Romans 4:9

Romans 4:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.
• New International Version (NIV)Is 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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Is this blessing then only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? For we say that faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Does this blessedness then come upon the circumcised only, or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness.

Context of Romans 4:9

7“Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sins are put out of sight. 8Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of sin.” Now, 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. 10But 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.

Romans 4:9 word by word

Ὁ μακαρισμὸς οὖν οὗτος ἐπὶ τὴν περιτομὴν ἢ καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν ἀκροβυστίαν; λέγομεν γάρ ἐλογίσθη τῷ Ἀβραὰμ ἡ πίστις εἰς δικαιοσύνην.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• blessednessμακαρισμόςmakarismos · blessednessG3108
• thenοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• uponἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
• the circumcisionπεριτομήperitomē · circumcisionG4061
• orἤē · orG2228
• the uncircumcisionἀκροβυστίαakrobustia · uncircumcisionG203
• alsoκαίkai · andG2532
• forγάρgar · forG1063
• we sayλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• faithπίστιςpistis · faithG4102
• was reckonedλογίζομαιlogizomai · to countG3049
• to AbrahamἈβραάμAbraam · AbrahamG11
• forεἰςeis · towardG1519
• righteousnessδικαιοσύνηdikaiosunē · righteousnessG1343

Cross-references for Romans 4:9

• Romans 3:29After all, is God the God of the Jews only? Isn’t he also the God of the Gentiles? Of course he is.
• Romans 9:23He does this to make the riches of his glory shine even brighter on those to whom he shows mercy, who were prepared in advance for glory.
• Romans 10:12Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him.
• Romans 15:8Remember that Christ came as a servant to the Jews to show that God is true to the promises he made to their ancestors.
• Isaiah 49:6He says, “You will do more than restore the people of Israel to me. I will make you a light to the Gentiles, and you will bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.”
• Luke 2:32He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!”
• Galatians 3:14Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing he promised to Abraham, so that we who are believers might receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith.
• Ephesians 2:11Don’t forget that you Gentiles used to be outsiders. You were called “uncircumcised heathens” by the Jews, who were proud of their circumcision, even though it affected only their bodies and not their hearts.
• Ephesians 3:8Though I am the least deserving of all God’s people, he graciously gave me the privilege of telling the Gentiles about the endless treasures available to them in Christ.
• Colossians 3:11In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.
• Romans 4:3For the Scriptures tell us, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.”

Commentaries on Romans 4:9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9Cometh this blessedness - upon the circumcision only - The word , only, is very properly supplied by our translators, and indeed is found in some excellent MSS., and is here quite necessary to complete the sense. The apostle's question is very nervous. If this pardon, granted in this way, be essential to happiness - and David says it is so - then is it the privilege of the Jews exclusively? This cannot be; for, as it is by the mere mercy of God, through…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9Cometh … - The apostle has now prepared the way for an examination of the inquiry whether this came in consequence of obedience to the Law? or whether it was without obedience to the Law? Having shown that Abraham was justified by faith in accordance with the doctrine which he was defending, the only remaining inquiry was whether it was after he was circumcised or before; whether in consequence of his circumcision or not. If it was after his circumcision…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 4:9

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

In the dictionaries

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

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