Romans 4-5

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?

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:

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)

Faith Triumphs

5 Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith,^(AL) we have peace^[s] with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.^{(AM) 2} We have also obtained access through Him^(AN) by faith^[t] into this grace in which we stand,^(AO) and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. ³ And not only that,^(AP) but we also rejoice in our afflictions,^(AQ) because we know that affliction produces endurance,^{(AR) 4} endurance produces proven character,^(AS) and proven character produces hope. ⁵ This hope will not disappoint us,^(AT) because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts^(AU) through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Those Declared Righteous Are Reconciled

⁶ For while we were still helpless, at the appointed moment,^(AV) Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷ For rarely will someone die for a just person—though for a good person perhaps someone might even dare to die. ⁸ But God proves^(AW) His own love for us^(AX) in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us! ⁹ Much more then, since we have now been declared righteous by His blood,^(AY) we will be saved through Him from wrath.^{(AZ) 10} For if, while we were enemies,^(BA) we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, then how much more, having been reconciled, will we be saved by His life!^{(BB) 11} And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We have now received this reconciliation through Him.^(BC)

Death through Adam and Life through Christ

¹² Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man,^(BD) and death through sin,^(BE) in this way death spread to all men,^(BF) because all sinned.^{[u] 13} In fact, sin was in the world before the law, but sin is not charged to a person’s account when there is no law.^{(BG) 14} Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who did not sin in the likeness of Adam’s transgression.^(BH) He is a prototype^[v] of the Coming One.^(BI)

¹⁵ But the gift is not like the trespass. For if by the one man’s trespass the many died, how much more have the grace of God and the gift overflowed to the many by the grace of the one man,^(BJ) Jesus Christ. ¹⁶ And the gift is not like the one man’s sin, because from one sin came the judgment,^(BK) resulting in condemnation, but from many trespasses came the gift, resulting in justification.^{[w] 17} Since by the one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive the overflow of grace and the gift of righteousness reign in life^(BL) through the one man, Jesus Christ.

¹⁸ So then, as through one trespass there is condemnation for everyone, so also through one righteous act there is life-giving justification^[x](BM) for everyone. ¹⁹ For just as through one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners,^(BN) so also through the one man’s obedience^(BO) the many will be made righteous. ²⁰ The law came along to multiply the trespass.^(BP) But where sin multiplied, grace multiplied even more^{(BQ) 21} so that, just as sin reigned in death,^(BR) so also grace will reign^(BS) through righteousness, resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.