1 i f so, what shall we say about Abraham, our forefather humanly speaking— find out?

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

2 F or if Abraham was justified ( established as just by acquittal from guilt) by good works he has grounds for boasting. But not before God!

For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God.

3 F or what does the Scripture say? Abraham believed in (trusted in) God, and it was credited to his account as righteousness (right living and right standing with God).

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

4 N ow to a laborer, his wages are not counted as a favor or a gift, but as an obligation (something owed to him).

Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. David Celebrates the Same Truth

5 B ut to one who, not working, trusts (believes fully) in Him Who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited to him as righteousness (the standing acceptable to God).

But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness,

6 T hus David congratulates the man and pronounces a blessing on him to whom God credits righteousness apart from the works he does:

just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works:

7 B lessed and happy and to be envied are those whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered up and completely buried.

“Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, And whose sins are covered;

8 B lessed and happy and to be envied is the person of whose sin the Lord will take no account nor reckon it against him.

Blessed is the man to whom the L ord shall not impute sin.” Abraham Justified Before Circumcision

9 I s this blessing (happiness) then meant only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? We say that faith was credited to Abraham as righteousness.

Does this blessedness then come upon the circumcised only, or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness.

10 H ow then was it credited ? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised.

How then was it accounted? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised.

11 H e received the mark of circumcision as a token or an evidence seal of the righteousness which he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised— so that he was to be made the father of all who believe, though without circumcision, and who thus have righteousness (right standing with God) imputed to them and credited to their account,

And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also,

12 A s well as the father of those circumcised persons who are not merely circumcised, but also walk in the way of that faith which our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.

and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of the faith which our father Abraham had while still uncircumcised. The Promise Granted Through Faith

13 F or the promise to Abraham or his posterity, that he should inherit the world, did not come through the Law but through the righteousness of faith.

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

14 I f it is the adherents of the Law who are to be the heirs, then faith is made futile and empty of all meaning and the promise is made void (is annulled and has no power).

For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect,

15 F or the Law results in wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression.

because the law brings about wrath; for where there is no law there is no transgression.

16 T herefore, the promise is the outcome of faith and depends on faith, in order that it might be given as an act of grace (unmerited favor), to make it stable and valid and guaranteed to all his descendants—not only to the devotees and adherents of the Law, but also to those who share the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all.

Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all

17 A s it is written, I have made you the father of many nations. in the sight of God in Whom he believed, Who gives life to the dead and speaks of the nonexistent things that as if they existed.

(as it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations” ) in the presence of Him whom he believed—God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did;

18 h ope being gone, hoped in faith that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been promised, So shall your descendants be.

who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, “So shall your descendants be.”

19 H e did not weaken in faith when he considered the impotence of his own body, which was as good as dead because he was about a hundred years old, or the barrenness of Sarah’s womb.

And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb.

20 N o unbelief or distrust made him waver (doubtingly question) concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong and was empowered by faith as he gave praise and glory to God,

He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God,

21 F ully satisfied and assured that God was able and mighty to keep His word and to do what He had promised.

and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.

22 T hat is why his faith was credited to him as righteousness (right standing with God).

And therefore “it was accounted to him for righteousness.”

23 B ut, It was credited to him, were written not for his sake alone,

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

24 B ut for our sakes too. will be granted and credited to us also who believe in (trust in, adhere to, and rely on) God, Who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead,

but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead,

25 W ho was betrayed and put to death because of our misdeeds and was raised to secure our justification (our acquittal),.

who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.