Romans 4:18

Romans 4:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations; according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.
• New International Version (NIV)Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, "So shall your offspring be."
• New Living Translation (NLT)Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping—believing that he would become the father of many nations. For God had said to him, “That’s how many descendants you will have!”

Context of Romans 4:18

16Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all 17(as it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed—God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did; who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, “So shall your descendants be.” 19And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. 20He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God,

Romans 4:18 word by word

ὃς παρ᾽ ἐλπίδα ἐπ᾽ ἐλπίδι ἐπίστευσεν εἰς τὸ γενέσθαι αὐτὸν πατέρα πολλῶν ἐθνῶν κατὰ τὸ εἰρημένον· οὕτως ἔσται τὸ σπέρμα σου·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Whoὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• againstπαράpara · from/with/besideG3844
• hopeἐλπίςelpis · hopeG1680
• believedπιστεύωpisteuō · to trust (in)G4100
• inἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
• thatεἰςeis · towardG1519
• heαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• might becomeγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
• the fatherπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962
• of manyπολύςpolus polos · muchG4183
• nationsἔθνοςethnos · GentilesG1484
• according toκατάkata · according toG2596
• that which was spokenἐρῶereō · to sayG2046
• Soοὕτωςhoutō · thus(-ly)G3779
• shallεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• thyσύsu · youG4771
• seedσπέρμαsperma · seed: offspringG4690

Cross-references for Romans 4:18

• Romans 4:19And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb.
• Romans 5:5Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
• Romans 8:24For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees?
• Ruth 1:11But Naomi said, “Turn back, my daughters; why will you go with me? Are there still sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?
• Proverbs 13:12Hope deferred makes the heart sick, But when the desire comes, it is a tree of life.
• Ezekiel 37:11Then He said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They indeed say, ‘Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves are cut off!’
• Mark 5:35While He was still speaking, some came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?”
• Luke 1:18And Zacharias said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.”
• Acts 27:25Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me.
• 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.”

Commentaries on Romans 4:18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18Who against hope believed in hope - The faith of Abraham bore an exact correspondence to the power and never-failing faithfulness of God; for though, in the ordinary course of things, he had not the best foundation of hope, yet he believed that he should be the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken; namely, that his posterity should be like the stars of heaven for multitude, and like the dust of the earth.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18Who against hope - Who against all apparent or usual ground of hope. He refers here to the prospect of a posterity; see Romans 4:19-21. Believed in hope - Believed in what was promised to excite his hope. Hope here is put for the object of his hope - what was promised. According to what was spoken - Genesis 15:5. So shall thy seed be - That is, as the stars in heaven for multitude. Thy posterity shall be very numerous.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
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 18-2218-22. Who against hope--when no ground for hope appeared. believed in hope--that is, cherished the believing expectation. that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be--that is, Such "as the stars of heaven," Ge 15:5.Read the comment

Topics related to Romans 4:18

• Abraham
• Catholicity
• Faith
• Hope
• Justification
• Quotations and Allusions
• Resurrection
• 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