Romans 4–5

Chapter 4

¹What shall we say then that Abraham our father according to flesh has found? ²For if Abraham has been justified on the principle of works, he has whereof to boast: but not before God; ³for what does the scripture say? And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. ⁴Now to him that works the reward is not reckoned as of grace, but of debt: ⁵but to him who does not work, but believes on him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness. ⁶Even as David also declares the blessedness of the man to whom God reckons righteousness without works: ⁷Blessed they whose lawlessnesses have been forgiven, and whose sins have been covered: ⁸blessed the man to whom the Lord shall not at all reckon sin.

⁹Does this blessedness then rest on the circumcision, or also on the uncircumcision? For we say that faith has been reckoned to Abraham as righteousness. ¹⁰How then has it been reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. ¹¹And he received the sign of circumcision as seal of the righteousness of faith which he had being in uncircumcision, that he might be the father of all them that believe being in uncircumcision, that righteousness might be reckoned to them also; ¹²and father of circumcision, not only to those who are of the circumcision, but to those also who walk in the steps of the faith, during uncircumcision, of our father Abraham. ¹³For it was not by law that the promise was to Abraham, or to his seed, that he should be heir of the world, but by righteousness of faith. ¹⁴For if they which are of law be heirs, faith is made vain, and the promise made of no effect. ¹⁵For law works wrath; but where no law is neither is there transgression. ¹⁶Therefore it is on the principle of faith, that it might be according to grace, in order to the promise being sure to all the seed, not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of Abraham’s faith, who is father of us all,

¹⁷(according as it is written, I have made thee father of many nations,) before the God whom he believed, who quickens the dead, and calls the things which be not as being; ¹⁸who against hope believed in hope to his becoming father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be: ¹⁹and not being weak in faith, he considered not his own body already become dead, being about a hundred years old, and the deadening of Sarah’s womb, ²⁰and hesitated not at the promise of God through unbelief; but found strength in faith, giving glory to God; ²¹and being fully persuaded that what he has promised he is able also to do; ²²wherefore also it was reckoned to him as righteousness.

²³Now it was not written on his account alone that it was reckoned to him, ²⁴but on ours also, to whom, believing on him who has raised from among the dead Jesus our Lord, ²⁵who has been delivered for our offences and has been raised for our justification, it will be reckoned.

Chapter 5

¹Therefore having been justified on the principle of faith, we have peace towards God through our Lord Jesus Christ; ²by whom we have also access by faith into this favour in which we stand, and we boast in hope of the glory of God. ³And not only that, but we also boast in tribulations, knowing that tribulation works endurance; ⁴and endurance, experience; and experience, hope; ⁵and hope does not make ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which has been given to us:

⁶for we being still without strength, in the due time Christ has died for the ungodly. ⁷For scarcely for the just man will one die, for perhaps for the good man some one might also dare to die; ⁸but God commends his love to us, in that, we being still sinners, Christ has died for us. ⁹Much rather therefore, having been now justified in the power of his blood, we shall be saved by him from wrath. ¹⁰For if, being enemies, we have been reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much rather, having been reconciled, we shall be saved in the power of his life. ¹¹And not only that, but we are making our boast in God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom now we have received the reconciliation. ¹²For this cause, even as by one man sin entered into the world, and by sin death; and thus death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: ¹³(for until law sin was in the world; but sin is not put to account when there is no law; ¹⁴but death reigned from Adam until Moses, even upon those who had not sinned in the likeness of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him to come. ¹⁵But shall not the act of favour be as the offence? For if by the offence of one the many have died, much rather has the grace of God, and the free gift in grace, which is by the one man Jesus Christ, abounded unto the many. ¹⁶And shall not as by one that has sinned be the gift? For the judgment was of one to condemnation, but the act of favour, of many offences unto justification. ¹⁷For if by the offence of the one death reigned by the one, much rather shall those who receive the abundance of grace, and of the free gift of righteousness, reign in life by the one Jesus Christ:) ¹⁸so then as it was by one offence towards all men to condemnation, so by one righteousness towards all men for justification of life. ¹⁹For as indeed by the disobedience of the one man the many have been constituted sinners, so also by the obedience of the one the many will be constituted righteous. ²⁰But law came in, in order that the offence might abound; but where sin abounded grace has overabounded, ²¹in order that, even as sin has reigned in the power of death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.