Abraham Justified by Faith

4 What then shall we say that aAbraham our bfather 1has found according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was cjustified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? d“Abraham believed God, and it was 2accounted to him for righteousness.” 4 Now eto him who works, the wages are not counted 3as grace but 3as debt.

David Celebrates the Same Truth

5 But to him who fdoes not work but believes on Him who justifies gthe ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, 6 just as David also hdescribes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works:

7 “Blessed iare those whose lawless deeds are forgiven,

And whose sins are covered;

8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin.”

Abraham Justified Before Circumcision

9 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. 10 How then was it accounted? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised. 11 And jhe received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that khe might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also, 12 and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of the faith which our father lAbraham had while still uncircumcised.

The Promise Granted Through Faith

13 For the promise that he would be the mheir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For nif those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect, 15 because othe law brings about wrath; for where there is no law there is no transgression.

16 Therefore it is of faith that it might be paccording to grace, qso that the promise might be 4sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, rwho is the father of us all 17 (as it is written, s“I have made you a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed—God, twho gives life to the dead and calls those uthings which do not exist as though they did; 18 who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, v“So shall your descendants be.” 19 And not being weak in faith, whe did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), xand the deadness of Sarah’s womb. 20 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully convinced that what He had promised yHe was also able to perform. 22 And therefore z“it was accounted to him for righteousness.”

23 Now ait was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, 24 but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe bin Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25 cwho was delivered up because of our offenses, and dwas raised because of our justification.