Romans 4:1–12

Abraham’s Faith Counted as Righteousness

4What then shall we say that Abraham, our ancestor according to the flesh, has found? ²For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. ³For what does the scripture say? “And Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness.”^{a 4}Now to the one who works, his pay is not credited according to grace, but according to his due. ⁵But to the one who does not work, but who believes in the one who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited for righteousness, ⁶just as David also speaks about the blessing of the person to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:

⁷“Blessed are they whose lawless deeds have been forgiven,

and whose sins are covered over.

⁸Blessed is the person against whom the Lord will never count sin.”^b

⁹Therefore, is this blessing for those who are circumcised^c, or also for those who are uncircumcised^d? For we say, “Faith was credited to Abraham for righteousness.”^{e 10}How then was it credited? While he^* was circumcised^f or uncircumcised^g? Not while circumcised^h but while uncircumcisedⁱ! ¹¹And he received the sign of circumcision as a seal^j of the righteousness by faith which he had while uncircumcised^k, so that he could be the father of all who believe although they are uncircumcised^l, so that righteousness could be credited to them,^{m 12}and the father of those who are circumcisedⁿ to those who are not only from the circumcision, but who also follow in the footsteps of the faith of our father Abraham which he had while uncircumcised^o.