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Romans 4
Holman Christian Standard Bible

Abraham Justified by Faith

4 What then can we say that Abraham, our physical ancestor,[a](A) has found? 2 If Abraham was justified[b] by works,(B) he has something to brag about—but not before God.[c] 3 For what does the Scripture say?

Abraham believed God,
and it was credited to him for righteousness.(C)[d]

4 Now to the one who works,(D) pay is not considered as a gift, but as something owed. 5 But to the one who does not work, but believes on Him who declares the ungodly to be righteous,[e](E) his faith is credited for righteousness.

David Celebrating the Same Truth

6 Likewise, David also speaks of the blessing of the man God credits righteousness to apart from works:

7 How joyful are those whose lawless acts are forgiven
and whose sins are covered!
8 How joyful is the man
the Lord will never charge with sin!(F)[f]

Abraham Justified before Circumcision

9 Is this blessing only for the circumcised,(G) then? Or is it also for the uncircumcised? For we say, Faith was credited to Abraham for righteousness.(H)[g] 10 In what way then was it credited—while he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while he was circumcised, but uncircumcised. 11 And he received the sign of circumcision(I) as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith[h](J) while still uncircumcised. This was to make him the father(K) of all who believe(L) but are not circumcised, so that righteousness may be credited to them also. 12 And he became the father of the circumcised, who are not only circumcised but who also follow in the footsteps of the faith our father Abraham had while he was still uncircumcised.

The Promise Granted through Faith

13 For the promise to Abraham(M) or to his descendants that he would inherit the world(N) was not through the law, but through the righteousness that comes by faith.[i] 14 If those who are of the law are heirs,(O) faith is made empty and the promise is canceled. 15 For the law produces wrath.(P) And where there is no law,(Q) there is no transgression.

16 This is why the promise is by faith, so that it may be according to grace,(R) to guarantee it to all the descendants(S)—not only to those who are of the law[j] but also to those who are of Abraham’s faith. He is the father of us all 17 in God’s sight. As it is written: I have made you the father of many nations.(T)[k] He believed in God, who gives life to the dead(U) and calls(V) things into existence that do not exist.(W) 18 He believed, hoping against hope, so that he became the father of many nations(X)[l] according to what had been spoken: So will your descendants be.(Y)[m] 19 He considered[n] his own body to be already dead(Z) (since he was about 100 years old)(AA) and also considered the deadness of Sarah’s womb,(AB) without weakening in the faith. 20 He did not waver in unbelief at God’s promise but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God,(AC) 21 because he was fully convinced(AD) that what He had promised He was also able to perform.(AE) 22 Therefore, it was credited to him for righteousness.(AF)[o] 23 Now it was credited to him was not written for Abraham alone,(AG) 24 but also for us. It will be credited to us who believe in Him(AH) who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.(AI) 25 He was delivered up for[p] our trespasses(AJ) and raised for[q] our justification.[r](AK)

Footnotes

  1. Romans 4:1 Lit our ancestor according to the flesh
  2. Romans 4:2 Or was declared righteous, or was acquitted
  3. Romans 4:2 He has no reason for boasting in God’s presence.
  4. Romans 4:3 Gn 15:6
  5. Romans 4:5 Or who acquits, or who justifies
  6. Romans 4:8 Ps 32:1-2
  7. Romans 4:9 Gn 15:6
  8. Romans 4:11 Lit righteousness of faith
  9. Romans 4:13 Lit righteousness of faith
  10. Romans 4:16 Or not to those who are of the law only
  11. Romans 4:17 Gn 17:5
  12. Romans 4:18 Gn 17:5
  13. Romans 4:18 Gn 15:5
  14. Romans 4:19 Other mss read He did not consider
  15. Romans 4:22 Gn 15:6
  16. Romans 4:25 Or because of
  17. Romans 4:25 Or because of
  18. Romans 4:25 Or acquittal
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Romans 4
Easy-to-Read Version

The Example of Abraham

4 So what can we say about Abraham, the father of our people? What did he learn about faith? 2 If Abraham was made right by the things he did, he had a reason to boast about himself. But God knew different. 3 That’s why the Scriptures say, “Abraham believed God, and because of this he was accepted as one who is right with God.”[a]

4 When people work, their pay is not given to them as a gift. They earn the pay they get. 5 But people cannot do any work that will make them right with God. So they must trust in him. Then he accepts their faith, and that makes them right with him. He is the one who makes even evil people right. 6 David said the same thing when he was talking about the blessing people have when God accepts them as good without looking at what they have done:

7 “It is a great blessing
    when people are forgiven for the wrongs they have done,
    when their sins are erased!
8 It is a great blessing when the Lord accepts people
    as if they are without sin!” (A)

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 it was because of Abraham’s faith that he was accepted as one who is 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. They believe and are accepted as people who are 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’s Promise Received Through Faith

13 Abraham and his descendants received the promise that they would get the whole world. But Abraham did not receive that promise because he followed the law. He received that promise because he was right with God through his faith. 14 If people could get God’s promise 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 on those who disobey it. But if there is no law, then there is nothing to disobey.

16 So people get what God promised 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 people will get that promise. The promise is not just for those who live under the Law of Moses. It is for all who live with faith as Abraham did. He is the father of us all. 17 As the Scriptures say, “I have made you a father of many nations.”[b] This is true before God, the one Abraham believed—the God who gives life to the dead and speaks of things that don’t yet exist as if they are real.

18 There was no hope that Abraham would have children, but Abraham believed God and continued to hope. And that is why he became the father of many nations. As God told him, “You will have many descendants.”[c] 19 Abraham was almost a hundred years old, so he was past the age for having children. Also, Sarah could not have children. Abraham was well aware of this, but his faith in God never became weak. 20 He never doubted that God would do what he promised. He never stopped believing. In fact, he grew stronger in his faith and just praised God. 21 Abraham felt sure that God was able to do what he promised. 22 So that’s why “he was accepted as one who is right with God.”[d] 23 These words (“he was accepted”) were written not only for Abraham. 24 They were also written for us. God will also accept us because we believe. We believe in the one who raised Jesus our Lord from death. 25 Jesus was handed over to die for our sins, and he was raised from death to make us right with God.

Footnotes

  1. Romans 4:3 Quote from Gen. 15:6.
  2. Romans 4:17 Quote from Gen. 17:5.
  3. Romans 4:18 Quote from Gen. 15:5.
  4. Romans 4:22 Quote from Gen. 15:6.
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Romans 3
Romans 5
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Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.

Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

Copyright © 2006 by Bible League International