4:1 What then shall we say that Abraham, ①our forefather according to the flesh, has found?
▷ ①Or our forefather, has found according to the flesh
4:2 For if Abraham was justified ①by works, he has something to boast about; but not ②before God.
▷ ①Lit out of ②Lit toward
4:3 For what does the Scripture say? “ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.”
4:4 Now to the one who works, the wages are not credited as a favor, but as what is due.
4:5 But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness,
4:6 just as David also speaks of the blessing of the person to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:
4:7 “BLESSED ARE THOSE WHOSE LAWLESS DEEDS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN,
AND WHOSE SINS HAVE BEEN COVERED.
4:8 BLESSED IS THE MAN WHOSE SIN THE LORD WILL NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT.”
4:9 Is this blessing then on ①the circumcised, or on ②the uncircumcised also? For we say, “FAITH WAS CREDITED TO ABRAHAM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.”
▷ ①Lit circumcision ②Lit uncircumcision
4:10 How then was it credited? While he was ①circumcised, or ②uncircumcised? Not while ③circumcised, but while ④uncircumcised;
▷ ①Lit in circumcision ②Lit in uncircumcision ③Lit in circumcision ④Lit in uncircumcision
4:11 and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which ①he had while uncircumcised, so that he might be the father of all who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be credited to them,
▷ ①Lit was in uncircumcision
4:12 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 ①he had while uncircumcised.
▷ ①Lit was in uncircumcision
4:13 For the promise to Abraham or to his ①descendants that he would be heir of the world was not ②through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith.
▷ ①Lit seed ②Or through law
4:14 For if those who are ①of the Law are heirs, then faith is made void and the promise is nullified;
▷ ①Or of law
4:15 for the Law brings about wrath, but where there is no law, there also is no violation.
4:16 For this reason it is ①by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the ②descendants, not only to ③those who are of the Law, but also to ④those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all,
▷ ①Lit that which is ②Lit that which is ③Or out of ④Lit seed
4:17 (as it is written: “I HAVE MADE YOU A FATHER OF MANY NATIONS”) in the presence of Him whom he believed, that is, God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that do not exist.
4:18 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 ①DESCENDANTS BE.”
▷ ①Lit seed
4:19 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;
4:20 yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God,
4:21 and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform.
4:22 Therefore IT WAS ALSO CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.
4:23 Now not for his sake only was it written that it was credited to him,
4:24 but for our sake also, to whom it will be credited, to us who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead,
4:25 He who was delivered over because of our wrongdoings, and was raised because of our justification.