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Romans 4-7
21st Century King James Version
Romans 4-7
21st Century King James Version
4 What shall we say then that Abraham our father hath found pertaining to the flesh?
2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath reason 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, his reward is reckoned not according to grace, but according to debt.
5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth in 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, saying,
7 “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 those who believe, though they are not circumcised, that righteousness might be imputed unto them also,
12 and the father of circumcision to those 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 came not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
14 For if those who are of the law be heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect,
15 because the law worketh wrath; for where there is no law, there is no transgression.
16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be given by grace to the end that the promise might be made 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”), in the presence of Him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead and calleth those things which are not, as though they were.
18 Abraham, against all hope, believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which had been 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 a hundred years old, nor 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 in Him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead,
25 who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification.
5 Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
2 by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also, knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
4 and patience, experience; and experience, hope;
5 and hope maketh not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost who is given unto us.
6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
7 For scarcely will one die for a righteous man, yet perhaps for a good man some would even dare to die.
8 But God commendeth His love toward us in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
9 Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.
10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.
11 And not only that, but we shall also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.
12 Therefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, so death passed onto all men, for all have sinned.
13 For until the law, sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law.
14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the similitude of Adam’s transgression, he being the figure of Him that was to come.
15 But not as the offense, so also is the free gift. For if through the offense of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one Man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.
16 And not as it was by one who sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is for many offenses unto justification.
17 For if by one man’s offense death reigned by one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by One, Jesus Christ.
18 Therefore as by the offense of one, judgment to condemnation came upon all men, even so by the righteousness of One, the free gift unto justification of life came upon all men.
19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of One shall many be made righteous.
20 Moreover the law entered, that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound,
21 that, as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
6 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
2 God forbid! How shall we, who are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
3 Know ye not that as many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death?
4 Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of His death, so we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection,
6 knowing this: that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.
8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him,
9 knowing that Christ, being raised from the dead, dieth no more; death no more hath dominion over Him.
10 For in that He died, He died unto sin once; but in that He liveth, He liveth unto God.
11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin, but yield yourselves unto God as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid!
16 Know ye not that to whomever ye yield yourselves as servants to obey, his servants ye become whom ye obey, whether of sin which leads unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
17 But God be thanked that though ye were the servants of sin, now ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
19 I speak in the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh. For as ye have yielded your members as servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity, even so now yield your members as servants to righteousness unto holiness.
20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.
21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.
22 But now, being made free from sin and having become servants of God, ye have your fruit unto holiness and the end, everlasting life.
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
7 Know ye not, brethren (for I speak to those who know the law), how the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?
2 For the woman who hath a husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of the husband.
3 So then, if while her husband liveth she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress; but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.
4 Therefore, my brethren, ye also have become dead to the law by the body of Christ, that ye should be married to another, even to Him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.
5 For when we were in the flesh, the passions of sins, which were by the law, worked in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.
6 But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.
7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid! Nay, I would not have known sin, but through the law; for I would not have known lust, except that the law had said, “Thou shalt not covet.”
8 But sin, taking occasion through the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence; for without the law sin was dead.
9 For I was alive apart from the law once, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died;
10 and the commandment, which was ordained to bring life, I found to be unto death.
11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me and by it slew me.
12 Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.
13 Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid! But sin, that it might appear as sin, was working death in me by that which is good, that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.
14 For we know that the law is spiritual; but I am carnal, sold under sin.
15 For that which I do, I know not. For what I would do, that do I not; but what I hate, that I do.
16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law, that it is good.
17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing; for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good, I find not.
19 For the good that I would do, I do not; but the evil which I would not do, that I do.
20 Now if I do that which I would not do, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
21 I find then a law that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
22 For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man.
23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
24 O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
25 I thank God — through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.
Romans 4-7
New International Version
Romans 4-7
New International Version
Abraham Justified by Faith
4 What then shall we say(A) that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh,(B) discovered in this matter? 2 If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God.(C) 3 What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”[a](D)
4 Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift(E) but as an obligation. 5 However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness.(F) 6 David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the one to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:
7 “Blessed are those
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
8 Blessed is the one
whose sin the Lord will never count against them.”[b](G)
9 Is this blessedness only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised?(H) We have been saying that Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness.(I) 10 Under what circumstances was it credited? Was it after he was circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before! 11 And he received circumcision as a sign, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised.(J) So then, he is the father(K) of all who believe(L) but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them. 12 And he is then also the father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised but who also follow in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.
13 It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise(M) that he would be heir of the world,(N) but through the righteousness that comes by faith.(O) 14 For if those who depend on the law are heirs, faith means nothing and the promise is worthless,(P) 15 because the law brings wrath.(Q) And where there is no law there is no transgression.(R)
16 Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace(S) and may be guaranteed(T) to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all.(U) 17 As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.”[c](V) He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life(W) to the dead and calls(X) into being things that were not.(Y)
18 Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations,(Z) just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”[d](AA) 19 Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead(AB)—since he was about a hundred years old(AC)—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead.(AD) 20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened(AE) in his faith and gave glory to God,(AF) 21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.(AG) 22 This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.”(AH) 23 The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, 24 but also for us,(AI) to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him(AJ) who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.(AK) 25 He was delivered over to death for our sins(AL) and was raised to life for our justification.(AM)
Peace and Hope
5 Therefore, since we have been justified(AN) through faith,(AO) we[e] have peace(AP) with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,(AQ) 2 through whom we have gained access(AR) by faith into this grace in which we now stand.(AS) And we[f] boast in the hope(AT) of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we[g] also glory in our sufferings,(AU) because we know that suffering produces perseverance;(AV) 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope(AW) does not put us to shame, because God’s love(AX) has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit,(AY) who has been given to us.
6 You see, at just the right time,(AZ) when we were still powerless,(BA) Christ died for the ungodly.(BB) 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.(BC)
9 Since we have now been justified(BD) by his blood,(BE) how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath(BF) through him! 10 For if, while we were God’s enemies,(BG) we were reconciled(BH) to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!(BI) 11 Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.(BJ)
Death Through Adam, Life Through Christ
12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man,(BK) and death through sin,(BL) and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned(BM)—
13 To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no law.(BN) 14 Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam,(BO) who is a pattern of the one to come.(BP)
15 But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man,(BQ) how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ,(BR) overflow to the many! 16 Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. 17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death(BS) reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life(BT) through the one man, Jesus Christ!
18 Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people,(BU) so also one righteous act resulted in justification(BV) and life(BW) for all people. 19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man(BX) the many were made sinners,(BY) so also through the obedience(BZ) of the one man the many will be made righteous.
20 The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase.(CA) But where sin increased, grace increased all the more,(CB) 21 so that, just as sin reigned in death,(CC) so also grace(CD) might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life(CE) through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Dead to Sin, Alive in Christ
6 What shall we say, then?(CF) Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?(CG) 2 By no means! We are those who have died to sin;(CH) how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized(CI) into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death(CJ) in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead(CK) through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.(CL)
5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his.(CM) 6 For we know that our old self(CN) was crucified with him(CO) so that the body ruled by sin(CP) might be done away with,[h] that we should no longer be slaves to sin(CQ)— 7 because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.(CR)
8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.(CS) 9 For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead,(CT) he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him.(CU) 10 The death he died, he died to sin(CV) once for all;(CW) but the life he lives, he lives to God.
11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin(CX) but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign(CY) in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 13 Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness,(CZ) but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness.(DA) 14 For sin shall no longer be your master,(DB) because you are not under the law,(DC) but under grace.(DD)
Slaves to Righteousness
15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace?(DE) By no means! 16 Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey(DF)—whether you are slaves to sin,(DG) which leads to death,(DH) or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God(DI) that, though you used to be slaves to sin,(DJ) you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching(DK) that has now claimed your allegiance. 18 You have been set free from sin(DL) and have become slaves to righteousness.(DM)
19 I am using an example from everyday life(DN) because of your human limitations. Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness(DO) leading to holiness. 20 When you were slaves to sin,(DP) you were free from the control of righteousness.(DQ) 21 What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death!(DR) 22 But now that you have been set free from sin(DS) and have become slaves of God,(DT) the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.(DU) 23 For the wages of sin is death,(DV) but the gift of God is eternal life(DW) in[i] Christ Jesus our Lord.
Released From the Law, Bound to Christ
7 Do you not know, brothers and sisters(DX)—for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law has authority over someone only as long as that person lives? 2 For example, by law a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law that binds her to him.(DY) 3 So then, if she has sexual relations with another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress.(DZ) But if her husband dies, she is released from that law and is not an adulteress if she marries another man.
4 So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law(EA) through the body of Christ,(EB) that you might belong to another,(EC) to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God. 5 For when we were in the realm of the flesh,[j](ED) the sinful passions aroused by the law(EE) were at work in us,(EF) so that we bore fruit for death.(EG) 6 But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law(EH) so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.(EI)
The Law and Sin
7 What shall we say, then?(EJ) Is the law sinful? Certainly not!(EK) Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law.(EL) For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.”[k](EM) 8 But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment,(EN) produced in me every kind of coveting. For apart from the law, sin was dead.(EO) 9 Once I was alive apart from the law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. 10 I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life(EP) actually brought death. 11 For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment,(EQ) deceived me,(ER) and through the commandment put me to death. 12 So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good.(ES)
13 Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! Nevertheless, in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it used what is good(ET) to bring about my death,(EU) so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful.
14 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual,(EV) sold(EW) as a slave to sin.(EX) 15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.(EY) 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good.(EZ) 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me.(FA) 18 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.[l](FB) For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.(FC) 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.(FD)
21 So I find this law at work:(FE) Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being(FF) I delight in God’s law;(FG) 23 but I see another law at work in me, waging war(FH) against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin(FI) at work within me. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?(FJ) 25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!(FK)
So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law,(FL) but in my sinful nature[m] a slave to the law of sin.(FM)
Footnotes
- Romans 4:3 Gen. 15:6; also in verse 22
- Romans 4:8 Psalm 32:1,2
- Romans 4:17 Gen. 17:5
- Romans 4:18 Gen. 15:5
- Romans 5:1 Many manuscripts let us
- Romans 5:2 Or let us
- Romans 5:3 Or let us
- Romans 6:6 Or be rendered powerless
- Romans 6:23 Or through
- Romans 7:5 In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit.
- Romans 7:7 Exodus 20:17; Deut. 5:21
- Romans 7:18 Or my flesh
- Romans 7:25 Or in the flesh
21st Century King James Version (KJ21)
Copyright © 1994 by Deuel Enterprises, Inc.
New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.