Romans 4

1What shall we say then that Abraham our father according to flesh has found?

1What, then, may we say that Abraham, our father after the flesh, has got?

2For if Abraham has been justified on the principle of works, he has whereof to boast: but not beforeGod;

2For if Abraham got righteousness by works, he has reason for pride; but not before God.

3for what does the scripture say? And Abraham believedGod, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.

3But what does it say in the holy Writings? And Abraham had faith in God, and it was put to his account as righteousness.

4Now to him that works the reward is not reckoned as of grace, but of debt:

4Now, the reward is credited to him who does works, not as of grace but as a debt.

5but to him who does not work, but believes on him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness.

5But 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.

6Even as David also declares the blessedness of the man to whomGod reckons righteousness without works:

6As David says that there is a blessing on the man to whose account God puts righteousness without works, saying,

7Blessed [they] whose lawlessnesses have been forgiven, and whose sins have been covered:

7Happy are those who have forgiveness for their wrongdoing, and whose sins are covered.

8blessed [the] man to whom [the] Lord shall not at all reckon sin.

8Happy is the man against whom no sin is recorded by the Lord.

9[Does] this blessedness then [rest] on the circumcision, or also on the uncircumcision? For we say that faith has been reckoned to Abraham as righteousness.

9Is this blessing, then, for the circumcision only, or in the same way for those who have not circumcision? for we say that the faith of Abraham was put to his account as righteousness.

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

10How, then, was it judged? when he had circumcision, or when he had it not? Not when he had it, but when he did not have it:

11And he received [the] sign of circumcision [as] seal of the righteousness of faith which [he had] being in uncircumcision, that he might be [the] father of all them that believe being in uncircumcision, that righteousness might be reckoned to them also;

11And he was given the sign of circumcision as a witness of the faith which he had before he underwent circumcision: so that he might be the father of all those who have faith, though they have not circumcision, and so that righteousness might be put to their account;

12and father of circumcision, not only to those who are of [the] circumcision, but to those also who walk in the steps of the faith, during uncircumcision, of our father Abraham.

12And the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who keep to the way of that faith which our father Abraham had before he underwent circumcision.

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

13For God's word, that the earth would be his heritage, was given to Abraham, not through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.

14For if they which [are] of law be heirs, faith is made vain, and the promise made of no effect.

14For if they who are of the law are the people who get the heritage, then faith is made of no use, and the word of God has no power;

15For law works wrath; but where no law is neither [is there] transgression.

15For the outcome of the law is wrath; but where there is no law it will not be broken.

16Therefore [it is] on the principle of faith, that [it might be] according to grace, in order to the promise being sure to all the seed, not to that only which [is] of the law, but to that also which [is] of Abraham's faith, who is father of us all,

16For this reason it is of faith, so that it may be through grace; and so that the word of God may be certain to all the seed; not only to that which is of the law, but to that which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all,

17(according as it is written, I have made thee father of many nations,) before theGod whom he believed, who quickens the dead, and calls the things which be not as being;

17(As it is said in the holy Writings, I have made you a father of a number of nations) before him in whom he had faith, that is, God, who gives life to the dead, and to whom the things which are not are as if they were.

18who against hope believed in hope to his becoming father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be:

18Who without reason for hope, in faith went on hoping, so that he became the father of a number of nations, as it had been said, So will your seed be.

19and not being weak in faith, he considered not his own body already become dead, being about a hundred years old, and the deadening of Sarah's womb,

19And not being feeble in faith though his body seemed to him little better than dead (he being about a hundred years old) and Sarah was no longer able to have children:

20and hesitated not at the promise ofGod through unbelief; but found strength in faith, giving glory toGod;

20Still, he did not give up faith in the undertaking of God, but was made strong by faith, giving glory to God,

21and being fully persuaded that what he has promised he is able also to do;

21And being certain that God was able to keep his word.

22wherefore also it was reckoned to him as righteousness.

22For which reason it was put to his account as righteousness.

23Now it was not written on his account alone that it was reckoned to him,

23Now, it was not because of him only that this was said,

24but on ours also, to whom, believing on him who has raised from among [the] dead Jesus our Lord,

24But for us in addition, to whose account it will be put, if we have faith in him who made Jesus our Lord come back again from the dead,

25who has been delivered for our offences and has been raised for our justification, it will be reckoned.

25Who was put to death for our evil-doing, and came to life again so that we might have righteousness.