1 W hat then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather, hath found according to the flesh?

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

2 F or if Abraham was justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not toward God.

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

3 F or what saith the scripture? And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness.

For 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).

4 N ow to him that worketh, the reward is not reckoned as of grace, but as of debt.

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

5 B ut to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is reckoned for righteousness.

But 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).

6 E ven as David also pronounceth blessing upon the man, unto whom God reckoneth righteousness apart from works,

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

7 s aying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, And whose sins are covered.

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

8 B lessed is the man to whom, the Lord will not reckon sin.

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

9 I s this blessing then pronounced upon the circumcision, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say, To Abraham his faith was reckoned for righteousness.

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

10 H ow then was it reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision:

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

11 a nd he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while he was in uncircumcision; that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be in uncircumcision, that righteousness might be reckoned unto them;

He 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,

12 a nd the father of circumcision to them who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham which he had in uncircumcision.

As 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.

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

For 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.

14 F or if they that are of the law are heirs, faith is made void, and the promise is made of none effect:

If 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).

15 f or the law worketh wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there transgression.

For the Law results in wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression.

16 F or this cause it is of faith, that it may be according to grace; to the end that the promise may 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

Therefore, 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.

17 ( as it is written, A father of many nations have I made thee) before him whom he believed, even God, who giveth life to the dead, and calleth the things that are not, as though they were.

As 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.

18 W ho in hope believed against hope, to the end that he might become a father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, So shall thy seed be.

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

19 A nd without being weakened in faith he considered his own body now as good as dead (he being about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's womb;

He 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.

20 y et, looking unto the promise of God, he wavered not through unbelief, but waxed strong through faith, giving glory to God,

No 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,

21 a nd being fully assured that what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

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

22 W herefore also it was reckoned unto him for righteousness.

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

23 N ow it was not written for his sake alone, that it was reckoned unto him;

But, It was credited to him, were written not for his sake alone,

24 b ut for our sake also, unto whom it shall be reckoned, who believe on him that raised Jesus our Lord from the dead,

But 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,

25 w ho was delivered up for our trespasses, and was raised for our justification.

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