Chapter 4

Justification by Faith Evidenced in Old Testament

1 What then shall we say that Abraham, 1our forefather aaccording to the flesh, has found?

2 For if Abraham was justified 1by works, he has something to boast about, but anot 2before God.

3 For what does the Scripture say? “aAbraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”

4 Now to the one who aworks, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due.

5 But to the one who does not work, but abelieves in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness,

6 just as David also speaks of the blessing on the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:

7 “aBlessed are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven,

And whose sins have been covered.

8 “aBlessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not btake into account.”

9 Is this blessing then on 1athe circumcised, or on 2the uncircumcised also? For bwe say, “cFaith was credited to Abraham as righteousness.”

10 How then was it credited? While he was 1circumcised, or 2uncircumcised? Not while 1circumcised, but while 2uncircumcised;

11 and he areceived the sign of circumcision, ba seal of the righteousness of the faith which 1he had while uncircumcised, so that he might be cthe father of dall who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be credited to them,

12 and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also follow in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham which 1he had while uncircumcised.

13 For athe promise to Abraham or to his 1descendants bthat he would be heir of the world was not 2through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith.

14 For aif those who are 1of the Law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise is nullified;

15 for athe Law brings about wrath, but bwhere there is no law, there also is no violation.

16 For this reason it is 1by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with agrace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to ball the 2descendants, not only to 3those who are of the Law, but also to 3cthose who are of the faith of Abraham, who is dthe father of us all,

17 (as it is written, “aA father of many nations have I made you”) in the presence of Him whom he believed, even God, bwho gives life to the dead and 1ccalls into being dthat which does not exist.

18 In hope against hope he believed, so that he might become aa father of many nations according to that which had been spoken, “bSo shall your 1descendants be.”

19 Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now aas good as dead since bhe was about a hundred years old, and cthe deadness of Sarah’s womb;

20 yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, agiving glory to God,

21 and abeing fully assured that bwhat God had promised, He was able also to perform.

22 Therefore ait was also credited to him as righteousness.

23 Now anot for his sake only was it written that it was credited to him,

24 but for our sake also, to whom it will be credited, as those awho believe in Him who braised Jesus our Lord from the dead,

25 He who was adelivered over because of our transgressions, and was braised because of our justification.