Romans 4:14

Romans 4:14 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:
• New International Version (NIV)For if those who depend on the law are heirs, faith means nothing and the promise is worthless,
• English Standard Version (ESV)For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void.
• New King James Version (NKJV)For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect,

Context of Romans 4:14

12and 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. 13For 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 if they that are of the law are heirs, faith is made void, and the promise is made of none effect: 15for the law worketh wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there transgression. 16For 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

Romans 4:14 word by word

εἰ γὰρ οἱ ἐκ νόμου κληρονόμοι, κεκένωται ἡ πίστις καὶ κατήργηται ἡ ἐπαγγελία·Read the interlinear

• lawνόμοςnomos · lawG3551
• heirsκληρονόμοςklēronomos · heirG2818
• faithπίστιςpistis · faithG4102
• voidκενόωkenoō · to emptyG2758
• promiseἐπαγγελίαepaggelia · promiseG1860

Cross-references for Romans 4:14

• Romans 4:16For 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
• Galatians 2:21I do not make void the grace of God: for if righteousness is through the law, then Christ died for nought.
• Galatians 3:18For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no more of promise: but God hath granted it to Abraham by promise.
• Galatians 5:4Ye are severed from Christ, ye who would be justified by the law; ye are fallen away from grace.
• Philippians 3:9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of mine own, even that which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith:
• Hebrews 7:19(for the law made nothing perfect), and a bringing in thereupon of a better hope, through which we draw nigh unto God.
• Romans 3:31Do we then make the law of none effect through faith? God forbid: nay, we establish the law.
• Numbers 30:12But if her husband made them null and void in the day that he heard them, then whatsoever proceeded out of her lips concerning her vows, or concerning the bond of her soul, shall not stand: her husband hath made them void; and Jehovah will forgive her.
• Psalms 119:126It is time for Jehovah to work; Forthey have made void thy law.
• Isaiah 55:11so shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
• Jeremiah 19:7And I will make void the counsel of Judah and Jerusalem in this place; and I will cause them to fall by the sword before their enemies, and by the hand of them that seek their life: and their dead bodies will I give to be food for the birds of the heavens, and for the beasts of the earth.

Commentaries on Romans 4:14

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 14For, if they which are of the law be heirs - If the Jews only be heirs of the promise made to Abraham, and that on the ground of prior obedience to the law, then faith is made void - is entirely useless; and the promise, which was made to faith, is made of none effect.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 14For if they which are of the law - Who seek for justification and acceptance by the Law. Faith is made void - Faith would have no place in the scheme; and consequently the strong commendations bestowed on the faith of Abraham, would be bestowed without any just cause. If people are justified by the Law, they cannot be by faith, and faith would be useless in this work. And the promise … - A promise looks to the future. Its design and tendency is to excite…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
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 14faith is useless (literally faith has become empty): If works of the law could replace faith, then faith would lose its importance. Trusting in God means recognizing our need and relying completely on God’s mercy, which leads to a life of obedience.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 13-1513-15. For the promise, &c.--This is merely an enlargement of the foregoing reasoning, applying to the law what had just been said of circumcision. that he should be the heir of the world--or, that "all the families of the earth should be blessed in him." was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law--in virtue of obedience to the law. but through the righteousness of faith--in virtue of his simple faith in the divine promises.Read the comment

Topics related to Romans 4:14

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

In the dictionaries

• Flesh
• Impute
• Quicken
• Raise
• Reckon
• Stagger
• Unbelief
• Void
• Bible, the
• Effect; Effectual

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