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 ^(A)he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that ^(B)he might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also,

Faith Triumphs in Trouble

5 Therefore, ^(A)having been justified by faith, ^[a]we have ^(B)peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ^2 (C)through whom also we have access by faith into this grace ^(D)in which we stand, and ^(E)rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

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.

⁷ Because ^(A)the ^[a]carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, ^(B)nor indeed can be. ⁸ So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

³ For what does the Scripture say? ^(A)“Abraham believed God, and it was ^[a]accounted to him for righteousness.” ⁴ Now ^(B)to him who works, the wages are not counted ^[b]as grace but as debt.

David Celebrates the Same Truth

⁵ But to him who ^(C)does not work but believes on Him who justifies ^(D)the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, ⁶ just as David also ^(E)describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works:

⁹ that ^(A)if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

God’s Covenant with Abram^(A)

15 After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram ^(B)in a vision, saying, ^(C)“Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your ^(D)shield, ^[a]your exceedingly ^(E)great reward.”

^2 (F)But Abram said, “Lord God, what will You give me, ^(G)seeing I ^[b]go childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” ³ Then Abram said, “Look, You have given me no offspring; indeed ^(H)one^[c] born in my house is my heir!”

⁴ And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “This one shall not be your heir, but one who ^(I)will come from your own body shall be your heir.” ⁵ Then He brought him outside and said, “Look now toward heaven, and ^(J)count the ^(K)stars if you are able to number them.” And He said to him, ^(L)“So shall your ^(M)descendants be.”

⁶ And he ^(N)believed in the Lord, and He ^(O)accounted it to him for righteousness.

¹⁰ This is My covenant which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: ^(A)Every male child among you shall be circumcised; ¹¹ and you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be ^(B)a sign of the covenant between Me and you. ¹² He who is eight days old among you ^(C)shall be circumcised, every male child in your generations, he who is born in your house or bought with money from any foreigner who is not your descendant. ¹³ He who is born in your house and he who is bought with your money must be circumcised, and My covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. ¹⁴ And the uncircumcised male child, who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that person ^(D)shall be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant.”

²³ So Abraham took Ishmael his son, all who were born in his house and all who were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham’s house, and circumcised the flesh of their foreskins that very same day, as God had said to him. ²⁴ Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. ²⁵ And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. ²⁶ That very same day Abraham was circumcised, and his son Ishmael; ²⁷ and ^(A)all the men of his house, born in the house or bought with money from a foreigner, were circumcised with him.