Read the New Testament in 24 Weeks

Abraham Justified through Faith^[a]

Chapter 4

Justified through Faith, Not Works.^{[b] 1} What then are we to say about Abraham, our ancestor according to the flesh? ² If Abraham was justified by the works he did, he has good reason to boast, but not in the eyes of God. ³ For what does Scripture say? “Abraham placed his faith in God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”^[c]

⁴ Now when a man works, his wages are not regarded as a gift but as something that is due to him. ⁵ However, when someone who does not work places his faith in one who justifies the godless, such faith is reckoned as righteousness. ^6 [d]In the same way, David speaks of the blessedness of the one to whom God attributes righteousness apart from works:

Justified before Being Circumcised.^{[e] 9} Is this blessedness granted only to the circumcised, or does it apply to the uncircumcised as well? We have asserted that Abraham’s faith “was credited to him as righteousness.” ¹⁰ How was it credited? Was it when he was circumcised or uncircumcised? Not when he was circumcised, but when he was uncircumcised.

¹¹ Abraham received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. In this way, he was the father of all who believe without being circumcised and who thus have righteousness credited to them. ¹² Therefore, he is the father of the circumcised who have not only received circumcision but also follow that path of faith traversed by Abraham before he was circumcised.

¹³ Justified Apart from the Law.^[f] It was not through the Law that Abraham and his descendants received the promise that he would inherit the world, but through the righteousness of faith. ¹⁴ If those who live by the Law are the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. ¹⁵ For the Law produces only wrath, and where no Law exists, there cannot be any violation.

¹⁶ Therefore, the promise depends on faith, so that it may be a free gift and the promise may be guaranteed to all descendants, not only to the adherents of the Law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham. For he is the father of all of us, ¹⁷ as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations,” in the sight of God in whom he believed, the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being what does not exist.

¹⁸ The Power of Faith.^[g] Though he hoped against hope, he believed that he would become the father of many nations, in fulfillment of the promise, “So shall your descendants be.” ¹⁹ His faith was not shaken when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (for he was about one hundred years old), and the barren womb of Sarah. ²⁰ Confident in the promise of God, he did not doubt in unbelief; rather, he was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, ²¹ remaining fully convinced that he was able to fulfill his pledge. ²² Therefore, his faith “was credited to him as righteousness.”

²³ “It was credited to him” was not written with Abraham alone in mind. ²⁴ This was also meant for us as well, to whom it will be credited as righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord ²⁵ who was handed over to death for our sins and who was raised to life for our justification.

Faith, the Riches of Life^[h]

Chapter 5

At Peace with God

Hope Does Not Disappoint. ¹ Therefore, now that we have been justified by faith, we are at peace^[i] with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ² through whom by faith we have been given access to this grace in which we now live, and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. ³ And not only that, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we realize that suffering develops perseverance, ⁴ and perseverance produces character, and character produces hope. ⁵ Such hope will not be doomed to disappointment,^[j] because the love of God has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.

Reconciliation Already Obtained. ⁶ At the appointed time, while we were still helpless, Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷ Indeed, it is seldom that anyone will die for a just person, although perhaps for a good person someone might be willing to die. ⁸ Thus, God proved his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.

⁹ And so, now that we have been justified by Christ’s blood, how much more certainly will we be saved through him from divine retribution.^{[k] 10} For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, how much more certain it is that, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. ¹¹ And not only that, but we now even trust exultantly in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have already been granted reconciliation.

Adam and Christ—Sin and Grace^[l]

¹² Humanity’s Sin through Adam. Therefore, sin entered the world as the result of one man, and death^[m] as a result of sin, and thus death has afflicted the entire human race inasmuch as everyone has sinned. ¹³ Sin was already in the world before there was any Law, even though sin is not reckoned when there is no Law. ¹⁴ Nevertheless, death reigned over all from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned by disobeying a command, as did Adam who prefigured the one who was to come.

¹⁵ Grace and Life through Christ. However, the gift is not like the transgression. For if the transgression of one man led to the death of the many,^[n] how much greater was the overflowing effect of the grace of God and the gift of the one man Jesus Christ that has abounded for the many. ¹⁶ The gift of God cannot be compared with the sin of the one man. For the one sin resulted in the judgment that brought condemnation, but the gift freely given after many transgressions resulted in justification. ¹⁷ For if, because of one man’s transgression, death reigned through that man, how much more shall those who receive the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness come to reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.

¹⁸ Therefore, just as one man’s transgression brought condemnation for all, so one man’s righteous act resulted in justification and life for all. ¹⁹ For just as through the disobedience of one man the many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one man the many will be made righteous.^[o]

²⁰ Purpose of the Law. When the Law was added, offenses multiplied; but the increase in sins was far exceeded by the increase in grace. ²¹ Hence, as sin’s reign resulted in death, so the grace of God also might reign through righteousness resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.