New Testament
Romans 4
Overview
Paul proves justification by faith from the case of Abraham, the father of the Jewish people, asking what he found and answering with Genesis 15:6: "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness." He argues that to one who works, wages are not a gift but a debt, whereas to one who does not work but believes in the God who justifies the ungodly, faith is counted as righteousness — and he confirms this with David's blessing on the one whose sins are forgiven apart from works (Psalm 32). Crucially, Paul shows the timing: Abraham was reckoned righteous while still uncircumcised (Genesis 15 precedes Genesis 17), so that he becomes father of both believing Gentiles and believing Jews, and the promise comes through the righteousness of faith, not through the law, lest the promise be void. The chapter climaxes in a portrait of Abraham's faith itself: against hope he believed in hope, not weakening when he considered his own body as good as dead and Sarah's barren womb, but growing strong in faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced God could do what He promised. Paul then applies it directly — these words "it was counted to him" were written for us too, who believe in Him who raised Jesus from the dead, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.
1What then will we say that Abraham, our forefather, has found according to the flesh?
2For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not toward God.
3For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”
4Now to him who works, the reward is not counted as grace, but as something owed.
5But to him who doesn’t work, but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness.
6Even as David also pronounces blessing on the man to whom God counts righteousness apart from works:
7“Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, whose sins are covered.
8Blessed is the man whom the Lord will by no means charge with sin.”
9Is this blessing then pronounced only on the circumcised, or on the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness.
10How then was it counted? When he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.
11He received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while he was in uncircumcision, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they might be in uncircumcision, that righteousness might also be accounted to them.
12He is the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had in uncircumcision.
13For the promise to Abraham and to his offspring that he would be heir of the world wasn’t through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
14For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void, and the promise is made of no effect.
15For the law produces wrath; for where there is no law, neither is there disobedience.
16For this cause it is of faith, that it may be according to grace, to the end that the promise may be sure to all the offspring, 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.
17As it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations.” This is in the presence of him whom he believed: God, who gives life to the dead, and calls the things that are not, as though they were.
18Against hope, Abraham in hope believed, to the end that he might become a father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, “So will your offspring be.”
19Without being weakened in faith, he didn’t consider his own body, already having been worn out, (he being about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb.
20Yet, looking to the promise of God, he didn’t waver through unbelief, but grew strong through faith, giving glory to God,
21and being fully assured that what he had promised, he was also able to perform.
22Therefore it also was “credited to him for righteousness.”
23Now it was not written that it was accounted to him for his sake alone,
24but for our sake also, to whom it will be accounted, who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead,
25who was delivered up for our trespasses, and was raised for our justification.