Romans 4:1-15
Abraham
Justified by Faith
4 “What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according
to the flesh, discovered in this matter?
2 If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to
boast about—but not before GOD.
3 What does Scripture say?
‘Abraham believed GOD, and it was credited to him as RIGHTEOUSNESS.’
4 Now to the one who works, wages
are not credited as a gift but as an obligation.
5 However, to the one who does not
work but trusts GOD
WHO justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as RIGHTEOUSNESS.
6 David says the same thing when he
speaks of the blessedness of the one to whom GOD credits RIGHTEOUSNESS apart from works:
7 ‘Blessed are those
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
8 Blessed is the one
whose sin THE LORD will never count against them.’
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
8 Blessed is the one
whose sin THE LORD will never count against them.’
9 Is this blessedness only for the circumcised, or also for the
uncircumcised? We have been saying that Abraham’s faith was credited to
him as RIGHTEOUSNESS.
10 Under what circumstances was it credited? Was it after he was
circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before!
11 And he received circumcision as a sign, a seal of the RIGHTEOUSNESS that he
had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. So then, he is the
father of all who believe but have not been circumcised, in order
that RIGHTEOUSNESS
might be credited to them.
12 And he is then also the father of the circumcised who not only are
circumcised but who also follow in the footsteps of the faith that our father
Abraham had before he was circumcised.
13 It was not through the law that
Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of
the world, but through THE RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT COMES BY FAITH.
14 For if those
who depend on the law are heirs, faith means nothing and the promise is
worthless,
15 because the law brings
wrath. And where there is no law there is no transgression.”
