1 W hat shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?

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

2 F or if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before 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? Abraham believed God, and it was counted 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 is the reward not reckoned of grace, but 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 counted 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 describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without 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 impute 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 C ometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham 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 was it then 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 yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:

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 are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.

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 the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, 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 which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise 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 B ecause the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.

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

16 T herefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might 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, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be 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 against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was 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 being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet 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 H e staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in 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 persuaded 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 A nd therefore it was imputed to 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 imputed to him;

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

24 B ut for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up 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 for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

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