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Romans 4
Legacy Standard Bible

Abraham and David’s Faith Counted as Righteousness

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 counted to him as righteousness.” 4 Now to the one who (D)works, his wage is not counted according to grace, but according to what is due. 5 But to the one who does not work, but (E)believes upon Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, 6 just as David also speaks of the blessing on the man to whom God counts 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 [d]Lord will not (H)take into account.”

9 Therefore, is this blessing on [e](I)the circumcised, or on [f]the uncircumcised also? For (J)we say, “(K)Faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness.” 10 How then was it counted? While he was [g]circumcised, or [h]uncircumcised? Not while [i]circumcised, but while [j]uncircumcised; 11 and he (L)received the sign of circumcision, (M)a seal of the righteousness of the faith which [k]he had while uncircumcised, so that he might be (N)the father of (O)all who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be counted 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 [l]he had while uncircumcised.

13 For (P)the promise to Abraham or to his seed (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 has been made empty and the promise has been abolished; 15 for (S)the Law brings about wrath, but (T)where there is no law, there also is no trespass.

16 For this reason it is [o]by faith, in order that it may be according to (U)grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to (V)all the seed, not only to [p]those who are of the Law, but also to [q](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 [r](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 seed be.” 19 And 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 do. 22 Therefore (AK)it was also counted to him as righteousness. 23 Now (AL)not for his sake only was it written that it was counted to him, 24 but for our sake also, to whom it will be counted, as those (AM)who believe upon Him who (AN)raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25 He who was (AO)delivered over on account of our transgressions, and was (AP)raised on account of our justification.

Footnotes

  1. Romans 4:1 Or our forefather, has found according to the flesh
  2. Romans 4:2 Lit out of
  3. Romans 4:2 Lit toward
  4. Romans 4:8 In OT, Yahweh, cf. Ps 32:2
  5. Romans 4:9 Lit circumcision
  6. Romans 4:9 Lit uncircumcision
  7. Romans 4:10 Lit in circumcision
  8. Romans 4:10 Lit in uncircumcision
  9. Romans 4:10 Lit in circumcision
  10. Romans 4:10 Lit in uncircumcision
  11. Romans 4:11 Lit was in uncircumcision
  12. Romans 4:12 Lit was in uncircumcision
  13. Romans 4:13 Or through law
  14. Romans 4:14 Or of law
  15. Romans 4:16 Or out of
  16. Romans 4:16 Lit that which is
  17. Romans 4:16 Lit that which is
  18. Romans 4:17 Lit calls the things which do not exist as existing
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Romans 4
International Children’s Bible

The Example of Abraham

4 So what can we say about Abraham,[a] the father of our people? What did he learn about faith? 2 If Abraham was made right by the things he did, then he had a reason to brag. But he could not brag before God. 3 The Scripture says, “Abraham believed God. And that faith made him right with God.”[b]

4 When a person works, his pay is not given to him as a gift. He earns the pay he gets. 5 But a person cannot do any work that will make him right with God. So he must trust in God. Then God accepts his faith, and that makes him right with God. God is the One who can make even those who are evil right in his sight. 6 David said the same thing. He said that a person is truly blessed when God does not look at what he has done but accepts him as good:

7 “Happy are they
    whose sins are forgiven,
    whose wrongs are pardoned.
8 Happy is the person
    whom the Lord does not consider guilty.” Psalm 32:1-2

9 Is this blessing only for those who are circumcised? Or is it also for those who are not circumcised? We have already said that God accepted Abraham’s faith, and that faith made him right with God. 10 So how did this happen? Did God accept Abraham before or after he was circumcised? God accepted him before his circumcision. 11 Abraham was circumcised later to show that God accepted him. His circumcision was proof that he was right with God through faith before he was circumcised. So Abraham is the father of all those who believe but are not circumcised. He is the father of all believers who are accepted as being right with God. 12 And Abraham is also the father of those who have been circumcised. But it is not their circumcision that makes him their father. He is their father only if they live following the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.

God Keeps His Promise

13 Abraham[c] and his descendants received the promise that they would get the whole world. But Abraham did not receive that promise through the law. He received it because he was right with God through his faith. 14 If people could receive what God promised by following the law, then faith is worthless. And God’s promise to Abraham is worthless, 15 because the law can only bring God’s anger. But if there is no law, then there is nothing to disobey.

16 So people receive God’s promise by having faith. This happens so that the promise can be a free gift. And if the promise is a free gift, then all of Abraham’s children can have that promise. The promise is not only for those people that live under the law of Moses. It is for anyone who lives with faith like Abraham. He is the father of us all. 17 As it is written in the Scriptures: “I am making you a father of many nations.”[d] This is true before God. Abraham believed in God—the God who gives life to the dead and decides that things will happen that have not yet happened.

18 There was no hope that Abraham would have children. But Abraham believed God and continued hoping. And that is why he became the father of many nations. As God told him, “Your descendants will also be too many to count.”[e] 19 Abraham was almost 100 years old, much past the age for having children. Also, Sarah could not have children. Abraham thought about all this. But his faith in God did not become weak. 20 He never doubted that God would keep his promise. Abraham never stopped believing. He grew stronger in his faith and gave praise to God. 21 Abraham felt sure that God was able to do the thing that God promised. 22 So, “God accepted Abraham’s faith, and that made him right with God.”[f] 23 Those words (“God accepted Abraham’s faith”) were written not only for Abraham. 24 They were written also for us. God will accept us also because we believe. We believe in the One who raised Jesus our Lord from death. 25 Jesus was given to die for our sins. And he was raised from death to make us right with God.

Footnotes

  1. 4:1, 13 Abraham Most respected ancestor of the Jews. Every Jew hoped to see Abraham.
  2. 4:3 “Abraham . . . God.” Quotation from Genesis 15:6.
  3. 4:1, 13 Abraham Most respected ancestor of the Jews. Every Jew hoped to see Abraham.
  4. 4:17 “I . . . nations.” Quotation from Genesis 17:5.
  5. 4:18 “Your . . . count.” Quotation from Genesis 15:5.
  6. 4:22 “God . . . God.” Quotation from Genesis 15:6.
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Romans 4
New International Version

Abraham Justified by Faith

4 What then shall we say(A) that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh,(B) discovered in this matter? 2 If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God.(C) 3 What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”[a](D)

4 Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift(E) but as an obligation. 5 However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness.(F) 6 David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the one to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:

7 “Blessed are those
    whose transgressions are forgiven,
    whose sins are covered.
8 Blessed is the one
    whose sin the Lord will never count against them.”[b](G)

9 Is this blessedness only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised?(H) We have been saying that Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness.(I) 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.(J) So then, he is the father(K) of all who believe(L) 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.

13 It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise(M) that he would be heir of the world,(N) but through the righteousness that comes by faith.(O) 14 For if those who depend on the law are heirs, faith means nothing and the promise is worthless,(P) 15 because the law brings wrath.(Q) And where there is no law there is no transgression.(R)

16 Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace(S) and may be guaranteed(T) 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.(U) 17 As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.”[c](V) He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life(W) to the dead and calls(X) into being things that were not.(Y)

18 Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations,(Z) just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”[d](AA) 19 Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead(AB)—since he was about a hundred years old(AC)—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead.(AD) 20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened(AE) in his faith and gave glory to God,(AF) 21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.(AG) 22 This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.”(AH) 23 The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, 24 but also for us,(AI) to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him(AJ) who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.(AK) 25 He was delivered over to death for our sins(AL) and was raised to life for our justification.(AM)

Footnotes

  1. Romans 4:3 Gen. 15:6; also in verse 22
  2. Romans 4:8 Psalm 32:1,2
  3. Romans 4:17 Gen. 17:5
  4. Romans 4:18 Gen. 15:5
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