English Standard Version
Romans 4:16
16That 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,
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.
- 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
- New Living Translation (NLT)So the promise is received by faith. It is given as a free gift. And we are all certain to receive it, whether or not we live according to the law of Moses, if we have faith like Abraham’s. For Abraham is the father of all who believe.
Context of Romans 4:16
14For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. 15For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression. 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, 17as it is written, "I have made you the father of many nations"—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. 18In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, 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
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Thereforeδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
- ·οὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
- ofἐκek ex · out fromG1537
- faithπίστιςpistis · faithG4102
- thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
- byκατάkata · according toG2596
- graceχάριςcharis · graceG5485
- to the endεἰςeis · towardG1519
- the promiseἐπαγγελίαepaggelia · promiseG1860
- might beεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- sureβέβαιοςbebaios · firmG949
- to allπᾶςpas · allG3956
- the seedσπέρμαsperma · seed: offspringG4690
- notοὐou · noG3756
- onlyμόνονmonon · onlyG3440
- the lawνόμοςnomos · lawG3551
- butἀλλάalla · butG235
- alsoκαίkai · andG2532
- of AbrahamἈβραάμAbraam · AbrahamG11
- whoὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- the fatherπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962
- of usἐγώegō · I/weG1473
Cross-references for Romans 4:16
- Romans 3:24and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
- Romans 5:1Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
- Galatians 3:7Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham.
- Ephesians 2:5even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—
- Hebrews 6:13For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself,
- 2 Peter 1:10Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.
- Romans 4:11He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised, so that righteousness would be counted to them as well,
- Romans 9:8This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring.
- Isaiah 51:2Look to Abraham your father and to Sarah who bore you; for he was but one when I called him, that I might bless him and multiply 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
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