ABRAHAM JUSTIFIED BY FAITH

4 What then will we say that Abraham, our forefatherav according to the flesh, has found?W 2 If Abraham was justifiedX by works,aw he has something to boast about—but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness.A,a 4 Now to the one who works,b pay is not credited as a gift, but as something owed. 5 But to the one who does not work, but believes on him who justifies the ungodly,c his faith is credited for righteousness.

DAVID CELEBRATING THE SAME TRUTH

6 Likewise, David also speaks of the blessing of the person to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:

7 Blessed are those whose lawless acts are forgiven

and whose sins are covered.

8 Blessed is the person

the Lord will never charge with sin.B,d

ABRAHAM JUSTIFIED BEFORE CIRCUMCISION

9 Is this blessing only for the circumcised,e then? Or is it also for the uncircumcised? For we say, Faith was credited to Abraham for righteousness.A,f 10 In what way, then, was it credited—while he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? It was not while he was circumcised, but uncircumcised. 11 And he received the sign of circumcisiong as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith* h while still uncircumcised. This was to make him the fatheri of all who believej but are not circumcised, so that righteousness may be credited to them also.