Rom 4 | LSB | STEP | What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found?

Romans 4

Abraham and David’s Faith Counted as Righteousness

1 What then shall we say that Abraham, ^{▼▼Or our forefather, has found according to the flesh}our forefather according to the flesh, has found? 2 For if Abraham was justified ^{▼▼Lit out of}by works, he has something to boast about—but not ^{▼▼Lit toward}before God! 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” 4 Now to the one who works, his wage is not counted according to grace, but according to what is due. 5 But to the one who does not work, but believes upon Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, 6 just as David also speaks of the blessing on the man to whom God counts righteousness apart from works:

7 “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven,
And whose sins have been covered.
8 “Blessed is the man whose sin the ^{▼▼In OT, Yahweh, cf. Ps 32:2}Lord will not take into account.”
9 Therefore, is this blessing on ^{▼▼Lit circumcision}the circumcised, or on ^{▼▼Lit uncircumcision}the uncircumcised also? For we say, “Faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness.” 10 How then was it counted? While he was ^{▼▼Lit in circumcision}circumcised, or ^{▼▼Lit in uncircumcision}uncircumcised? Not while ^{▼▼Lit in circumcision}circumcised, but while ^{▼▼Lit in uncircumcision}uncircumcised; 11 and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which ^{▼▼Lit was in uncircumcision}he had while uncircumcised, so that he might be the father of all who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be counted to them, 12 and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also follow in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham which ^{▼▼Lit was in uncircumcision}he had while uncircumcised.

13 For the promise to Abraham or to his seed that he would be heir of the world was not ^{▼▼Or through law}through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if those who are ^{▼▼Or of law}of the Law are heirs, faith has been made empty and the promise has been abolished; 15 for the Law brings about wrath, but where there is no law, there also is no trespass.

16 For this reason it is ^{▼▼Or out of}by faith, in order that it may be according to grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the seed, not only to ^{▼▼Lit that which is}those who are of the Law, but also to ^{▼▼Lit that which is}those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all— 17 as it is written, “A father of many nations have I made you”—in the presence of Him whom he believed, even God, who gives life to the dead and ^{▼▼Lit calls the things which do not exist as existing}calls into being that which does not exist. 18 In hope against hope he believed, so that he might become a father of many nations according to that which had been spoken, “So shall your seed be.” 19 And without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah’s womb; 20 yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to do. 22 Therefore it was also counted to him as righteousness. 23 Now not for his sake only was it written that it was counted to him, 24 but for our sake also, to whom it will be counted, as those who believe upon Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25 He who was delivered over on account of our transgressions, and was raised on account of our justification.