Romans 4:9

Romans 4:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.
• New International Version (NIV)Is this blessedness only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? We have been saying that Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Is this blessing then only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? For we say that faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Does this blessedness then come upon the circumcised only, or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness.

Context of Romans 4:9

7“Blessed are those whose disobedience is forgiven and whose sins are pardoned. 8Blessed is the person whom the Lord no longer considers sinful.” Are only the circumcised people blessed, or are uncircumcised people blessed as well? We say, “Abraham’s faith was regarded as the basis of God’s approval.” 10How was his faith regarded as the basis of God’s approval? Was he circumcised or was he uncircumcised at that time? He had not been circumcised. 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 4:9 word by word

Ὁ μακαρισμὸς οὖν οὗτος ἐπὶ τὴν περιτομὴν ἢ καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν ἀκροβυστίαν; λέγομεν γάρ ἐλογίσθη τῷ Ἀβραὰμ ἡ πίστις εἰς δικαιοσύνην.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• blessednessμακαρισμόςmakarismos · blessednessG3108
• thenοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• uponἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
• the circumcisionπεριτομήperitomē · circumcisionG4061
• orἤē · orG2228
• the uncircumcisionἀκροβυστίαakrobustia · uncircumcisionG203
• alsoκαίkai · andG2532
• forγάρgar · forG1063
• we sayλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• faithπίστιςpistis · faithG4102
• was reckonedλογίζομαιlogizomai · to countG3049
• to AbrahamἈβραάμAbraam · AbrahamG11
• forεἰςeis · towardG1519
• righteousnessδικαιοσύνηdikaiosunē · righteousnessG1343

Cross-references for Romans 4:9

• Romans 3:29Is God only the God of the Jews? Isn’t he also the God of people who are not Jewish? Certainly, he is,
• Romans 9:23Can’t God also reveal the riches of his glory to people who are objects of his mercy and who he had already prepared for glory?
• Romans 10:12There is no difference between Jews and Greeks. They all have the same Lord, who gives his riches to everyone who calls on him.
• Romans 15:8Let me explain. Christ became a servant for the Jewish people to reveal God’s truth. As a result, he fulfilled God’s promise to the ancestors of the Jewish people.
• Isaiah 49:6Now, the Lord says, “You are not just my servant who restores the tribes of Jacob and brings back those in Israel whom I have preserved. I have also made you a light for the nations so that you would save people all over the world.”
• Luke 2:32He is a light that will reveal ⌞salvation⌟ to the nations and bring glory to your people Israel.”
• Galatians 3:14⌞Christ paid the price⌟ so that the blessing promised to Abraham would come to all the people of the world through Jesus Christ and we would receive the promised Spirit through faith.
• Ephesians 2:11Remember that once you were not Jewish physically. Those who called themselves “the circumcised” because of what they had done to their bodies called you “the uncircumcised.”
• Ephesians 3:8I am the least of all God’s people. Yet, God showed me his kindness by allowing me to spread the Good News of the immeasurable wealth of Christ to people who are not Jewish.
• Colossians 3:11Where this happens, there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, uncivilized person, slave, or free person. Instead, Christ is everything and in everything.
• Romans 4:3What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and that faith was regarded as the basis of Abraham’s approval by God.”

Commentaries on Romans 4:9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9Cometh this blessedness - upon the circumcision only - The word , only, is very properly supplied by our translators, and indeed is found in some excellent MSS., and is here quite necessary to complete the sense. The apostle's question is very nervous. If this pardon, granted in this way, be essential to happiness - and David says it is so - then is it the privilege of the Jews exclusively? This cannot be; for, as it is by the mere mercy of God, through…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9Cometh … - The apostle has now prepared the way for an examination of the inquiry whether this came in consequence of obedience to the Law? or whether it was without obedience to the Law? Having shown that Abraham was justified by faith in accordance with the doctrine which he was defending, the only remaining inquiry was whether it was after he was circumcised or before; whether in consequence of his circumcision or not. If it was after his circumcision…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 9-129-12. Cometh this blessedness then, &c.--that is, "Say not, All this is spoken of the circumcised, and is therefore no evidence of God's general way of justifying men; for Abraham's justification took place long before he was circumcised, and so could have no dependence upon that rite: nay, 'the sign of circumcision' was given to Abraham as 'a seal' (or token) of the (justifying) righteousness which he had before he was circumcised; in order that he might…Read the comment

Topics related to Romans 4:9

• Abraham
• Bigotry
• Catholicity
• Circumcision
• Faith
• Justification
• Righteousness
• Salvation
• Works

In the dictionaries

• Abraham
• Abraham, Abram
• Flesh
• Impute
• Quicken
• Raise
• Reckon
• Stagger
• Unbelief
• Void

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