Justification by Faith Evidenced in Old Testament

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, his wage is 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 on the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:

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, 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, “^(Y)A father of many nations have I made you”) in the presence of Him whom he believed, even God, ^(Z)who gives life to the dead and ^[s](AA)calls into being ^(AB)that which does 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 ^[t]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, as those ^(AM)who believe in Him who ^(AN)raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, ²⁵ He who was ^(AO)delivered over because of our transgressions, and was ^(AP)raised because of our justification.

⁸ By faith ^(A)Abraham, when he was called, obeyed ^[a]by going out to a place which he was to ^(B)receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going. ⁹ By faith he lived as an alien in ^(C)the land of promise, as in a foreign land, ^(D)dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, ^(E)fellow heirs of the same promise; ¹⁰ for he was looking for ^(F)the city which has ^(G)foundations, ^(H)whose architect and builder is God. ¹¹ By faith even ^(I)Sarah herself received ^[b]ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him ^(J)faithful who had promised. ¹² Therefore there was born even of one man, and ^(K)him as good as dead ^[c]at that, as many descendants ^(L)as the stars of heaven in number, and innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.

^13 (M)All these died in faith, ^(N)without receiving the promises, but ^(O)having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and ^(P)having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. ¹⁴ For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. ¹⁵ And indeed if they had been ^[d]thinking of that country from which they went out, ^(Q)they would have had opportunity to return. ¹⁶ But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a ^(R)heavenly one. Therefore ^(S)God is not ^[e]ashamed to be ^(T)called their God; for ^(U)He has prepared a city for them.

¹⁷ By faith ^(V)Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had ^(W)received the promises was offering up his only begotten son; ¹⁸ it was he to whom it was said, “^(X)In Isaac your ^[f]descendants shall be called.” ^19 [g]He considered that ^(Y)God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which he also received him back ^[h]as a ^(Z)type.