Romans 4
Worldwide English (New Testament)
4 So what shall we say about Abraham? He is the father of our family on earth.
2 If Abraham was put right with God, because of what he did, he has something to be proud of. But he has nothing to be proud of when he stands before God.
3 What do the holy writings say? It says, `Abraham believed God. And God said that he was a good man.'
4 When a person works, his pay is not a gift to him. His pay belongs to him.
5 But no person can work to put himself right with God. It is God alone who makes a bad person right. The one who believes in him - even a bad person is put right.
6 David also says that God blesses a man. God calls him a good man but not because he has kept the law.
7 David said, `God blesses people who have been forgiven the wrong things they have done. God covers over the wrong things they have done.
8 The Lord blesses people when he forgets the wrong things they have done.'
9 Does God bless only people who have been circumcised? Or does he also bless those who are not? We say, because Abraham believed God, God called him a good man. His faith made him right with God.
10 When did God say that? Was it when Abraham was circumcised? Or was it before? It was not when he was circumcised: it was before.
11 Abraham was circumcised as a sign. It was a sign that he was a good man, because he believed when he was not yet circumcised. That makes him the father of all people who believe, even those who are not circumcised. God says they are good people.
12 That makes him also the father of those who are circumcised. I mean people who are circumcised and do as our father Abraham did. Even when he was not circumcised, he believed.
13 God promised Abraham and his family that the world would belong to them. God did not make the promise because Abraham obeyed the law. But he made the promise because Abraham believed him and was put right with God.
14 If the world will belong to people who obey the law, it is of no use to believe God. And the promise is no good.
15 Because of the law, God is angry. Where there is no law, no one breaks the law.
16 That is why people must believe. Because God is kind, he makes the promise sure for all of Abraham's children. The promise is for those who have the law and also for those who believe as Abraham did. He is the father of us all.
17 the holy writings say, `I have made you the father of many nations.' Abraham was made the father of many nations by God. He believed God. He believed that God could make dead people live. He believed God when he said that things were true even though they had not happened yet.
18 Abraham believed and hoped, though there was nothing to give him hope. He believed that he would become the father of many nations. God had told him this would happen.
19 He did not stop believing when he thought about his own body. It was almost dead. He was about one hundred years old. He did not stop believing when he thought about Sarah, even though she had never given birth to any children.
20 He did not stop believing God's promise. He believed God very much. He did not praise God for his own faith, but for God's promise.
21 He was sure that God was able to do what he had promised to do.
22 He was put right with God because he believed the promise.
23 The holy writings do not say that for Abraham only.
24 They say it for us too. God will say we are put right if we believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from death.
25 He was killed because we did wrong things. He was raised from death in order that we might be made right with God.
Romans 4
King James Version
4 What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?
2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.
3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,
7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.
9 Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.
10 How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.
11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:
12 And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.
13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
14 For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:
15 Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.
16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,
17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.
18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.
19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb:
20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.
23 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him;
24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;
25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.
Romans 4
New King James Version
Abraham Justified by Faith(A)
4 What then shall we say that (B)Abraham our (C)father[a] has found according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was (D)justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? (E)“Abraham believed God, and it was [b]accounted to him for righteousness.” 4 Now (F)to him who works, the wages are not counted [c]as grace but as debt.
David Celebrates the Same Truth
5 But to him who (G)does not work but believes on Him who justifies (H)the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, 6 just as David also (I)describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works:
7 “Blessed(J) are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven,
And whose sins are covered;
8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin.”
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 (K)he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that (L)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 (M)Abraham had while still uncircumcised.
The Promise Granted Through Faith
13 For the promise that he would be the (N)heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For (O)if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect, 15 because (P)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 (Q)according to grace, (R)so that the promise might be [d]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, (S)who is the father of us all 17 (as it is written, (T)“I have made you a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed—God, (U)who gives life to the dead and calls those (V)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, (W)“So shall your descendants be.” 19 And not being weak in faith, (X)he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), (Y)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 (Z)He was also able to perform. 22 And therefore (AA)“it was accounted to him for righteousness.”
23 Now (AB)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 (AC)in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25 (AD)who was delivered up because of our offenses, and (AE)was raised because of our justification.
Footnotes
- Romans 4:1 Or (fore)father according to the flesh has found?
- Romans 4:3 imputed, credited, reckoned, counted
- Romans 4:4 according to
- Romans 4:16 certain
Romans 4
New Catholic Bible
Abraham Justified through Faith[a]
Chapter 4
Justified through Faith, Not Works.[b] 1 What then are we to say about Abraham, our ancestor according to the flesh? 2 If Abraham was justified by the works he did, he has good reason to boast, but not in the eyes of God. 3 For what does Scripture say? “Abraham placed his faith in God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”[c]
4 Now when a man works, his wages are not regarded as a gift but as something that is due to him. 5 However, when someone who does not work places his faith in one who justifies the godless, such faith is reckoned as righteousness. 6 [d]In the same way, David speaks of the blessedness of the one to whom God attributes righteousness apart from works:
7 “Blessed are those whose iniquities are forgiven
and whose sins are blotted out.
8 Blessed is the man
to whom the Lord imputes no guilt.”
Justified before Being Circumcised.[e] 9 Is this blessedness granted only to the circumcised, or does it apply to the uncircumcised as well? We have asserted that Abraham’s faith “was credited to him as righteousness.” 10 How was it credited? Was it when he was circumcised or uncircumcised? Not when he was circumcised, but when he was uncircumcised.
11 Abraham received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. In this way, he was the father of all who believe without being circumcised and who thus have righteousness credited to them. 12 Therefore, he is the father of the circumcised who have not only received circumcision but also follow that path of faith traversed by Abraham before he was circumcised.
13 Justified Apart from the Law.[f] It was not through the Law that Abraham and his descendants received the promise that he would inherit the world, but through the righteousness of faith. 14 If those who live by the Law are the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. 15 For the Law produces only wrath, and where no Law exists, there cannot be any violation.
16 Therefore, the promise depends on faith, so that it may be a free gift and the promise may be guaranteed to all descendants, not only to the adherents of the Law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham. For he is the father of all of us, 17 as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations,” in the sight of God in whom he believed, the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being what does not exist.
18 The Power of Faith.[g] Though he hoped against hope, he believed that he would become the father of many nations, in fulfillment of the promise, “So shall your descendants be.” 19 His faith was not shaken when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (for he was about one hundred years old), and the barren womb of Sarah. 20 Confident in the promise of God, he did not doubt in unbelief; rather, he was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21 remaining fully convinced that he was able to fulfill his pledge. 22 Therefore, his faith “was credited to him as righteousness.”
23 “It was credited to him” was not written with Abraham alone in mind. 24 This was also meant for us as well, to whom it will be credited as righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord 25 who was handed over to death for our sins and who was raised to life for our justification.
Footnotes
- Romans 4:1 There is but one dispensation, that of grace and faith, which excludes all human pride and allows us to receive everything from God with thanksgiving. The story of Abraham is the purest illustration of this truth. Christian faith is present germinally in the faith of the father of believers (see Gal 3:6-8).
- Romans 4:1 The father of believers can do nothing that is of value before God. He is regarded as just, i.e., holy and close to God, because he acknowledges that he is poor and entrusts himself wholly to the Lord. To forgive sins constitutes the gratuitous act par excellence, the act of God (vv. 7-8).
- Romans 4:3 At first glance, it seems that the Letter of James (2:24) goes against this statement of Paul. However, it is clear from the context in James that the phrase “by works and not by faith alone” does not mean that genuine faith is not sufficient for justification but rather that faith unaccompanied by works is not genuine. Thus, the teaching of James does not conflict with that of Paul.
- Romans 4:6 When a sinner repents, God takes away his unrighteousness by forgiving him when he confesses his sins (see Ps 32:3-5; Ezek 18:23, 27f, 32; 33:14-16).
- Romans 4:9 Abraham became the friend of God (see Gen 15:6) before being circumcised (see Gen 17:19). This means that circumcision is neither the source of nor the condition for being justified; it is simply given as a sign of the promise that God made to Abraham because he believed (Gen 17). Circumcision is the external mark of the Covenant—not the source of righteousness. It is faith that links Christ to the chosen people, who are neither Jews nor Gentiles.
- Romans 4:13 Abraham owes nothing to the Law, for this came into force a long time after him (see Gal 3:17). Moreover, no law can do anything but “lay bare” sin and condemn the sinner (see Gal 3:10). Now, the promise of salvation is something else—it is a grace of God. In Abraham, it is assured to all who believe. Thus, all believers have access to the historic plan of God, and Paul loves to celebrate the universality of faith.
- Romans 4:18 God is the “Master of the Impossible”; he is even powerful enough to bring about the raising of a dead person. It is in such certitude that believers live. Abraham believed in the word of the Lord who announced that two “dead” bodies, i.e., sterile people, himself and Sarah, would give life to Isaac (Gen 15:5). Moreover, circumstances called into question the fulfillment of the promise; yet Abraham—ever the father of believers—never doubted. Thus, he shared the condition of Christians who steadfastly believe in Life because they believe in the risen Jesus, the Son of the Living God. The object of faith is the Passover of Christ.
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
