Read the New Testament in 24 Weeks

Chapter 4^[a]

Abraham Justified by Faith. ¹ What then can we say that Abraham found, our ancestor according to the flesh?^{(A) 2 [b]}Indeed, if Abraham was justified on the basis of his works, he has reason to boast; but this was not so in the sight of God. ^3 (B)For what does the scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”^{[c] 4} A worker’s wage is credited not as a gift, but as something due.^{(C) 5} But when one does not work, yet believes in the one who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness. ⁶ So also David declares the blessedness of the person to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:

⁹ Does this blessedness^[d] apply only to the circumcised, or to the uncircumcised as well? Now we assert that “faith was credited to Abraham as righteousness.”^{(E) 10} Under what circumstances was it credited? Was he circumcised or not? He was not circumcised, but uncircumcised. ¹¹ And he received the sign of circumcision as a seal on the righteousness received through faith while he was uncircumcised. Thus he was to be the father of all the uncircumcised who believe, so that to them [also] righteousness might be credited,^{(F) 12} as well as the father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised but also follow the path of faith that our father Abraham walked while still uncircumcised.

Inheritance Through Faith. ¹³ It was not through the law that the promise was made to Abraham and his descendants that he would inherit the world, but through the righteousness that comes from faith.^{(G) 14} For if those who adhere to the law are the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void.^{(H) 15} For the law produces wrath;^(I) but where there is no law, neither is there violation.^{[e] 16} For this reason, it depends on faith, so that it may be a gift, and the promise may be guaranteed to all his descendants, not to those who only adhere to the law but to those who follow the faith of Abraham, who is the father of all of us,^{(J) 17} as it is written, “I have made you father of many nations.” He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into being what does not exist.^{(K) 18} He believed, hoping against hope,^(L) that he would become “the father of many nations,” according to what was said, “Thus shall your descendants be.” ^19 (M)He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body as [already] dead (for he was almost a hundred years old) and the dead womb of Sarah. ²⁰ He did not doubt God’s promise in unbelief;^[f] rather, he was empowered by faith and gave glory to God ²¹ and was fully convinced that what he had promised he was also able to do.^{(N) 22} That is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.”^{(O) 23} But it was not for him alone that it was written that “it was credited to him”; ²⁴ it was also for us, to whom it will be credited, who believe in the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead,^{(P) 25} who was handed over for our transgressions and was raised for our justification.^(Q)

Chapter 5

Faith, Hope, and Love.^{[g] 1} Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace^[h] with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,^{(R) 2} through whom we have gained access [by faith] to this grace in which we stand, and we boast in hope of the glory of God.^{(S) 3} Not only that, but we even boast of our afflictions, knowing that affliction produces endurance, ⁴ and endurance, proven character, and proven character, hope,^{(T) 5} and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the holy Spirit that has been given to us.^{(U) 6} For Christ, while we were still helpless, yet died at the appointed time for the ungodly. ⁷ Indeed, only with difficulty does one die for a just person, though perhaps for a good person one might even find courage to die.^{[i] 8} But God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.^{(V) 9} How much more then, since we are now justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath.^{(W) 10} Indeed, if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, how much more, once reconciled, will we be saved by his life.^{(X) 11} Not only that, but we also boast of God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Humanity’s Sin Through Adam. ^12 [j]Therefore, just as through one person sin entered the world,^(Y) and through sin, death, and thus death came to all, inasmuch as all sinned^[k]— ¹³ for up to the time of the law, sin was in the world, though sin is not accounted when there is no law.^{(Z) 14} But death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who did not sin after the pattern of the trespass of Adam, who is the type of the one who was to come.^(AA)

Grace and Life Through Christ. ¹⁵ But the gift is not like the transgression. For if by that one person’s transgression the many died, how much more did the grace of God and the gracious gift of the one person Jesus Christ overflow for the many. ¹⁶ And the gift is not like the result of the one person’s sinning. For after one sin there was the judgment that brought condemnation; but the gift, after many transgressions, brought acquittal. ¹⁷ For if, by the transgression of one person, death came to reign through that one, how much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of justification come to reign in life through the one person Jesus Christ. ¹⁸ In conclusion, just as through one transgression condemnation came upon all, so through one righteous act acquittal and life came to all.^{(AB) 19} For just as through the disobedience of one person the many were made sinners, so through the obedience of one the many will be made righteous.^{(AC) 20} The law entered in^[l] so that transgression might increase but, where sin increased, grace overflowed all the more,^{(AD) 21} so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through justification for eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.^(AE)