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Romans 4
New English Translation

The Illustration of Justification

4 What then shall we say that Abraham, our ancestor according to the flesh,[a] has discovered regarding this matter?[b] 2 For if Abraham was declared righteous[c] by works, he has something to boast about—but not before God. 3 For what does the scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited[d] to him as righteousness.”[e] 4 Now to the one who works, his pay is not credited due to grace but due to obligation.[f] 5 But to the one who does not work, but believes in the one who declares the ungodly righteous,[g] his faith is credited as righteousness.

6 So even David himself speaks regarding the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:

7 “Blessed[h] are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered;
8 blessed is the one[i] against whom the Lord will never count[j] sin.”[k]

9 Is this blessedness[l] then for[m] the circumcision[n] or also for[o] the uncircumcision? For we say, “faith was credited to Abraham as righteousness.”[p] 10 How then was it credited to him? Was he circumcised at the time, or not? No, he was not circumcised but uncircumcised! 11 And he received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised,[q] so that he would become[r] the father of all those who believe but have never been circumcised,[s] that they too could have righteousness credited to them. 12 And he is also the father of the circumcised,[t] who are not only circumcised, but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham possessed when he was still uncircumcised.[u]

13 For the promise[v] to Abraham or to his descendants that he would inherit the world was not fulfilled through the law, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. 14 For if they become heirs by the law, faith is empty and the promise is nullified.[w] 15 For the law brings wrath, because where there is no law there is no transgression[x] either. 16 For this reason it is by faith so that it may be by grace,[y] with the result that the promise may be certain to all the descendants—not only to those who are under the law, but also to those who have the faith of Abraham,[z] who is the father of us all 17 (as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”).[aa] He is our father[ab] in the presence of God whom he believed—the God who[ac] makes the dead alive and summons the things that do not yet exist as though they already do.[ad] 18 Against hope Abraham[ae] believed[af] in hope with the result that he became the father of many nations[ag] according to the pronouncement,[ah] “so will your descendants be.”[ai] 19 Without being weak in faith, he considered[aj] his own body as dead[ak] (because he was about 100 years old) and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. 20 He[al] did not waver in unbelief about the promise of God but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God. 21 He was[am] fully convinced that what God[an] promised he was also able to do. 22 So indeed it was credited to Abraham[ao] as righteousness.

23 But the statement it was credited to him[ap] was not written only for Abraham’s[aq] sake, 24 but also for our sake, to whom it will be credited, those who believe in the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25 He[ar] was given over[as] because of our transgressions and was raised for the sake of[at] our justification.[au]

Footnotes

  1. Romans 4:1 tn Or “according to natural descent” (BDAG 916 s.v. σάρξ 4).
  2. Romans 4:1 tn Grk “has found?”
  3. Romans 4:2 tn Or “was justified.”
  4. Romans 4:3 tn The term λογίζομαι (logizomai) occurs 11 times in this chapter (vv. 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 22, 23, 24). In secular usage it could (a) refer to deliberations of some sort, or (b) in commercial dealings (as virtually a technical term) to “reckoning” or “charging up a debt.” See H. W. Heidland, TDNT 4:284, 290-92.
  5. Romans 4:3 sn A quotation from Gen 15:6.
  6. Romans 4:4 tn Grk “not according to grace but according to obligation.”
  7. Romans 4:5 tn Or “who justifies the ungodly.”
  8. Romans 4:7 tn Or “Happy.”
  9. Romans 4:8 tn The word for “man” or “individual” here is ἀνήρ (anēr), which often means “male” or “man (as opposed to woman).” However, as BDAG 79 s.v. 2 says, here it is “equivalent to τὶς someone, a person.”
  10. Romans 4:8 tn The verb translated “count” here is λογίζομαι (logizomai). It occurs eight times in Rom 4:1-12, including here, each time with the sense of “place on someone’s account.” By itself the word is neutral, but in particular contexts it can take on a positive or negative connotation. The other occurrences of the verb have been translated using a form of the English verb “credit” because they refer to a positive event: the application of righteousness to the individual believer. The use here in v. 8 is negative: the application of sin. A form of the verb “credit” was not used here because of the positive connotations associated with that English word, but it is important to recognize that the same concept is used here as in the other occurrences.
  11. Romans 4:8 sn A quotation from Ps 32:1-2.
  12. Romans 4:9 tn Or “happiness.”
  13. Romans 4:9 tn Grk “upon.”
  14. Romans 4:9 sn See the note on “circumcision” in 2:25.
  15. Romans 4:9 tn Grk “upon.”
  16. Romans 4:9 sn A quotation from Gen 15:6.
  17. Romans 4:11 tn Grk “of the faith, the one [existing] in uncircumcision.”
  18. Romans 4:11 tn Grk “that he might be,” giving the purpose of v. 11a.
  19. Romans 4:11 tn Grk “through uncircumcision.”
  20. Romans 4:12 tn Grk “the father of circumcision.”
  21. Romans 4:12 tn Grk “the ‘in-uncircumcision faith’ of our father Abraham.”
  22. Romans 4:13 sn Although a singular noun, the promise is collective and does not refer only to Gen 12:7, but as D. Moo (Romans 1-8 [WEC], 279) points out, refers to multiple aspects of the promise to Abraham: multiplied descendants (Gen 12:2), possession of the land (Gen 13:15-17), and his becoming the vehicle of blessing to all people (Gen 12:3).
  23. Romans 4:14 tn Grk “rendered inoperative.”
  24. Romans 4:15 tn Or “violation.”
  25. Romans 4:16 tn Grk “that it might be according to grace.”
  26. Romans 4:16 tn Grk “those who are of the faith of Abraham.”
  27. Romans 4:17 tn Verses 16-17 comprise one sentence in Greek, but this has been divided into two sentences due to English requirements.sn A quotation from Gen 17:5. The quotation forms a parenthesis in Paul’s argument.
  28. Romans 4:17 tn The words “He is our father” are not in the Greek text but are supplied to show that they resume Paul’s argument from 16b. (It is also possible to supply “Abraham had faith” here [so REB], taking the relative clause [“who is the father of us all”] as part of the parenthesis, and making the connection back to “the faith of Abraham,” but such an option is not as likely [C. E. B. Cranfield, Romans [ICC], 1:243].)
  29. Romans 4:17 tn “The God” is not in the Greek text but is supplied for clarity.
  30. Romans 4:17 tn Or “calls into existence the things that do not exist.” The translation of ὡς ὄντα (hōs onta) allows for two different interpretations. If it has the force of result, then creatio ex nihilo (“creation out of nothing,” a technical theological phrase) is in view and the variant rendering is to be accepted (so C. E. B. Cranfield, Romans [ICC], 1:244). A problem with this view is the scarcity of ὡς plus participle to indicate result (though for the telic idea with ὡς plus participle, cf. Rom 15:15; 1 Thess 2:4). If it has a comparative force, then the translation given in the text is to be accepted: “this interpretation fits the immediate context better than a reference to God’s creative power, for it explains the assurance with which God can speak of the ‘many nations’ that will be descended from Abraham” (D. Moo, Romans [NICNT], 282; so also W. Sanday and A. C. Headlam, Romans [ICC], 113). Further, this view is in line with a Pauline idiom, viz., verb followed by ὡς plus participle (of the same verb or, in certain contexts, its antonym) to compare present reality with what is not a present reality (cf. 1 Cor 4:7; 5:3; 7:29, 30 (three times), 31; Col 2:20 [similarly, 2 Cor 6:9, 10]).
  31. Romans 4:18 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  32. Romans 4:18 tn Grk “who against hope believed,” referring to Abraham. The relative pronoun was converted to a personal pronoun and, because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
  33. Romans 4:18 sn A quotation from Gen 17:5.
  34. Romans 4:18 tn Grk “according to that which had been spoken.”
  35. Romans 4:18 sn A quotation from Gen 15:5.
  36. Romans 4:19 tc Most mss (D F G Ψ 33 1881 M it) read “he did not consider” by including the negative particle (οὐ, ou), but others (א A B C 6 81 365 1506 1739 co) lack οὐ. The reading which includes the negative particle probably represents a scribal attempt to exalt the faith of Abraham by making it appear that his faith was so strong that he did not even consider the physical facts. But “here Paul does not wish to imply that faith means closing one’s eyes to reality, but that Abraham was so strong in faith as to be undaunted by every consideration” (TCGNT 451). Both on external and internal grounds, the reading without the negative particle is preferred.
  37. Romans 4:19 tc ‡ Most witnesses (א A C D Ψ 33 M bo) have ἤδη (ēdē, “already”) at this point in v. 19. But B F G 630 1739 1881 lat sa lack it. Since it appears to heighten the style of the narrative and since there is no easy accounting for an accidental omission, it is best to regard the shorter text as autographic. NA28 includes the word in brackets, indicating doubt as to its authenticity.
  38. Romans 4:20 tn Grk “And he.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, δέ (de) has not been translated here.
  39. Romans 4:21 tn Grk “and being.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
  40. Romans 4:21 tn Grk “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  41. Romans 4:22 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  42. Romans 4:23 tn A quotation from Gen 15:6.
  43. Romans 4:23 tn Grk “his”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  44. Romans 4:25 tn Grk “who,” referring to Jesus. The relative pronoun was converted to a personal pronoun and, because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
  45. Romans 4:25 tn Or “handed over.” sn The verb translated given over (παραδίδωμι, paradidōmi) is also used in Rom 1:24, 26, 28 to describe God giving people over to sin. But it is also used frequently in the gospels to describe Jesus being handed over (or delivered up, betrayed) by sinful men for crucifixion (cf., e.g., Matt 26:21; 27:4; Mark 9:31; 10:33; 15:15; Luke 20:20; 22:24; 24:7). It is probable that Paul has both ideas in mind: Jesus was handed over by sinners, but even this betrayal was directed by the Father for our sake (because of our transgressions).
  46. Romans 4:25 tn Grk “because of.” However, in light of the unsatisfactory sense that a causal nuance would here suggest, it has been argued that the second διά (dia) is prospective rather than retrospective (D. Moo, Romans [NICNT], 288-89). The difficulty of this interpretation is the structural balance that both διά phrases provide (“given over because of our transgressions…raised because of our justification”). However the poetic structure of this verse strengthens the likelihood that the clauses each have a different force.
  47. Romans 4:25 sn Many scholars regard Rom 4:25 to be poetic or hymnic. These terms are used broadly to refer to the genre of writing, not to the content. There are two broad criteria for determining if a passage is poetic or hymnic: “(a) stylistic: a certain rhythmical lilt when the passages are read aloud, the presence of parallelismus membrorum (i.e., an arrangement into couplets), the semblance of some metre, and the presence of rhetorical devices such as alliteration, chiasmus, and antithesis; and (b) linguistic: an unusual vocabulary, particularly the presence of theological terms, which is different from the surrounding context” (P. T. O’Brien, Philippians [NIGTC], 188-89). Classifying a passage as hymnic or poetic is important because understanding this genre can provide keys to interpretation. However, not all scholars agree that the above criteria are present in this passage.
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Romani 4
Nouă Traducere În Limba Română

Îndreptăţirea prin credinţă – exemplul lui Avraam

4 Şi atunci, ce vom spune că a câştigat strămoşul nostru Avraam? 2 Pentru că, dacă Avraam a fost îndreptăţit prin fapte, atunci are motive de laudă, însă nu înaintea lui Dumnezeu! 3 Căci ce spune Scriptura? „Avraam L-a crezut pe Dumnezeu, şi acest lucru i s-a socotit dreptate.“[a] 4 Plata unui om care lucrează nu este considerată ca un dar, ci ca un lucru care îi este datorat, 5 însă celui care nu lucrează, ci se încrede în Cel Care-l îndreptăţeşte pe cel neevlavios, credinţa îi este socotită dreptate. 6 Tot aşa spune şi David când vorbeşte despre fericirea omului pe care Dumnezeu îl socoteşte drept fără fapte:

7 „Ferice de cei ale căror nelegiuiri sunt iertate
    şi ale căror păcate sunt acoperite!
8 Ferice de omul căruia Domnul nu-i ţine în seamă vina!“[b]

9 Aşadar, această fericire este doar pentru cei circumcişi sau şi pentru cei necircumcişi? Căci zicem: „Lui Avraam credinţa i-a fost socotită dreptate.“ 10 Dar în ce împrejurări i-a fost socotită: când era circumcis sau când era necircumcis? Nu când era circumcis, ci când era necircumcis. 11 Apoi a primit semnul circumciziei ca un sigiliu al dreptăţii pe care o primise prin credinţă, pe când era necircumcis, astfel încât el să poată fi atât tatăl tuturor celor ce cred fără să fie circumcişi, pentru ca să li se socotească şi lor dreptatea aceasta, 12 cât şi tatăl celor circumcişi care nu doar că sunt circumcişi, dar urmează şi exemplul credinţei pe care a avut-o strămoşul nostru Avraam înainte de a fi circumcis.

13 Avraam sau sămânţa lui au primit promisiunea că vor moşteni lumea nu prin Lege, ci prin dreptatea care vine prin credinţă. 14 Căci dacă moştenitori ar fi cei ce sunt sub Lege, atunci credinţa n-ar mai însemna nimic, iar promisiunea ar fi fără valoare, 15 întrucât Legea aduce mânie. Unde nu există Lege, nu există nici abatere. 16 De aceea este prin credinţă: ca să poată fi prin har, aşa încât promisiunea să fie valabilă pentru toţi urmaşii, nu doar pentru cei ce sunt sub Lege, ci şi pentru cei ce au credinţa lui Avraam, care este tatăl nostru, al tuturor, 17 aşa cum este scris: „Te-am făcut tatăl multor neamuri.“[c] El este tatăl nostru înaintea lui Dumnezeu în Care a crezut, Care învie morţii şi Care cheamă lucrurile care nu sunt, ca şi cum ar fi. 18 Nădăjduind împotriva oricărei nădejdi, el a crezut că va deveni tatăl multor neamuri, potrivit cu ceea ce i-a fost spus: „Atât de numeroşi vor fi urmaşii tăi!“[d] 19 Şi el n-a slăbit în credinţă când a observat că trupul său era aproape de moarte – avea aproape o sută de ani – şi că pântecele Sarei era mort. 20 El n-a pus la îndoială promisiunea lui Dumnezeu, ci a fost întărit prin credinţă, slăvindu-L pe Dumnezeu 21 şi fiind sigur că Dumnezeu poate să facă ceea ce a promis. 22 De aceea credinţa i-a fost socotită dreptate. 23 Acum, „i-a fost socotită“ n-a fost scris doar pentru el, 24 ci şi pentru noi, cărora urmează să ne fie socotită, nouă, care credem în Cel Ce L-a înviat dintre cei morţi pe Isus, Domnul nostru, 25 Care a fost dat pentru păcatele noastre şi Care a fost înviat pentru îndreptăţirea noastră.

Footnotes

  1. Romani 4:3 Vezi Gen. 15:6; şi în vs. 10, 22
  2. Romani 4:8 Vezi Ps. 32:1-2
  3. Romani 4:17 Vezi Gen. 17:5
  4. Romani 4:18 Vezi Gen. 15:5
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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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罗马书 4
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)

亚伯拉罕的榜样

4 那么，从我们的先祖亚伯拉罕身上，我们学到什么呢？ 2 如果亚伯拉罕是因为有好行为而被称为义人，他就可以夸口了，但他在上帝面前没有可夸的。 3 圣经上不是说“亚伯拉罕信上帝，就被算为义人”吗？ 4 人工作得来的工钱不算是恩典，是应得的。 5 但对于只信赦免罪人的上帝、不靠功劳的人，他的信就被算为义。

6 大卫也说不靠行为而被上帝算为义的人是有福的，他说： 7 “过犯得到赦免、罪恶被遮盖的人有福了。 8 不被主定罪的人有福了。”

9 那么，这种福分只给受割礼的人吗？还是也给没有受割礼的人呢？因为我们说，亚伯拉罕信上帝，就被算为义人。 10 他究竟是怎么被算为义人的呢？是他受割礼以前呢？还是以后呢？不是以后，而是以前。 11 他后来受割礼只不过是一个记号，表明他在受割礼前已经因信而被称为义人了。他因此成为一切未受割礼的信徒之父，使这些人也可以被算为义人。 12 他也做了受割礼之人的父。这些人不只是受了割礼，还跟随我们先祖亚伯拉罕的脚步，效法他在未受割礼时的信心。

13 上帝应许将世界赐给亚伯拉罕和他的后裔，不是因为亚伯拉罕遵行了律法，而是因为他因信而成了义人。 14 如果只有遵行律法的人才可以承受应许，信心就没有价值，上帝的应许也就落了空。 15 因为有律法，就有刑罚；哪里没有律法，哪里就没有违法的事。 16 所以，上帝的应许是借着人的信心赐下的，好叫这一切都是出于上帝的恩典，确保应许归给所有亚伯拉罕的子孙，不单是守律法的人，也包括一切效法亚伯拉罕信心的人。 17 亚伯拉罕在上帝面前是我们所有人的父，正如圣经上说：“我已经立你为万族之父。”他所信的上帝是能够使死人复活、使无变有的上帝。

18 他在毫无指望的情况下仍然满怀盼望地相信上帝的应许，因而成为“万族之父”，正如上帝的应许：“你的后裔必这么多”。 19 那时他将近百岁，知道自己身体如同已死，撒拉也过了生育的岁数，但他的信心仍然没有动摇。 20 他没有因不信而怀疑上帝的应许，反倒信心更加坚定，将荣耀归给上帝。 21 他完全相信上帝必能实现祂的应许。 22 因此，他被算为义人。 23 “他被算为义人”这句话不单单是为他写的， 24 也是为将来要被算为义人的我们写的，就是相信上帝使主耶稣从死里复活的人。 25 耶稣受害而死是为了我们的过犯，祂复活是为了使我们成为义人。

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