Romans 4:10

Romans 4:10 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.
• English Standard Version (ESV)How then was it counted to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised.
• New King James Version (NKJV)How then was it accounted? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised.
• New Living Translation (NLT)But how did this happen? Was he counted as righteous only after he was circumcised, or was it before he was circumcised? Clearly, God accepted Abraham before he was circumcised!

Context of Romans 4:10

8Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord will never count against them.” 9Is 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. Under what circumstances was it credited? Was it after he was circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before! 11And he received circumcision as a sign, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. So then, he is the father of all who believe but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them. 12And he is then also the father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised but who also follow in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.

Romans 4:10 word by word

πῶς οὖν ἐλογίσθη; ἐν περιτομῇ ὄντι ἢ ἐν ἀκροβυστίᾳ; οὐκ ἐν περιτομῇ ἀλλ᾽ ἐν ἀκροβυστίᾳ·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Howπῶςpōs · how?!G4459
• was itλογίζομαιlogizomai · to countG3049
• thenοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• when he wasεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• circumcisionπεριτομήperitomē · circumcisionG4061
• orἤē · orG2228
• uncircumcisionἀκροβυστίαakrobustia · uncircumcisionG203
• Notοὐou · noG3756
• butἀλλάalla · butG235

Cross-references for Romans 4:10

• Genesis 15:5He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”
• Genesis 16:1Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian slave named Hagar;
• Genesis 17:1When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless.
• 1 Corinthians 7:18Was a man already circumcised when he was called? He should not become uncircumcised. Was a man uncircumcised when he was called? He should not be circumcised.
• Galatians 5:6For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.
• Galatians 6:15Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is the new creation.

Commentaries on Romans 4:10

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 10How was it then reckoned? - In what circumstances was Abraham when this blessing was bestowed upon him? When he was circumcised, or before? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision - Faith was reckoned to Abraham for justification, as we read Genesis 15:6, (see the note on Genesis 15:6;); but circumcision was not instituted till about fourteen or fifteen years after, Genesis 17:1, etc.; for faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness or…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 10How - In what circumstances, or time. When he was in circumcision … - Before or after he was circumcised? This was the very point of the inquiry. For if he was justified by faith after he was circumcised, the Jew might pretend that it was in virtue of his circumcision; that even his faith was acceptable, because he was circumcised. But if it was before he was circumcised, this plea could not be set up; and the argument of the apostle was confirmed by the…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 10God accepted Abraham before circumcision. Paul’s point is simple: God "credited" Abraham as righteous in Genesis 15:6 before his circumcision, which happened later (Genesis 17). This shows that God’s acceptance and blessing are free gifts, not earned by works of the law.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 4:10

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

In the dictionaries

• Flesh
• Impute
• Quicken
• Raise
• Reckon
• Stagger
• Unbelief
• Void
• Bible, the
• Galatians, Epistle to the

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