Romans 4

¹What advantage then shall we say that Abraham our father had as to the flesh?

²For if Abraham was accepted as righteous through works, he hath ground of boasting. But he hath no ground of boasting before God.

³For what saith the scripture? "Abraham had faith in God, and it was accounted unto him as righteousness."

⁴Now to him that performeth works, the reward is not accounted a matter of grace, but of debt;

⁵but to him who without performing works hath faith in him who accepteth as righteous one that hath been ungodly, his faith is accounted as righteousness;

⁶as David also speaketh of the blessedness of the man whom God accepteth as righteous without works:

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

⁸Blessed is the man whom the Lord shall not charge with sin."

⁹Doth this blessedness belong to the circumcised alone, or to the uncircumcised also? For we are saying that Abraham’s faith was accounted as righteousness.

¹⁰How then was it so accounted? After his circumcision, or while he was uncircumcised? Not after he was circumcised, but while he was uncircumcised.

¹¹And he received the outward sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while he was uncircumcised; that he might be the father of all the uncircumcised who have faith, so that righteousness might be put to their account also;

¹²and that he might be the father of the circumcised, who are not circumcised merely, but who tread in the steps of that faith which our father Abraham had while yet uncircumcised.

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

¹⁴For if they that are of the Law are heirs, then faith becometh a vain thing, and the promise is made of no effect.

¹⁵For the Law is the cause of wrath; for where there is no law there is no transgression.

¹⁶Therefore the inheritance was made to depend on faith, that it might be a matter of grace; that the promise might be sure to all the offspring, not to that only which is under the Law, but to that also which hath 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") in the sight of that God whom he believed, who giveth life to the dead, and calleth the things that are not, as though they were.

¹⁸For he had confident hope in that which was past hope, that he should become a father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, "Thus shall thy offspring be;"

¹⁹and not being weak in faith, he regarded not his own body which had become dead, he being about a hundred years old, nor the deadness of Sarah’s womb;

²⁰nor did he waver in respect to the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;

²¹being fully convinced, that what he hath promised, he is able also to perform.

²²And therefore it was accounted to him for righteousness.

²³And that it was so accounted was not written for his sake alone,

²⁴but for our sakes also, to whom it will be so accounted through our faith in him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead,

²⁵who was delivered up on account of our trespasses, and raised from the dead that we might be accepted as righteous.

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.