Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

16 Now Sarai the wife of Abram, had brought forth no children; but having a handmaid, an Egyptian, named Agar,

² She said to her husband: Behold, the Lord hath restrained me from bearing: go in unto my handmaid, it may be I may have children of her at least. And when he agreed to her request,

³ She took Agar the Egyptian her handmaid, ten years after they first dwelt in the land of Chanaan, and gave her to her husband to wife.

⁴ And he went in to her. But she, perceiving that she was with child, despised her mistress.

⁵ And Sarai said to Abram: Thou dost unjustly with me: I gave my handmaid into thy bosom, and she perceiving herself to be with child, despiseth me. The Lord judge between me and thee.

⁶ And Abram made answer, and said to her: Behold thy handmaid is in thy own hand, use her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai afflicted her, she ran away.

4 What shall we say then that Abraham hath found, who is our father according to the flesh.

² For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory, but not before God.

³ For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was reputed to him unto justice.

⁴ Now to him that worketh, the reward is not reckoned according to grace, but according to debt.

⁵ But to him that worketh not, yet believeth in him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is reputed to justice, according to the purpose of the grace of God.

⁶ As David also termeth the blessedness of a man, to whom God reputeth justice without works:

⁷ Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.

⁸ Blessed is the man to whom the Lord hath not imputed sin.

⁹ This blessedness then, doth it remain in the circumcision only, or in the uncircumcision also? For we say that unto Abraham faith was reputed to justice.

¹⁰ How then was it reputed? 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 justice of the faith, which he had, being uncircumcised; that he might be the father of all them that believe, being uncircumcised, that unto them also it may be reputed to justice:

¹² And might be the father of circumcision; not to them only, that are of the circumcision, but to them also that follow the steps of the faithful, that is in the uncircumcision of our father Abraham.