Romans 4

¹What shall we say then, that Abraham our father hath found concerning the flesh?

²For if Abraham were iustified by workes, he hath wherein to reioyce, but not with God.

³For what saith the Scripture? Abraham beleeued God, and it was counted to him for righteousnesse.

⁴Nowe to him that worketh, the wages is not counted by fauour, but by dette:

⁵But to him that worketh not, but beleeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly, his faith is counted for righteousnesse.

⁶Euen as Dauid declareth the blessednesse of the man, vnto whom God imputeth righteousnes without workes, saying,

⁷Blessed are they, whose iniquities are forgiuen, and whose sinnes are couered.

⁸Blessed is the man, to whom the Lord imputeth not sinne.

⁹Came this blessednesse then vpon the circumcision onely, or vpon the vncircumcision also? For we say, that faith was imputed vnto Abraham for righteousnesse.

¹⁰Howe was it then imputed? when he was circumcised, or vncircumcised? not when he was cricumcised, but when he was vncircumcised.

¹¹After, he receiued the signe of circumcision, as the seale of the righteousnesse of ye faith which he had, when he was vncircumcised, that he should be the father of all them that beleeue, not being circumcised, that righteousnesse might be imputed to them also,

¹²And the father of circumcision, not vnto them onely which are of the circumcision, but vnto them also that walke in the steppes of the faith of our father Abraham, which he had when he was vncircumcised.

¹³For the promise that he should be the heire of the worlde, was not giuen to Abraham, or to his seede, through the Lawe, but through the righteousnesse of faith.

¹⁴For if they which are of the Lawe, be heires, faith is made voide, and the promise is made of none effect.

¹⁵For the Lawe causeth wrath: for where no Lawe is, there is no transgression.

¹⁶Therefore it is by faith, that it might come by grace, and the promise might be sure to all the seede, not to that onely which is of the Lawe: but also to that which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of vs all,

¹⁷(As it is written, I haue made thee a father of many nations) euen before God whom he beleeued, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those thinges which be not, as though they were.

¹⁸Which Abraham aboue hope, beleeued vnder hope, that he should be the father of many nations: according to that which was spoken to him, So shall thy seede be.

¹⁹And he not weake in the faith, considered not his owne bodie, which was nowe dead, being almost an hundreth yeere olde, neither the deadnes of Saraes wombe.

²⁰Neither did he doubt of the promise of God through vnbeliefe, but was strengthened in the faith, and gaue glorie to God,

²¹Being fully assured that he which had promised, was also able to doe it.

²²And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousnesse.

²³Nowe it is not written for him onely, that it was imputed to him for righteousnesse,

²⁴But also for vs, to whom it shalbe imputed for righteousnesse, which beleeue in him that raised vp Iesus our Lord from the dead,

²⁵Who was deliuered to death for our sinnes, and is risen againe for our iustification.

Romans 4

¹What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?

²For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.

³For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.

⁴Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.

⁵But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

⁶Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,

⁷Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.

⁸Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.

⁹Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.

¹⁰How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.

¹¹And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:

¹²And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.

¹³For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.

¹⁴For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:

¹⁵Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.

¹⁶Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; 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,

¹⁷(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.

¹⁸Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations; according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.

¹⁹And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara’s womb:

²⁰He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;

²¹And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

²²And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.

²³Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him;

²⁴But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;

²⁵Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.