Romans 4:1

Romans 4:1 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?
• English Standard Version (ESV)What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh?
• New King James Version (NKJV)What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh?
• New Living Translation (NLT)Abraham was, humanly speaking, the founder of our Jewish nation. What did he discover about being made right with God?

Context of Romans 4:1

What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, discovered in this matter? 2If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God. 3What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”

Romans 4:1 word by word

Τί οὖν ἐροῦμεν εὑρηκέναι Ἀβραὰμ τὸν προπάτορα ἡμῶν κατὰ σάρκα;Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Whatτίςtis · which?G5101
• shall we sayἐρῶereō · to sayG2046
• thenοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• AbrahamἈβραάμAbraam · AbrahamG11
• ourἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• fatherὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• fatherπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962
• as pertaining toκατάkata · according toG2596
• the fleshσάρξsarx · fleshG4561
• hath foundεὑρίσκωheuriskō · to find/meetG2147

Cross-references for Romans 4:1

• Romans 6:1What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?
• Romans 7:7What shall we say, then? Is the law sinful? Certainly not! Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.”
• Romans 8:31What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
• Isaiah 51:2look to Abraham, your father, and to Sarah, who gave you birth. When I called him he was only one man, and I blessed him and made him many.
• Matthew 3:9And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.
• Luke 3:8Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.
• Luke 16:24So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’
• John 8:33They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?”
• Acts 13:26“Fellow children of Abraham and you God-fearing Gentiles, it is to us that this message of salvation has been sent.
• 2 Corinthians 11:22Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham’s descendants? So am I.
• Romans 4:16Therefore, 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.
• Hebrews 12:9Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live!

Commentaries on Romans 4:1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Jew. What shall we then say that Abraham, our father as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? - The , pertaining to the flesh, must here refer to the sign in Abraham's flesh, viz. his circumcision; on which the Jew would found his right to peculiar blessings. That this is the meaning of , according to the flesh, Dr. Taylor has proved by a collation of several parallel scriptures, which it is not necessary to produce here. We may, therefore, suppose the Jew…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1What shall we say then? - See Romans 3:1. This is rather the objection of a Jew. “How does your doctrine of justification by faith agree with what the Scriptures say of Abraham? Was the Law set aside in his case? Did he derive no advantage in justification from the rite of circumcision, and from the covenant which God made with him?” The object of the apostle now is to answer this inquiry. That Abraham our father - Our ancestor; the father and founder of…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1Chapter Outline The doctrine of justification by faith is shown by the case of Abraham. (1-12) He received the promise through the righteousness of faith. (13-22) And we are justified in the same way of believing. (23-25) Verses 1-12 To meet the views of the Jews, the apostle first refers to the example of Abraham, in whom the Jews gloried as their most renowned forefather. However exalted in various respects, he had nothing to boast in the presence of…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1Jews in Paul’s time honored Abraham as the founder of Israel. Some Jewish writings even claim that Abraham never sinned (Prayer of Manasseh 8; Jubilees 23:10). Other writings stress his obedience and connect his relationship with God to keeping the law of Moses (1 Maccabees 2:52; Sirach 44:19–20). Paul argues differently. He shows that Abraham’s faith, not his obedience to the law, is what put him in a right relationship with God. Because Abraham is the…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-25First: Abraham was justified by faith. 1-3. What shall we say then that Abraham, our father as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?--that is, (as the order in the original shows), "hath found, as pertaining to ('according to,' or 'through') the flesh"; meaning, "by all his natural efforts or legal obedience."Read the comment

Topics related to Romans 4:1

• Abraham
• Bigotry
• Catholicity
• Faith
• 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