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
- 4:1, 13 Abraham Most respected ancestor of the Jews. Every Jew hoped to see Abraham.
- 4:3 “Abraham . . . God.” Quotation from Genesis 15:6.
- 4:1, 13 Abraham Most respected ancestor of the Jews. Every Jew hoped to see Abraham.
- 4:17 “I . . . nations.” Quotation from Genesis 17:5.
- 4:18 “Your . . . count.” Quotation from Genesis 15:5.
- 4:22 “God . . . God.” Quotation from Genesis 15:6.
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
English Standard Version
Abraham Justified by Faith
4 What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, (A)our forefather according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but (B)not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? (C)“Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” 4 Now (D)to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. 5 And to the one who does not work but (E)believes in[a] him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, 6 just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works:
7 (F)“Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven,
and whose sins are covered;
8 blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not (G)count his sin.”
9 Is this blessing then only for (H)the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? (I)For we say that faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness. 10 How then was it counted to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised. 11 (J)He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was (K)to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised, so that righteousness would be counted to them as well, 12 and to make him the father of the circumcised who are not merely circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.
The Promise Realized Through Faith
13 For (L)the promise to Abraham and his offspring (M)that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. 14 (N)For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. 15 For (O)the law brings wrath, but (P)where there is no law (Q)there is no transgression.
16 That is why it depends on faith, (R)in order that the promise may rest on grace and (S)be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, (T)who is the father of us all, 17 as it is written, (U)“I have made you the father of many nations”—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, (V)who gives life to the dead and calls into existence (W)the things that do not exist. 18 In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, (X)“So shall your offspring be.” 19 He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was (Y)as good as dead ((Z)since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered (AA)the barrenness[b] of Sarah's womb. 20 No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 21 fully convinced that (AB)God was able to do what he had promised. 22 That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” 23 But (AC)the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, 24 but for ours also. It will be counted to us (AD)who believe in (AE)him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, 25 (AF)who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised (AG)for our justification.
Footnotes
- Romans 4:5 Or but trusts; compare verse 24
- Romans 4:19 Greek deadness
Romanos 4
Palabra de Dios para Todos
El ejemplo de Abraham
4 ¿Qué podemos concluir en cuanto a Abraham, el padre físico de nuestra nación? ¿Cuál fue su experiencia con la fe? 2 Si Abraham llegó a ser aprobado por Dios por lo que hizo, entonces podía presumir de algo, pero no delante de Dios. 3 (A)Pues esto es lo que dice la Escritura: «Abraham creyó a Dios, quien tomó en cuenta la fe de Abraham y lo aprobó».[a] 4 Cuando alguien trabaja, el pago que recibe no es un regalo, sino algo que se ha ganado. 5 Pero Dios aprueba al que cree en él sin que se gane eso con obras, Dios le toma en cuenta la fe y lo aprueba. Hasta el pecador es aprobado por Dios. 6 David está de acuerdo con esto cuando dice que es afortunado el que Dios aprueba por la fe que tiene y no por lo que hace:
7 «Afortunados aquellos a los que Dios les perdona las ofensas
y les pasa por alto los pecados.
8 (B)Afortunado el que el Señor aprueba
porque no le toma en cuenta sus pecados».[b]
9 Pero, ¿es esta bendición sólo para los que tienen la circuncisión? ¿Acaso no es también para los que no la tienen? Recordemos que «Abraham creyó a Dios, quien tomó en cuenta la fe de Abraham y lo aprobó».[c] 10 ¿Qué significa esto? ¿Dios aprobó a Abraham antes o después de tener la circuncisión? Lo aprobó antes de tener la circuncisión. 11 Abraham recibió la circuncisión después como un sello de la aprobación que recibió antes de circuncidarse. Por eso Abraham es el padre de todos los que tienen fe aunque no estén circuncidados para que ellos también sean aprobados como lo fue él. 12 Abraham también es el padre de los que están circuncidados; pero sólo de aquellos que además de su circuncisión siguen el ejemplo de la fe que Abraham demostró antes de ser circuncidado.
La promesa se cumple por la fe
13 De hecho, Abraham y sus descendientes recibieron la promesa de heredar el mundo, pero no por cumplir con la ley, sino porque Dios los aprobó por su fe. 14 Si los que viven para la ley recibieran la promesa, la fe sería inútil y la promesa no tendría valor. 15 Porque la ley provoca la ira de Dios cuando no se obedece; pero cuando no hay ley, no existe el delito.
16 Por eso, la promesa de Dios se recibe por la fe para que la promesa sea un regalo de Dios. Así todos los descendientes de Abraham tienen la seguridad de recibirla; no sólo los que viven bajo la ley, sino también los que viven por la fe que tuvo Abraham. Él es el padre de todos nosotros. 17 (C)Así está escrito: «Te he hecho padre de muchas naciones».[d] Así frente a Dios, Abraham creyó este mensaje, porque Dios puede dar vida a los muertos y crear algo de la nada.
18 (D)Dios le dijo a Abraham: «Tendrás muchos descendientes».[e] Y, contra toda esperanza, creyó a Dios. Por eso fue padre de muchas naciones. 19 Abraham tenía alrededor de cien años, no estaba en edad de tener hijos, y su esposa Sara era estéril. Abraham sabía todo esto, pero su fe no se debilitó. 20 Mantuvo firme su fe en la promesa de Dios sin dudar jamás. Cada día su fe se hacía más fuerte, y así él daba honra a Dios. 21 Abraham estaba seguro de que Dios sería capaz de cumplir su promesa. 22 Por eso, «Él tomó en cuenta la fe de Abraham y lo aprobó».[f] 23 Cuando la Escritura dice que tomó en cuenta su fe, no lo dice sólo por Abraham. 24 Eso fue escrito también para nosotros. Nosotros seremos aprobados por tener fe en el que resucitó de entre los muertos a Jesús, nuestro Señor. 25 Jesús fue entregado a la muerte por nuestros pecados y fue resucitado para que fuéramos aprobados por Dios.
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