Romans 4:1–12

Justification by Faith Evidenced in Old Testament

¹What then shall we say that Abraham, ¹our forefather ^aaccording to the flesh, has found?

²For if Abraham was justified ¹by works, he has something to boast about, but ^anot ²before God.

³For what does the Scripture say? “^aAbraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”

⁴Now to the one who ^aworks, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due.

⁵But to the one who does not work, but ^abelieves in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness,

⁶just as David also speaks of the blessing on the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:

⁷“^aBlessed are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven,

And whose sins have been covered.

⁸“^aBlessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not ^btake into account.”

⁹Is this blessing then on ^1athe circumcised, or on ²the uncircumcised also? For ^bwe say, “^cFaith was credited to Abraham as righteousness.”

¹⁰How then was it credited? While he was ¹circumcised, or ²uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised;

¹¹and he ^areceived the sign of circumcision, ^ba seal of the righteousness of the faith which ¹he had while uncircumcised, so that he might be ^cthe father of ^dall who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be credited to them,

¹²and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also follow in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham which ¹he had while uncircumcised.