Romans 4:14

Romans 4:14 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:
• New International Version (NIV)For if those who depend on the law are heirs, faith means nothing and the promise is worthless,
• English Standard Version (ESV)For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void.
• New King James Version (NKJV)For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect,

Context of Romans 4:14

12Also he is the father of the circumcised, to those not only circumcised but also walking in the footsteps of the trust of our father Abraham before his circumcision. 13For the promise to Abraham or to his seed—to become heir of the world—was not through law, but through the righteousness based on trust. For if those who are of the Torah are heirs, trust has become empty and the promise is made ineffective. 15For the Torah brings about wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there a violation. 16For this reason it depends on trust, so that the promise according to grace might be guaranteed to all the offspring—not only to those of the Torah but also to those of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all

Romans 4:14 word by word

εἰ γὰρ οἱ ἐκ νόμου κληρονόμοι, κεκένωται ἡ πίστις καὶ κατήργηται ἡ ἐπαγγελία·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• ifεἰei · ifG1487
• they which areὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• ofἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• the lawνόμοςnomos · lawG3551
• heirsκληρονόμοςklēronomos · heirG2818
• faithπίστιςpistis · faithG4102
• is made voidκενόωkenoō · to emptyG2758
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• the promiseἐπαγγελίαepaggelia · promiseG1860
• made of none effectκαταργέωkatargeō · to abateG2673

Cross-references for Romans 4:14

• Romans 4:16For this reason it depends on trust, so that the promise according to grace might be guaranteed to all the offspring—not only to those of the Torah but also to those of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all
• Galatians 2:21I do not nullify the grace of God—for if righteousness comes through Torah, then Messiah died for no reason!
• Galatians 3:18For if the inheritance is based on law, it is no longer based on a promise. But God has graciously given it to Abraham by means of a promise.
• Galatians 5:4You who are trying to be justified by Torah have been cut off from Messiah; you have fallen away from grace.
• Philippians 3:9and be found in Him not having my righteousness derived from Torah, but one that is through trusting in Messiah—the righteousness from God based on trust.
• Hebrews 7:19for Torah made nothing perfect. But on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.
• Romans 3:31Do we then nullify the Torah through faithfulness? May it never be! On the contrary, we uphold the Torah.
• Numbers 30:12But if her husband should nullify them on the day when he hears of them, nothing from her lips, whether vow or pledge, will stand. Her husband has nullified them and Adonai will forgive her.
• Psalms 119:126It is time for Adonai to act— they have violated Your Torah!
• Isaiah 55:11so My word will be that goes out from My mouth. It will not return to Me in vain, but will accomplish what I intend, and will succeed in what I sent it for.
• Jeremiah 19:7So I will make void the counsel of Judah and Jerusalem in this place. I will have them fall by the sword before their enemies, by the hand of them that seek their life. I will give their carcasses as food for the birds of the sky and the beasts of the earth.

Commentaries on Romans 4:14

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 14For, if they which are of the law be heirs - If the Jews only be heirs of the promise made to Abraham, and that on the ground of prior obedience to the law, then faith is made void - is entirely useless; and the promise, which was made to faith, is made of none effect.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 14For if they which are of the law - Who seek for justification and acceptance by the Law. Faith is made void - Faith would have no place in the scheme; and consequently the strong commendations bestowed on the faith of Abraham, would be bestowed without any just cause. If people are justified by the Law, they cannot be by faith, and faith would be useless in this work. And the promise … - A promise looks to the future. Its design and tendency is to excite…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. 14faith is useless (literally faith has become empty): If works of the law could replace faith, then faith would lose its importance. Trusting in God means recognizing our need and relying completely on God’s mercy, which leads to a life of obedience.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 4:14

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

In the dictionaries

• Flesh
• Impute
• Quicken
• Raise
• Reckon
• Stagger
• Unbelief
• Void
• Bible, the
• Effect; Effectual

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