Romans 4:3

Romans 4:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
• New International Version (NIV)What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness."
• New King James Version (NKJV)For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”

Context of Romans 4:3

1What shall we say then that Abraham our father according to flesh has found? 2For if Abraham has been justified on the principle of works, he has whereof to boast: but not before God; for what does the scripture say? And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. 4Now to him that works the reward is not reckoned as of grace, but of debt: 5but to him who does not work, but believes on him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness.

Romans 4:3 word by word

τί γὰρ ἡ γραφὴ λέγει; ἐπίστευσεν δὲ Ἀβραὰμ τῷ θεῷ, καὶ ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ εἰς δικαιοσύνην.Read the interlinear

• scriptureγραφήgraphē · a writingG1124
• sayλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• AbrahamἈβραάμAbraam · AbrahamG11
• believedπιστεύωpisteuō · to trust (in)G4100
• Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• reckonedλογίζομαιlogizomai · to countG3049
• righteousnessδικαιοσύνηdikaiosunē · righteousnessG1343

Cross-references for Romans 4:3

• Romans 9:17For the scripture says to Pharaoh, For this very thing I have raised thee up from amongst [men], that I might thus shew in thee my power, and so that my name should be declared in all the earth.
• Romans 10:11For the scripture says, No one believing on him shall be ashamed.
• Romans 11:2God has not cast away his people whom he foreknew. Know ye not what the scripture says in [the history of] Elias, how he pleads with God against Israel?
• Isaiah 8:20To the law and the testimony! If they speak not according to this word, for them there is no daybreak.
• Mark 12:10Have ye not even read this scripture, The stone which they that builded rejected, this has become the corner-stone:
• James 4:5Think ye that the scripture speaks in vain? Does the Spirit which has taken his abode in us desire enviously?
• 2 Peter 1:20knowing this first, that [the scope of] no prophecy of scripture is had from its own particular interpretation,
• Genesis 15:6And he believed Jehovah; and he reckoned it to him [as] righteousness.
• Galatians 3:6Even as Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.
• James 2:23And the scripture was fulfilled which says, Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness, and he was called Friend of God.
• Romans 4:5but to him who does not work, but believes on him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness.
• Psalms 106:31And that was reckoned unto him for righteousness, from generation to generation, for evermore.

Commentaries on Romans 4:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3For, what saith the Scripture? - The Scriptural account of this transaction, Genesis 15:6, is decisive; for there it is said, Abraham believed God, and it was counted, , it was reckoned to him for righteousness, , for justification.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3For what saith the Scripture? - The inspired account of Abraham‘s justification. This account was final, and was to settle the question. This account is found in Genesis 15:6. Abraham believed God - In the Hebrew, “Abraham believed Yahweh.” The sense is substantially the same, as the argument turns on the act of believing. The faith which Abraham exercised was, that his posterity should be like the stars of heaven in number. This promise was made to him…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3Paul quotes Genesis 15:6. In response to God’s promise that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the sky, Abraham trusted God. It was faith that established Abraham’s relationship with God. This relationship did not come from works, circumcision, the law, or the number of his descendants (Romans 4:3–21).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 4:3

• Abraham
• Bigotry
• Catholicity
• Faith
• Justification
• Quotations and Allusions
• Righteousness
• Salvation
• Works

In the dictionaries

• Abraham
• God
• Abraham, Abram
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Flesh
• Impute
• Quicken
• Raise
• Reckon
• Stagger

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