that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. 14 (N)For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. 15 For (O)the law brings wrath, but (P)where there is no law (Q)there is no transgression.
16 That is why it depends on faith, (R)in order that the promise may rest on grace and (S)be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, (T)who is the father of us all, 17 as it is written, (U)“I have made you the father of many nations”—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, (V)who gives life to the dead and calls into existence (W)the things that do not exist. 18 In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, (X)“So shall your offspring be.” 19 He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was (Y)as good as dead ((Z)since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered (AA)the barrenness[b] of Sarah's womb. 20 No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 21 fully convinced that (AB)God was able to do what he had promised. 22 That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” 23 But (AC)the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, 24 but for ours also. It will be counted to us (AD)who believe in (AE)him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, 25 (AF)who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised (AG)for our justification.
Footnotes
- Romans 4:5 Or but trusts; compare verse 24
- Romans 4:19 Greek deadness
Romans 4
New American Standard Bible
Abraham’s Justification by Faith
4 What then shall we say that Abraham, [a]our forefather (A)according to the flesh, has found? 2 For if Abraham was justified [b]by works, he has something to boast about; but (B)not [c]before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “(C)Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” 4 Now to the one who (D)works, the wages are not credited as a favor, but as what is due. 5 But to the one who does not work, but (E)believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness, 6 just as David also speaks of the blessing of the person to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:
7 “(F)Blessed are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven,
And whose sins have been covered.
8 (G)Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not (H)take into account.”
9 Is this blessing then on [d](I)the circumcised, or on [e]the uncircumcised also? For (J)we say, “(K)Faith was credited to Abraham as righteousness.” 10 How then was it credited? While he was [f]circumcised, or [g]uncircumcised? Not while [h]circumcised, but while [i]uncircumcised; 11 and he (L)received the sign of circumcision, (M)a seal of the righteousness of the faith which [j]he had while uncircumcised, so that he might be (N)the father of (O)all who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be credited to them, 12 and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also follow in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham which [k]he had while uncircumcised.
13 For (P)the promise to Abraham or to his [l]descendants (Q)that he would be heir of the world was not [m]through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For (R)if those who are [n]of the Law are heirs, then faith is made void and the promise is nullified; 15 for (S)the Law brings about wrath, but (T)where there is no law, there also is no violation.
16 For this reason it is [o]by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with (U)grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to (V)all the [p]descendants, not only to [q]those who are of the Law, but also to [r](W)those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is (X)the father of us all, 17 (as it is written: “I have made you (Y)a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed, that is, God, (Z)who gives life to the dead and (AA)calls into being (AB)things that do not exist. 18 In hope against hope he believed, so that he might become (AC)a father of many nations according to that which had been spoken, “(AD)So shall your [s]descendants be.” 19 Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now (AE)as good as dead since (AF)he was about a hundred years old, and (AG)the deadness of Sarah’s womb; 20 yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, (AH)giving glory to God, 21 and (AI)being fully assured that (AJ)what God had promised, He was able also to perform. 22 Therefore (AK)it was also credited to him as righteousness. 23 Now (AL)not for his sake only was it written that it was credited to him, 24 but for our sake also, to whom it will be credited, to us (AM)who believe in Him who (AN)raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25 He who was (AO)delivered over because of our wrongdoings, and was (AP)raised because of our justification.
Footnotes
- Romans 4:1 Or our forefather, has found according to the flesh
- Romans 4:2 Lit out of
- Romans 4:2 Lit toward
- Romans 4:9 Lit circumcision
- Romans 4:9 Lit uncircumcision
- Romans 4:10 Lit in circumcision
- Romans 4:10 Lit in uncircumcision
- Romans 4:10 Lit in circumcision
- Romans 4:10 Lit in uncircumcision
- Romans 4:11 Lit was in uncircumcision
- Romans 4:12 Lit was in uncircumcision
- Romans 4:13 Lit seed
- Romans 4:13 Or through law
- Romans 4:14 Or of law
- Romans 4:16 Or out of
- Romans 4:16 Lit seed
- Romans 4:16 Lit that which is
- Romans 4:16 Lit that which is
- Romans 4:18 Lit seed
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
