Romans 4

1 What then shall we say—as touching Abraham our forefather?

What then shall we say concerning Abraham the patriarch, that by the flesh he obtained?

2 For, if Abraham by works was declared righteous, he hath whereof to boast; —nevertheless, not towards God, —

But if Abraham was justified by works, he had ground of glorying; yet not before God.

3 For what doth the Scripture say? And Abraham believed in God, and it was reckoned unto him as righteousness.

For what saith the scripture? That Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.

4 Now, unto him that worketh, the reward is not reckoned by way of favour but by way of obligation,

But to him that worketh, the reward is not reckoned as of grace, but as a debt to him.

5 Whereas, unto him that worketh not but believeth on him that declareth righteous the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness.

Whereas, to him that worketh not, but only believeth in him that justifieth sinners, his faith is accounted to him for righteousness.

6 Just as David also affirmeth the happiness of the man unto whom God reckoneth righteousness apart from works: —

As David also speaketh of the blessedness of the man, to whom God reckoneth righteousness without works,

7 Happy, they whose lawlessnesses have been forgiven and whose sins have been covered,

saying: Blessed are they, whose iniquity is forgiven, and whose sins are covered up:

8 Happy, the man whose sin the Lord will in nowise reckon.

and, Blessed is the man, to whom God will not reckon his sin.

9 This happiness, then, [is it] for the circumcision, or for the uncircumcision? for we say—His faith was reckoned unto Abraham as righteousness:

This blessedness, therefore, is it on the circumcision? or on the uncircumcision? For we say, that Abraham's faith was reckoned to him for righteousness.

10 How, then, was it reckoned? When he was in circumcision or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision;

How then was it reckoned to him? In circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.

11 And, a sign, he received [namely] of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while yet uncircumcised; to the end he might be father of all that believe during uncircumcision, to the end [the same] righteousness might be reckoned unto them, —

For he received circumcision, as the sign and the seal of the righteousness of his faith while in uncircumcision: that he might become the father of all them of the uncircumcision who believe; and that it might be reckoned to them also for righteousness:

12 And father of circumcision—unto them who are not of circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of the faith, while yet uncircumcised, of our father Abraham.

and the father of the circumcision; not to them only who are of the circumcision, but to them also who fulfill the steps of the faith of our father Abraham in his uncircumcision.

13 For, not through means of law, doth the promise belong unto Abraham or unto his seed, —that he should be heir of the world; but, through a righteousness by faith.

For the promise to Abraham and to his seed, that he should become the heir of the world, was not by the law, but by the righteousness of his faith.

14 For, if they who are of law are heirs, made void is faith and of no effect is the promise.

For if they who are of the law were heirs, faith would be made void, and the promise of no force.

15 For, the law, worketh out anger, but, where there is no law, neither is there transgression.

For the law is a worker of wrath; because where no law is, there is no transgression of law.

16 For this cause, it is by faith, in order that it may be by way of favour, so that the promise is firm unto all the seed, —not unto that by the law only, but unto that also [which is such] by the faith of Abraham; who is father of us all, —

Wherefore, it is by the faith which is by grace, that we are justified: so that the promise may be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but also to that which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all:

17 Even as it is written—Father of many nations, have I appointed thee: before him whom he believed—God, who causeth the dead to live, and calleth the things that are not as things that are: —

as it is written: " I have constituted thee a father to a multitude of nations;" namely before God, in whom thou hast believed; who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which are not, as if they were.

18 Who, past hope, upon hope believed, so that he became father of many nations, —according to what had been said—So shall be thy seed; —

And without hope, he confided in the hope of becoming the father of a multitude of nations; (as it is written: So will thy seed be.)

19 And, without becoming weak in his faith, he attentively considered his own body, already deadened—he being a hundred years old, the deadening also of Sarah’s womb;

And he was not sickly in his faith, while contemplating his inert body, (for he was a hundred years old, ) and the inert womb of Sarah.

20 In respect, however, of the promise of God, he was not led to hesitate by unbelief, but received power by his faith, giving glory unto God,

And he did not hesitate at the promise of God, as one lacking faith; but he was strong in faith, and gave glory to God;

21 And being fully persuaded (that), —what he hath promised, able is he also to perform:

and felt assured, that what God had promised to him, he was able to fulfill.

22 Wherefore [also], it was reckoned unto him as righteousness.

And therefore it was accounted to him for righteousness.

23 Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was reckoned unto him,

And not for his sake alone, was it written, that his faith was accounted for righteousness;

24 But for our sakes also—unto whom it is to be reckoned, —even unto them that believe upon him who raised Jesus our Lord from among the dead:

but for our sakes also; because it is to be accounted so to us, who believe in him that raised our Lord Jesus Messiah from the dead;

25 Who was delivered up on account of our offences and was raised on account of the declaring us righteous.

who was delivered up, on account of our sins; and arose, that he might justify us.