Romans 4:1–12

Abraham Justified by Faith

4What then can we say that Abraham, our physical ancestor, ^nohas found? ²If Abraham was justified ^pby works, ^qhe has something to brag about—but not before God. ^r3For what does the Scripture say?

Abraham believed God,

and it was credited to him for righteousness. ^st

⁴Now to the one who works, ^upay is not considered as a gift, but as something owed. ⁵But to the one who does not work, but believes on Him who declares the ungodly to be righteous, ^vwhis faith is credited for righteousness.

David Celebrating the Same Truth

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

⁷How joyful are those whose lawless acts are forgiven

and whose sins are covered!

⁸How joyful is the man

the Lord will never charge with sin! ^xy

Abraham Justified before Circumcision

⁹Is this blessing only for the circumcised, ^zthen? Or is it also for the uncircumcised? For we say, Faith was credited to Abraham for righteousness. ^ab10In what way then was it credited—while he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while he was circumcised, but uncircumcised. ¹¹And he received the sign of circumcision ^cas a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith ^dewhile still uncircumcised. This was to make him the father ^fof all who believe ^gbut are not circumcised, so that righteousness may be credited to them also. ¹²And he became the father of the circumcised, who are not only circumcised but who also follow in the footsteps of the faith our father Abraham had while he was still uncircumcised.