Romans 4:1

Romans 4:1 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?
• New International Version (NIV)What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, discovered in this matter?
• English Standard Version (ESV)What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh?
• New King James Version (NKJV)What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh?

Context of Romans 4:1

What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather humanly speaking, has found? [Has he obtained a favored standing?] 2For if Abraham was justified [that is, acquitted from the guilt of his sins] by works [those things he did that were good], he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed in (trusted, relied on) God, and it was credited to his account as righteousness (right living, right standing with God).”

Romans 4:1 word by word

Τί οὖν ἐροῦμεν εὑρηκέναι Ἀβραὰμ τὸν προπάτορα ἡμῶν κατὰ σάρκα;Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Whatτίςtis · which?G5101
• shall we sayἐρῶereō · to sayG2046
• thenοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• AbrahamἈβραάμAbraam · AbrahamG11
• ourἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• fatherὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• fatherπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962
• as pertaining toκατάkata · according toG2596
• the fleshσάρξsarx · fleshG4561
• hath foundεὑρίσκωheuriskō · to find/meetG2147

Cross-references for Romans 4:1

• Romans 6:1What shall we say [to all this]? Should we continue in sin and practice sin as a habit so that [God’s gift of] grace may increase and overflow?
• Romans 7:7What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, if it had not been for the Law, I would not have recognized sin. For I would not have known [for example] about coveting [what belongs to another, and would have had no sense of guilt] if the Law had not [repeatedly] said, “You shall not covet.”
• Romans 8:31What then shall we say to all these things? If God is for us, who can be [successful] against us?
• Isaiah 51:2Look to Abraham your father And to Sarah who gave birth to you in pain; For I called him when he was but one, Then I blessed him and made him many.”
• Matthew 3:9and do not presume to say to yourselves [as a defense], ‘We have Abraham for our father [so our inheritance assures us of salvation]’; for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children (descendants) for Abraham.
• Luke 3:8Therefore produce fruit that is worthy of [and consistent with your] repentance [that is, live changed lives, turn from sin and seek God and His righteousness]. And do not even begin to say to yourselves [as a defense], ‘We have Abraham for our father [and so our heritage assures us of salvation]’; for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children (descendants) for Abraham [for God can replace the unrepentant, regardless of their heritage, with those who are obedient].
• Luke 16:24And he cried out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in severe agony in this flame.’
• John 8:33They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been enslaved to anyone. What do You mean by saying, ‘You will be set free’?”
• Acts 13:26“Brothers, sons of Abraham’s family, and those among you who fear God, to us has been sent the message of this salvation [obtained through faith in Jesus Christ].
• 2 Corinthians 11:22Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I.
• Romans 4:16Therefore, [inheriting] the promise depends entirely on faith [that is, confident trust in the unseen God], in order that it may be given as an act of grace [His unmerited favor and mercy], so that the promise will be [legally] guaranteed to all the descendants [of Abraham]—not only for those [Jewish believers] who keep the Law, but also for those [Gentile believers] who share the faith of Abraham, who is the [spiritual] father of us all—
• Hebrews 12:9Moreover, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us, and we submitted and respected them [for training us]; shall we not much more willingly submit to the Father of spirits, and live [by learning from His discipline]?

Commentaries on Romans 4:1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Jew. What shall we then say that Abraham, our father as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? - The , pertaining to the flesh, must here refer to the sign in Abraham's flesh, viz. his circumcision; on which the Jew would found his right to peculiar blessings. That this is the meaning of , according to the flesh, Dr. Taylor has proved by a collation of several parallel scriptures, which it is not necessary to produce here. We may, therefore, suppose the Jew…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1What shall we say then? - See Romans 3:1. This is rather the objection of a Jew. “How does your doctrine of justification by faith agree with what the Scriptures say of Abraham? Was the Law set aside in his case? Did he derive no advantage in justification from the rite of circumcision, and from the covenant which God made with him?” The object of the apostle now is to answer this inquiry. That Abraham our father - Our ancestor; the father and founder of…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1Chapter Outline The doctrine of justification by faith is shown by the case of Abraham. (1-12) He received the promise through the righteousness of faith. (13-22) And we are justified in the same way of believing. (23-25) Verses 1-12 To meet the views of the Jews, the apostle first refers to the example of Abraham, in whom the Jews gloried as their most renowned forefather. However exalted in various respects, he had nothing to boast in the presence of…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1Jews in Paul’s time honored Abraham as the founder of Israel. Some Jewish writings even claim that Abraham never sinned (Prayer of Manasseh 8; Jubilees 23:10). Other writings stress his obedience and connect his relationship with God to keeping the law of Moses (1 Maccabees 2:52; Sirach 44:19–20). Paul argues differently. He shows that Abraham’s faith, not his obedience to the law, is what put him in a right relationship with God. Because Abraham is the…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-25First: Abraham was justified by faith. 1-3. What shall we say then that Abraham, our father as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?--that is, (as the order in the original shows), "hath found, as pertaining to ('according to,' or 'through') the flesh"; meaning, "by all his natural efforts or legal obedience."Read the comment

Topics related to Romans 4:1

• Abraham
• Bigotry
• Catholicity
• Faith
• Salvation
• Works

In the dictionaries

• Abraham
• Abraham, Abram
• Flesh
• Impute
• Quicken
• Raise
• Reckon
• Stagger
• Unbelief
• Void

Commentaries on Romans 4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings