Read the New Testament in 24 Weeks
The Example of Abraham
4 What, then, are we to say about Abraham, our human ancestor? 2 For if Abraham was justified by actions, he would have had something to boast about—though not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”[a]
4 Now to someone who works, wages are not considered a gift but an obligation. 5 However, to someone who does not work, but simply believes in the one who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness. 6 Likewise, David also speaks of the blessedness of the person whom God regards as righteous apart from actions:
7 “How blessed are those whose iniquities are forgiven
and whose sins are covered!
8 How blessed is the person whose sins
the Lord[b] will never charge against him!”[c]
9 Now does this blessedness come to the circumcised alone, or also to the uncircumcised? For we say, “Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness.”[d] 10 Under what circumstances was it credited? Was he circumcised or uncircumcised? He had not yet been circumcised, but was uncircumcised. 11 Afterward he received the mark of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. Therefore, he is the ancestor of all who believe while uncircumcised, in order that righteousness may be credited to them. 12 He is also the ancestor of the circumcised—those who are not only circumcised, but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.
The Promise Comes through Faith
13 For the promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the Law, but through the righteousness produced by faith. 14 For if those who were given the Law[e] are the heirs, then faith is useless and the promise is worthless, 15 for the Law produces wrath. Now where there is no Law, neither can there be any violation of it.
16 Therefore, the promise[f] is based on faith, so that it may be a matter of grace and may be guaranteed for all of Abraham’s[g] descendants—not only for those who were given the Law,[h] but also for those who share the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all. 17 As it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations.”[i] Abraham[j] acted in faith when he stood in the presence of God, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence things that don’t yet exist. 18 Hoping in spite of hopeless circumstances, he believed that he would become “the father of many nations,”[k] just as he had been told:[l] “This is how many descendants you will have.”[m] 19 His faith did not weaken when he thought about his own body (which was already[n] as good as dead now that he was about a hundred years old) or about Sarah’s inability to have children, 20 nor did he doubt God’s promise out of a lack of faith. Instead, his faith became stronger and he gave glory to God, 21 being absolutely convinced that God would do what he had promised. 22 This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.”[o]
23 Now the words “it was credited to him” were written not only for him 24 but also for us. Our faith will be regarded in the same way,[p] if we believe in the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25 He was sentenced to death because of our sins and raised to life to justify us.
We Enjoy Peace with God through Jesus
5 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have[q] peace with God through our Lord Jesus the Messiah.[r] 2 Through him we have also obtained[s] access by faith[t] into this grace by which we have been established, and we boast[u] because of our hope in God’s glory. 3 Not only that, but we also boast[v] in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 endurance produces character, and character produces hope. 5 Now this hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
6 For at just the right time, while we were still powerless,[w] the Messiah[x] died for the ungodly. 7 For it is rare for anyone to die for a righteous person, though somebody might be brave enough to die for a good person. 8 But God demonstrates his love for us by the fact that the Messiah[y] died for us while we were still sinners.
9 Now that we have been justified by his blood, how much more will we be saved from wrath through him! 10 For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life! 11 Not only that, but we also continue to boast about God through our Lord Jesus the Messiah,[z] through whom we have now been reconciled.
Death in Adam, Life in the Messiah
12 Just as sin entered the world through one man, and death resulted from sin, therefore everyone dies, because everyone has sinned. 13 Certainly sin was in the world before the Law was given,[aa] but no record of sin is kept when there is no Law. 14 Nevertheless, death ruled from the time of[ab] Adam to Moses, even over those who did not sin in the same way Adam did when he disobeyed.[ac] He is a foreshadowing of the one who would come.
15 But God’s free gift[ad] is not like Adam’s offense.[ae] For if many people died as the result of one man’s offense, how much more have God’s grace and the free gift given through the kindness of one man, Jesus the Messiah,[af] been showered on many people! 16 Nor can the free gift be compared to what came through the man who sinned.[ag] For the sentence that followed one man’s offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift brought justification, even after many offenses. 17 For if, through one man, death ruled because of that man’s offense, how much more will those who receive such overflowing grace and the gift of righteousness rule in life because of one man, Jesus the Messiah![ah]
18 Consequently, just as one offense resulted in condemnation for everyone, so one act of righteousness results in justification and life for everyone. 19 For just as through one man’s disobedience many people were made sinners, so also through one man’s obedience many people will be made righteous. 20 Now the Law crept in so that the offense would increase. But where sin increased, grace increased even more, 21 so that, just as sin ruled by bringing death,[ai] so also grace might rule by bringing justification[aj] that results in eternal life through Jesus the Messiah,[ak] our Lord.
Copyright © 1995-2014 by ISV Foundation. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. Used by permission of Davidson Press, LLC.