Romans 4:5

Romans 4:5 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
• New International Version (NIV)However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness,
• New King James Version (NKJV)But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness,

Context of Romans 4:5

3Remember what the Bible tells us. It says: ‘Abraham believed God. As a result, God accepted Abraham as right with him.’ 4When a person works to get money, it is right for him to receive his money. That money is not a gift. It is what that person ought to receive as a result of his work. But someone may believe in God. He does not work to cause God to accept him. God accepts that person because of their faith. God says that people who have turned away from him are right with him, if they trust him. That is God's gift to them. 6David also wrote about the same thing. He describes those people that God has accepted as right with himself. God has not accepted them because they have done good things, but as his gift to them. David tells us how happy people like that are. 7David says: ‘The people that God has forgiven are really happy. They have done wrong things, but he has forgiven them.

Romans 4:5 word by word

τῷ δὲ μὴ ἐργαζομένῳ, πιστεύοντι δὲ ἐπὶ τὸν δικαιοῦντα τὸν ἀσεβῆ, λογίζεται ἡ πίστις αὐτοῦ εἰς δικαιοσύνην.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Butδέde · thenG1161
• to him that workethἐργάζομαιergazomai · to workG2038
• notμήmē · notG3361
• believethπιστεύωpisteuō · to trust (in)G4100
• onἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
• him that justifiethδικαιόωdikaioō · to justifyG1344
• the ungodlyἀσεβήςasebēs · ungodlyG765
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• faithπίστιςpistis · faithG4102
• is countedλογίζομαιlogizomai · to countG3049
• forεἰςeis · towardG1519
• righteousnessδικαιοσύνηdikaiosunē · righteousnessG1343

Cross-references for Romans 4:5

• Romans 4:24They are written in the Bible to help us too. If we believe in God, he will accept us as right with him. God raised our Lord Jesus, so that he became alive again after his death.
• Romans 3:22God accepts people as right with himself because Jesus Christ did what God wanted. God accepts every person who believes in Christ. It is the same way for everyone, whether they are Jews or Gentiles.
• Romans 5:1So we see that God has accepted us as right because we believe in him. As a result, we are friends with God, because of what our Lord Jesus Christ has done for us.
• Romans 10:3They have not understood the way that God accepts people. Instead, they tried to make their own way to become right with God. They refused to accept God's way that would make them right with him.
• Acts 13:38My friends, I want all of you to know this. God forgives us for the bad things that we have done. He does this because of what Jesus did. That is my message to you.
• Galatians 2:16But we know that we do not become right with God because we obey his Law. A person only becomes right with God when they believe in Jesus Christ. And we, as Jewish believers, have believed in Christ Jesus. We have become right with God because we trust in what Christ has done. It is not because we obey God's Law that he accepts us. Nobody becomes right with God only because they obey the rules in God's Law.
• Galatians 3:9So then, God did not bless only Abraham when he trusted God. God also blesses all people who trust him like Abraham did.
• Philippians 3:9I want to be united with him. Because I believe in Christ, God accepts me as right with him. I know that I cannot become right in any other way, even if I obey all of God's Law. When I trust in Christ, God accepts me as right because of my faith.
• Romans 3:26He did this to show us today that he is completely right and fair. He accepts people as right with himself if they believe in Jesus.
• Romans 8:30God had already chosen those people to be his children. Because of that, he called them to come to him. He accepted those people as right with himself. And those that he accepted, he also caused them to become great.
• John 5:24I tell you this: Everyone who hears my message should believe in the Father who sent me. If they believe in me, they will have life for ever with God. God will not say that they are guilty. They are no longer under the power of death. Instead, they have life with God.
• Galatians 3:8The Bible already said what would happen at a future time. It said that God would make the Gentiles right with himself, if they believed in him. God showed this good news to Abraham a long time before it happened. He said to Abraham, ‘I will bless people from all countries because of you.’
• Romans 1:17The good news explains how God accepts people as right with himself. He does this when they believe in Christ. It is only because of their faith. Nothing else. This is what was written in the Bible long ago: ‘Everyone that God accepts as right will live, because they trust him.’
• Romans 5:6At one time we were weak and we could not help ourselves. Then, at the right time, Christ died to save us. He died on behalf of people who have turned away from God.
• Joshua 24:2Joshua said to the people, ‘This is what the Lord, Israel's God, says: “A long time ago, your ancestors lived on the other side of the Euphrates river. They included Terah who was the father of Abraham and Nahor. They worshipped other gods.
• Zechariah 3:3Joshua was wearing very dirty clothes and he stood in front of the angel.

Commentaries on Romans 4:5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5But to him that worketh not - Which was the case with Abraham, for he was called when he was ungodly, i.e. an idolater; and, on his believing, was freely justified: and, as all men have sinned, none can be justified by works; and, therefore, justification, if it take place at all, must take place in behalf of the ungodly, forasmuch as all mankind are such. Now, as Abraham's state and mode in which he was justified, are the plan and rule according to which…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5But to him that worketh not - Who does not rely on his conformity to the Law for his justification; who does not depend on his works; who seeks to be justified in some other way. The reference here is to the Christian plan of justification. But believeth - Note, Romans 3:26. On him - On God. Thus, the connection requires; for the discussion has immediate reference to Abraham, whose faith was in the promise of God. That justifieth the ungodly - This is a…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4-5The logic of these verses is as follows: When people work, their pay is what they earn, not a gift. The idea not stated is that God never owes his creatures anything. They owe him everything. So, anything he gives is a gift (see also 9:14–16). The conclusion is that God does not place people in a right relationship with him because of their works.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 4-54-5. Now to him that worketh--as a servant for wages. is the reward not reckoned of grace--as a matter of favor. but of debt--as a matter of right.Read the comment

Topics related to Romans 4:5

• Abraham
• Bigotry
• Catholicity
• Faith
• Grace of God
• Justification
• Righteousness
• 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