Romans 4:1–4
What shall we say then that Abraham aour father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? 2 For if Abraham were bjustified by works, he hath cwhereof to glory; dbut not before God. 3 For what saith the scripture? eAbraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. 4 Now fto him that worketh is the reward not greckoned of grace, but of debt.
Romans 4:1–4 — The New International Version (NIV)
1 What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, discovered in this matter? 2 If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God. 3 What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
4 Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation.
Romans 4:1–4 — English Standard Version (ESV)
1 What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” 4 Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due.
Romans 4:1–4 — New Living Translation (NLT)
1 Abraham was, humanly speaking, the founder of our Jewish nation. What did he discover about being made right with God? 2 If his good deeds had made him acceptable to God, he would have had something to boast about. But that was not God’s way. 3 For the Scriptures tell us, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.”
4 When people work, their wages are not a gift, but something they have earned.
Romans 4:1–4 — The New King James Version (NKJV)
1 What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” 4 Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt.
Romans 4:1–4 — New Century Version (NCV)
1 So what can we say that Abraham, the father of our people, learned about faith? 2 If Abraham was made right by the things he did, he had a reason to brag. But this is not God’s view, 3 because the Scripture says, “Abraham believed God, and God accepted Abraham’s faith, and that faith made him right with God.”
4 When people work, their pay is not given as a gift, but as something earned.
Romans 4:1–4 — American Standard Version (ASV)
1 What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather, hath found according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not toward God. 3 For what saith the scripture? And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness. 4 Now to him that worketh, the reward is not reckoned as of grace, but as of debt.
Romans 4:1–4 — 1890 Darby Bible (DARBY)
1 What shall we say then that Abraham our father according to flesh has found? 2 For if Abraham has been justified on the principle of works, he has whereof to boast: but not before God; 3 for what does the scripture say? And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. 4 Now to him that works the reward is not reckoned as of grace, but of debt:
Romans 4:1–4 — GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)
1 What can we say that we have discovered about our ancestor Abraham? 2 If Abraham had God’s approval because of something he did, he would have had a reason to brag. But he could not brag to God about it. 3 What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and that faith was regarded as the basis of Abraham’s approval by God.”
4 When people work, their pay is not regarded as a gift but something they have earned.
Romans 4:1–4 — The Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
1 What then can we say that Abraham, our physical ancestor, has found? 2 If Abraham was justified by works, he has something to brag about—but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say?
Abraham believed God,
and it was credited to him for righteousness.
4 Now to the one who works, pay is not considered as a gift, but as something owed.
Romans 4:1–4 — The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
1 What then are we to say was gained by Abraham, our ancestor according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.” 4 Now to one who works, wages are not reckoned as a gift but as something due.
Romans 4:1–4 — The Lexham English Bible (LEB)
1 What then shall we say that Abraham, our ancestor according to the flesh, has found? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the scripture say? “And Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness.” 4 Now to the one who works, his pay is not credited according to grace, but according to his due.
Romans 4:1–4 — New International Reader’s Version (1998) (NIrV)
1 What should we say about those things? What did our father Abraham discover about being right with God? 2 Did he become right with God because of something he did? If so, he could brag about it. But he couldn’t brag to God. 3 What do we find in Scripture? It says, “Abraham believed God. God accepted Abraham’s faith, and so his faith made him right with God.”
4 When a man works, his pay is not considered a gift. It is owed to him.
Romans 4:1–4 — New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (NASB95)
1 What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found?
2 For if Abraham was justified by works, 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 as righteousness.”
4 Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due.