Romans 4

1. What then shall we say that our father Abraham has found with respect to the flesh?

2. For if Abraham was justified by works of law,sacrificial temple laws or traditional manmade laws of Judaism. We find in Jas. 2:21-22 “Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac, his own son, upon the alter? Do you not see that faith was working together with his works, and by works his faith was perfected?” This demon­strates that the laws and commandments of God are not included in the phrase “works of law.” This clarifies that Abraham had good works and was justified by faith and works. Works of law means the sacrificial temple laws or traditional manmade laws of Judaism. But Abraham had good works. Gen. 26:5, “Because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes and My laws.” he has a basis for boasting, but not before God.

3. For what does the Scripture say? “And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him for righteousness.”

4. Now to the one who has works of law, the reward is not reckoned according to grace; rather, it is reckoned as a debt.

5. But to the one who does not do works of law, but believes in Him Who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned for righteousness;

6. Even as David also declares the blessedness of the man to whom God reckons righteousness separate from works of law:

7. “Blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.

8. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not reckon any sin.”

9. Now then, does this blessedness come upon the circumcision only, or also upon the uncircumcision? For we are saying that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.

10. In what condition therefore was it reckoned? When he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.

11. And afterwards he received the sign of circumcision, as a seal of the righteousness of the faith that he had in the condition of uncircumcision, that he might become the father of all those who believe, though they have not been circumcised, in order that the righteousness of faith might also be reckoned to them;

12. And that he might become the father of the circumcision—not to those who are of the circumcision only, but also to those who walk in the footsteps of the faith of our father Abraham, which he had during his uncircumcision.

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

14. Because if those of the works of law be the heirs, then faith is made void, and the promise is made of no effect.

15. For by transgression the law works out wrath; because where no law is, there is no transgression.

16. For this reason it is of faith, in order that it might be by grace, to the end that the promise might be certain to all the seed—not to the one who is of the law only, but also to the one who is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all,

17. (Exactly as it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.”) before God in Whom he believed, Who gives life to the dead, and calls the things that are not as though they are;

18. And who against hope believed in hope, in order that he might become a father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, “So shall your seed be.”

19. And he, not being weak in the faith, considered not his own body, already having become dead, being about one hundred years old, nor did he consider the deadness of Sarah’s womb;

20. And he did not doubt the promise of God through unbelief; rather, he was strengthened in the faith, giving glory to God;

21. For he was fully persuaded that what He has promised, He is also able to do.

22. As a result, it was also reckoned to him for righteousness.

23. But it was not written for his sake alone, that it was reckoned to him;

24. Rather, it was also written for our sakes, to whom it shall be reckoned—to those who believe in Him Who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead;

25. Who was delivered for our offenses and was raised for our justification.