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 King James Version (NKJV)How then was it accounted? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised.

Context of Romans 4:10

8Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of sin.” 9Now, is this blessing only for the Jews, or is it also for uncircumcised Gentiles? Well, we have been saying that Abraham was counted as righteous by God because of his faith. 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! 11Circumcision was a sign that Abraham already had faith and that God had already accepted him and declared him to be righteous—even before he was circumcised. So Abraham is the spiritual father of those who have faith but have not been circumcised. They are counted as righteous because of their faith. 12And Abraham is also the spiritual father of those who have been circumcised, but only if they have the same kind of faith 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 15:5Then the Lord took Abram outside and said to him, “Look up into the sky and count the stars if you can. That’s how many descendants you will have!”
• Genesis 16:1Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had not been able to bear children for him. But she had an Egyptian servant named Hagar.
• Genesis 17:1When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am El-Shaddai—‘God Almighty.’ Serve me faithfully and live a blameless life.
• 1 Corinthians 7:18For instance, a man who was circumcised before he became a believer should not try to reverse it. And the man who was uncircumcised when he became a believer should not be circumcised now.
• Galatians 5:6For when we place our faith in Christ Jesus, there is no benefit in being circumcised or being uncircumcised. What is important is faith expressing itself in love.
• Galatians 6:15It doesn’t matter whether we have been circumcised or not. What counts is whether we have been transformed into 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