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.
• New International Version (NIV)Under what circumstances was it credited? Was it after he was circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before!
• 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 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 man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin.” 9Does this blessedness then come upon the circumcised only, or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness. How then was it accounted? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised. 11And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also, 12and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of the faith which our father Abraham had while still uncircumcised.

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 15:5Then He brought him outside and said, “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.”
• Genesis 16:1Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. And she had an Egyptian maidservant whose name was Hagar.
• Genesis 17:1When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless.
• 1 Corinthians 7:18Was anyone called while circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. Was anyone called while uncircumcised? Let him not be circumcised.
• Galatians 5:6For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.
• Galatians 6:15For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a 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