Berean Standard Bible
Romans 4:16
16Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may rest on grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all.
Romans 4:16 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Therefore 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,
- New International Version (NIV)Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all.
- English Standard Version (ESV)That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all,
- New King James Version (NKJV)Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all
Context of Romans 4:16
14For if those who live by the law are heirs, faith is useless and the promise is worthless, 15because the law brings wrath. And where there is no law, there is no transgression. Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may rest on grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. 17As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the presence of God, in whom he believed, the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being what does not yet exist. 18Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.”
Read all of Romans 4Romans 4:16 word by word
διὰ τοῦτο ἐκ πίστεως, ἵνα κατὰ χάριν, εἰς τὸ εἶναι βεβαίαν τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν παντὶ τῷ σπέρματι, οὐ τῷ ἐκ τοῦ νόμου μόνον ἀλλὰ καὶ τῷ ἐκ πίστεως Ἀβραάμ, ὅς ἐστιν πατὴρ πάντων ἡμῶνRead the interlinear
- Thereforeδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
- ·οὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
- byἐκek ex · out fromG1537
- faithπίστιςpistis · faithG4102
- so thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
- so thatεἰςeis · towardG1519
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- ·ἐπαγγελίαepaggelia · promiseG1860
- may rest onκατάkata · according toG2596
- graceχάριςcharis · graceG5485
- may beεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- guaranteedβέβαιοςbebaios · firmG949
- to allπᾶςpas · allG3956
- offspringσπέρμαsperma · seed: offspringG4690
- notοὐou · noG3756
- onlyμόνονmonon · onlyG3440
- lawνόμοςnomos · lawG3551
- butἀλλάalla · butG235
- alsoκαίkai · andG2532
- of AbrahamἈβραάμAbraam · AbrahamG11
- ·ὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- fatherπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962
- of usἐγώegō · I/weG1473
Cross-references for Romans 4:16
- Romans 3:24and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
- Romans 5:1Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
- Galatians 3:7Understand, then, that those who have faith are sons of Abraham.
- Ephesians 2:5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in our trespasses. It is by grace you have been saved!
- Hebrews 6:13When God made His promise to Abraham, since He had no one greater to swear by, He swore by Himself,
- 2 Peter 1:10Therefore, brothers, strive to make your calling and election sure. For if you practice these things you will never stumble,
- Romans 4:11And he received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. So then, he is the father of all who believe but are not circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them.
- Romans 9:8So it is not the children of the flesh who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as offspring.
- Isaiah 51:2Look to Abraham your father, and to Sarah who gave you birth. When I called him, he was but one; then I blessed him and multiplied him.
Commentaries on Romans 4:16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace - On this account the promise is mercifully grounded, not on obedience to a law, but on the infinite goodness of God: and thus the promise is sure to all the seed - to all, both Jews and Gentiles, who, believing in Christ Jesus, have a right to all the blessings contained in the Abrahamic covenant. All the seed necessarily comprehends all mankind. Of the Gentiles there can be no doubt, for the promise…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16Therefore - In view of the course of reasoning which has been pursued. We have come to this conclusion. It is of faith - Justification is by faith; or the plan which God has devised of saving people is by faith, Romans 3:26. That it might be by grace - As a matter of mere undeserved mercy. If people were justified by law, it would be by their own merits; now it is of mere unmerited favor. To the end - For the purpose, or design. The promise - Romans…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. 16not only to those who are of the law: The Jews were of the law in that their covenant with God included the law of Moses and they were to live according to it.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 16-1716-17. Therefore, &c.--A general summary: "Thus justification is by faith, in order that its purely gracious character may be seen, and that all who follow in the steps of Abraham's faith--whether of his natural seed or no--may be assured of the like justification with the parent believer."Read the comment
Topics related to Romans 4:16
In the dictionaries
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
Berean Standard Bible — © Berean Bible — CC0 / Public Domain
Commentaries