Romans 4:13

Romans 4:13 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith.
• New King James Version (NKJV)For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
• New Living Translation (NLT)Clearly, God’s promise to give the whole earth to Abraham and his descendants was based not on his obedience to God’s law, but on a right relationship with God that comes by faith.

Context of Romans 4:13

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. It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. 14For if those who depend on the law are heirs, faith means nothing and the promise is worthless, 15because the law brings wrath. And where there is no law there is no transgression.

Romans 4:13 word by word

οὐ γὰρ διὰ νόμου ἡ ἐπαγγελία τῷ Ἀβραὰμ ἢ τῷ σπέρματι αὐτοῦ τὸ κληρονόμον αὐτὸν εἶναι κόσμου ἀλλὰ διὰ δικαιοσύνης πίστεως.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• the promiseἐπαγγελίαepaggelia · promiseG1860
• that heαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• should beεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• the heirκληρονόμοςklēronomos · heirG2818
• of the worldκόσμοςkosmos · worldG2889
• notοὐou · noG3756
• to AbrahamἈβραάμAbraam · AbrahamG11
• orἤē · orG2228
• toσπέρμαsperma · seed: offspringG4690
• throughδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
• the lawνόμοςnomos · lawG3551
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• the righteousnessδικαιοσύνηdikaiosunē · righteousnessG1343
• of faithπίστιςpistis · faithG4102

Cross-references for Romans 4:13

• Genesis 12:3I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
• Genesis 17:4“As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations.
• Genesis 22:17I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies,
• Genesis 28:14Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.
• Genesis 49:10The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he to whom it belongs shall come and the obedience of the nations shall be his.
• Psalms 2:8Ask me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.
• Psalms 72:11May all kings bow down to him and all nations serve him.
• Galatians 3:16The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,” meaning one person, who is Christ.
• Romans 4:11And 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.

Commentaries on Romans 4:13

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 13For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world - This promise intimated that he should be the medium through whom the mercy of God should be communicated to the world, to both Jews and Gentiles; and the manner in which he was justified, be the rule and manner according to which all men should expect this blessing. Abraham is here represented as having all the world given to him as his inheritance; because in him all nations of the earth are…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 13For the promise … - To show that the faith of Abraham, on which his justification depended, was not by the Law, the apostle proceeds to show that the promise concerning which his faith was so remarkably evinced was before the Law was given. If this was so, then it was an additional important consideration in opposition to the Jew, showing that acceptance with God depended on faith, and not on works. That he should be heir of the world - An heir is one who…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. 13of the world: God told Abraham that he would be the father of many nations (4:17; Genesis 12:2; 13:16; 15:5; 17:4–6, 16–20; 22:17). God also said Abraham would bring blessings to all people (Genesis 12:3; 18:18; 22:18; compare Isaiah 55:3–5).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 13-1513-15. For the promise, &c.--This is merely an enlargement of the foregoing reasoning, applying to the law what had just been said of circumcision. that he should be the heir of the world--or, that "all the families of the earth should be blessed in him." was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law--in virtue of obedience to the law. but through the righteousness of faith--in virtue of his simple faith in the divine promises.Read the comment

Topics related to Romans 4:13

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

In the dictionaries

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

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