Romans 4

Justification by Faith Evidenced in Old Testament

1What then shall we say that Abraham, 1our forefather 2according to the flesh, has found? 2For if Abraham was justified 3by works, he has something to boast about, but 4not 5before God. 3For what does the Scripture say? “6Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” 4Now to the one who 7works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due. 5But to the one who does not work, but 8believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness, 6just as David also speaks of the blessing on the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:7“9Blessed are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven, And whose sins have been covered.810Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not 11take into account.”

9Is this blessing then on 1213the circumcised, or on 14the uncircumcised also? For 15we say, “16Faith was credited to Abraham as righteousness.” 10How then was it credited? While he was 17circumcised, or 18uncircumcised? Not while 19circumcised, but while 20uncircumcised; 11and he 21received the sign of circumcision, 22a seal of the righteousness of the faith which 23he had while uncircumcised, so that he might be 24the father of 25all who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be credited to them, 12and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also follow in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham which 26he had while uncircumcised.

13For 27the promise to Abraham or to his 28descendants 29that he would be heir of the world was not 30through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith. 14For 31if those who are 32of the Law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise is nullified; 15for 33the Law brings about wrath, but 34where there is no law, there also is no violation.

16For this reason it is 35by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with 36grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to 37all the 38descendants, not only to 39those who are of the Law, but also to 4041those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is 42the father of us all, 17(as it is written, “43A father of many nations have I made you”) in the presence of Him whom he believed, even God, 44who gives life to the dead and 4546calls into being 47that which does not exist. 18In hope against hope he believed, so that he might become 48a father of many nations according to that which had been spoken, “49So shall your 50descendants be.” 19Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now 51as good as dead since 52he was about a hundred years old, and 53the deadness of Sarah’s womb; 20yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, 54giving glory to God, 21and 55being fully assured that 56what God had promised, He was able also to perform. 22Therefore 57it was also credited to him as righteousness. 23Now 58not for his sake only was it written that it was credited to him, 24but for our sake also, to whom it will be credited, as those 59who believe in Him who 60raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25He who was 61delivered over because of our transgressions, and was 62raised because of our justification.