Romans 4:18

Romans 4:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Who 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.
• New International Version (NIV)Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, "So shall your offspring be."
• New King James Version (NKJV)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.”

Context of Romans 4:18

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— 17(as it is written [in Scripture], “I have made you a father of many nations”) in the sight of Him in whom he believed, that is, God who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist. In hope against hope Abraham believed that he would become a father of many nations, as he had been promised [by God]: “So [numberless] shall your descendants be.” 19Without becoming weak in faith he considered his own body, now as good as dead [for producing children] since he was about a hundred years old, and [he considered] the deadness of Sarah’s womb. 20But he did not doubt or waver in unbelief concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong and empowered by faith, giving glory to God,

Romans 4:18 word by word

ὃς παρ᾽ ἐλπίδα ἐπ᾽ ἐλπίδι ἐπίστευσεν εἰς τὸ γενέσθαι αὐτὸν πατέρα πολλῶν ἐθνῶν κατὰ τὸ εἰρημένον· οὕτως ἔσται τὸ σπέρμα σου·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Whoὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• againstπαράpara · from/with/besideG3844
• hopeἐλπίςelpis · hopeG1680
• believedπιστεύωpisteuō · to trust (in)G4100
• inἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
• thatεἰςeis · towardG1519
• heαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• might becomeγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
• the fatherπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962
• of manyπολύςpolus polos · muchG4183
• nationsἔθνοςethnos · GentilesG1484
• according toκατάkata · according toG2596
• that which was spokenἐρῶereō · to sayG2046
• Soοὕτωςhoutō · thus(-ly)G3779
• shallεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• thyσύsu · youG4771
• seedσπέρμαsperma · seed: offspringG4690

Cross-references for Romans 4:18

• Romans 4:19Without becoming weak in faith he considered his own body, now as good as dead [for producing children] since he was about a hundred years old, and [he considered] the deadness of Sarah’s womb.
• Romans 5:5Such hope [in God’s promises] never disappoints us, because God’s love has been abundantly poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
• Romans 8:24For in this hope we were saved [by faith]. But hope [the object of] which is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he already sees?
• Ruth 1:11But Naomi said, “Go back, my daughters, why should you go with me? Do I still have sons in my womb that may become your husbands?
• Proverbs 13:12Hope deferred makes the heart sick, But when desire is fulfilled, it is a tree of life.
• Ezekiel 37:11Then He said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is lost. We are completely cut off.’
• Mark 5:35While He was still speaking, some people came from the synagogue official’s house, saying [to Jairus], “Your daughter has died; why bother the Teacher any longer?”
• Luke 1:18And Zacharias said to the angel, “How will I be certain of this? For I am an old man and my wife is advanced in age.”
• Acts 27:25So keep up your courage, men, for I believe God and have complete confidence in Him that it will turn out exactly as I have been told;
• Genesis 15:5And the Lord brought Abram outside [his tent into the night] and said, “Look now toward the heavens and count the stars—if you are able to count them.” Then He said to him, “So [numerous] shall your descendants be.”

Commentaries on Romans 4:18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18Who against hope believed in hope - The faith of Abraham bore an exact correspondence to the power and never-failing faithfulness of God; for though, in the ordinary course of things, he had not the best foundation of hope, yet he believed that he should be the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken; namely, that his posterity should be like the stars of heaven for multitude, and like the dust of the earth.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18Who against hope - Who against all apparent or usual ground of hope. He refers here to the prospect of a posterity; see Romans 4:19-21. Believed in hope - Believed in what was promised to excite his hope. Hope here is put for the object of his hope - what was promised. According to what was spoken - Genesis 15:5. So shall thy seed be - That is, as the stars in heaven for multitude. Thy posterity shall be very numerous.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 13-22Verses 13-22 The promise was made to Abraham long before the law. It points at Christ, and it refers to the promise, Ge 12:3. In Thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. The law worketh wrath, by showing that every transgressor is exposed to the Divine displeasure. As God intended to give men a title to the promised blessings, so he appointed it to be by faith, that it might be wholly of grace, to make it sure to all who were of the like precious…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 18-2218-22. Who against hope--when no ground for hope appeared. believed in hope--that is, cherished the believing expectation. that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be--that is, Such "as the stars of heaven," Ge 15:5.Read the comment

Topics related to Romans 4:18

• Abraham
• Catholicity
• Faith
• Hope
• Justification
• Quotations and Allusions
• Resurrection
• Salvation
• Works

In the dictionaries

• Flesh
• Impute
• Quicken
• Raise
• Reckon
• Stagger
• Unbelief
• Void
• Bible, the
• Galatians, Epistle to the

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