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

What about Abraham, our early father? What did he learn?

2 F or if Abraham has been justified on the principle of works, he has whereof to boast: but not before God;

If Abraham was made right with God by what he did, he would have had something to be proud of. But he could not be proud before God.

3 f or what does the scripture say? And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.

The Holy Writings say, “Abraham put his trust in God and that made him right with God.”

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

If a man works, his pay is not a gift. It is something he has earned.

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

If a man has not worked to be saved, but has put his trust in God Who saves men from the punishment of their sins, that man is made right with God because of his trust in God.

6 E ven as David also declares the blessedness of the man to whom God reckons righteousness without works:

David tells of this. He spoke of how happy the man is who puts his trust in God without working to be saved from the punishment of sin.

7 B lessed whose lawlessnesses have been forgiven, and whose sins have been covered:

“Those people are happy whose sinful acts are forgiven and whose sins are covered.

8 b lessed man to whom Lord shall not at all reckon sin.

Those people are happy whose sins the Lord will not remember.”

9 t his blessedness then on the circumcision, or also on the uncircumcision? For we say that faith has been reckoned to Abraham as righteousness.

Is this happiness given to the Jews only? Or is it given also to the people who are not Jews? We say again, “Abraham put his trust in God and that made him right with God.”

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

When did this happen? Was it before or after Abraham went through the religious act of becoming a Jew? It was before.

11 A nd he received sign of circumcision seal of the righteousness of faith which being in uncircumcision, that he might be father of all them that believe being in uncircumcision, that righteousness might be reckoned to them also;

He went through the religious act after he had put his trust in God. That religious act proved that his trust in God made him right with God even before he went through the religious act of becoming a Jew. In that way, it made him the early father of all those who believe. It showed that those who did not go through the religious act of becoming a Jew could be right with God.

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

He is also the early father of all those who have gone through the religious act of becoming a Jew. It is not because they went through the act. It is because they put their trust in God the same as Abraham did before he went through the religious act of becoming a Jew.

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

God promised to give the world to him and to all his family after him. He did not make this promise because Abraham obeyed the Law. He promised to give the world to Abraham because he put his trust in God. This made him right with God.

14 F or if they which of law be heirs, faith is made vain, and the promise made of no effect.

If those who obey the Law are to get the world, then a person putting his trust in God means nothing. God’s promise to Abraham would be worth nothing.

15 F or law works wrath; but where no law is neither transgression.

God’s anger comes on a man when he does not obey the Law. But if there were no Law, then no one could break it.

16 T herefore on the principle of faith, that according to grace, in order to the promise being sure to all the seed, not to that only which of the law, but to that also which of Abraham's faith, who is father of us all,

So God’s promise is given to us because we put our trust in Him. We can be sure of it. It is because of His loving-favor to us. It is for all the family of Abraham. It is for those who obey the Law. It is for those who put their trust in God as Abraham did. In this way, he is the father of all Christians.

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

The Holy Writings say, “I have made you a father of many nations.” This promise is good because of Who God is. He makes the dead live again. He speaks, and something is made out of nothing.

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

Abraham believed he would be the father of many nations. He had no reason to hope for this, but he had been told, “Your children will become many nations.”

19 a nd 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,

Abraham was about one hundred years old. His body was about dead, but his faith in God was not weak when he thought of his body. His faith was not weak when he thought of his wife Sarah being past the age of having children.

20 a nd hesitated not at the promise of God through unbelief; but found strength in faith, giving glory to God;

Abraham did not doubt God’s promise. His faith in God was strong, and he gave thanks to God.

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

He was sure God was able to do what He had promised.

22 w herefore also it was reckoned to him as righteousness.

Abraham put his trust in God and was made right with Him.

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

The words, “He was made right with God,” were not for Abraham only.

24 b ut on ours also, to whom, believing on him who has raised from among dead Jesus our Lord,

They were for us also. God will make us right with Himself the same way He did Abraham, if we put our trust in God Who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.

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

Jesus died for our sins. He was raised from the dead to make us right with God.