God’s Word Translation
Romans 4:16
16Therefore, the promise is based on faith so that it can be a gift. Consequently, the promise is guaranteed for every descendant, not only for those who are descendants by obeying Moses’ Teachings but also for those who are descendants by believing as Abraham did. He is the father of all of us,
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
14If those who obey Moses’ Teachings are the heirs, then faith is useless and the promise is worthless. 15The laws in Moses’ Teachings bring about anger. But where those laws don’t exist, they can’t be broken. Therefore, the promise is based on faith so that it can be a gift. Consequently, the promise is guaranteed for every descendant, not only for those who are descendants by obeying Moses’ Teachings but also for those who are descendants by believing as Abraham did. He is the father of all of us, 17as Scripture says: “I have made you a father of many nations.” Abraham believed when he stood in the presence of the God who gives life to dead people and calls into existence things that don’t even exist. 18When there was nothing left to hope for, Abraham still hoped and believed. As a result, he became a father of many nations, as he had been told: “That is how many descendants you will have.”
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 3:24They receive God’s approval freely by an act of his kindness through the price Christ Jesus paid to set us free ⌞from sin⌟.
- Romans 5:1Now that we have God’s approval by faith, we have peace with God because of what our Lord Jesus Christ has done.
- Galatians 3:7You must understand that people who have faith are Abraham’s descendants.
- Ephesians 2:5We were dead because of our failures, but he made us alive together with Christ. (It is God’s kindness that saved you.)
- Hebrews 6:13God made a promise to Abraham. Since he had no one greater on whom to base his oath, he based it on himself.
- 2 Peter 1:10Therefore, brothers and sisters, use more effort to make God’s calling and choosing of you secure. If you keep doing this, you will never fall away.
- Romans 4:11Abraham’s faith was the basis of his approval by God while he was still uncircumcised. The mark of circumcision is the seal of that approval. Therefore, he is the father of every believer who is not circumcised, and their faith, too, is regarded as the basis of their approval by God.
- Romans 9:8This means that children born by natural descent ⌞from Abraham⌟ are not necessarily God’s children. Instead, children born by the promise are considered Abraham’s descendants.
- Isaiah 51:2Look to Abraham, your ancestor, and to Sarah, from whom you are descended. When I called Abraham, he was childless. I blessed him and gave him many descendants.
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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