Romans 4:4–5
What does Romans 4:4–5 mean?
A plain-English look at Romans 4:4–5 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Romans 4:4–5 means
Romans 4:4
Paul clarifies the economics of grace. When you work, your pay is a debt owed, not a gift. If righteousness came that way, God would be a payer of wages, and humans would be creditors. But justification is not a transaction in which God settles accounts with our merits. It is a gift He freely bestows. The contrast reveals the heart of the gospel: grace does not respond to our performance; it originates in God’s mercy. This protects the sinner’s hope, because the ground of acceptance is not the fluctuating value of our deeds but the steadfast generosity of God, who credits righteousness apart from works.
Romans 4:5
Here Paul states the scandalous beauty of the gospel: God justifies the ungodly. The person who does not rely on works but believes in the God who declares the unworthy righteous has that faith counted as righteousness. Faith is not a work that earns salvation; it is trusting dependence on the One who saves. This verse insists that the starting line is not moral improvement but divine pardon. The ungodly are the very candidates God receives, because justification is His gracious verdict. Such faith rests not in self but in God’s promise, and in the chapter’s climax, that promise is tied to the God who raised Jesus from the dead.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000Now to him that worketh, the reward is not reckoned as of grace, but as of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is reckoned for righteousness.
KJV
King James Version · 1611Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901Now to him that worketh, the reward is not reckoned as of grace, but as of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is reckoned for righteousness.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949Now, the reward is credited to him who does works, not as of grace but as a debt. But to him who without working has faith in him who gives righteousness to the evil-doer, his faith is put to his account as righteousness.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862and to him who is working, the reward is not reckoned of grace, but of debt; and to him who is not working, and is believing upon Him who is declaring righteous the impious, his faith is reckoned--to righteousness:
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Now to him that worketh, the reward is not reckoned according to grace but according to debt. But to him that worketh not, yet believeth in him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is reputed to justice, according to the purpose of the grace of God.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890Now to him that works the reward is not reckoned as of grace, but of debt: but to him who does not work, but believes on him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness.
Context
v.4Flowing from the citation about Abraham’s faith being credited, Paul explains how crediting works in God’s economy. Verse 4 uses an everyday illustration—wages—to show why righteousness cannot be a payment for services rendered. Verse 5 will press the contrast further by describing the one who does not work but believes. Together, these verses sharpen the distinction between a merit system and grace, preparing for David’s testimony that blessing comes apart from works.
v.5After distinguishing wages from grace, Paul reveals whom God actually justifies—the ungodly—and how—through faith. This intensifies the argument that righteousness is credited apart from works. To confirm that this is no novelty, Paul will now bring David’s voice in verses 6–8, showing that the blessedness of forgiveness and non-imputation has always been the experience of God’s people. The flow moves from Abraham’s example to a general statement, then to David’s supportive witness.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Romans 11:6
But if it is by grace, it is no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace.
- Matthew 20:1
For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that was a householder, who went out early in the morning to hire laborers into his vineyard.
- Romans 11:35
or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?
- Romans 9:32
Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by works. They stumbled at the stone of stumbling;
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