⁵But things are different with God. He makes evil people right with himself. If people trust in him, their faith is accepted even though they do not work. Their faith makes them right with God.

⁶King David says the same thing. He tells us how blessed some people are. God makes those people right with himself. But they don’t have to do anything in return. David says,

⁷“Blessed are those

whose lawless acts are forgiven.

Blessed are those

whose sins are taken away.

⁸Blessed is the man

whose sin the Lord never counts against him.”

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In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works:

“Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven,

and whose sins are covered;

blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”

NIVNew International Version (2011)

However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness. David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the one to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:

“Blessed are those

whose transgressions are forgiven,

whose sins are covered.

Blessed is the one

whose sin the Lord will never count against them.”

CSBChristian Standard Bible

But to the one who does not work, but believes on him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited for righteousness.

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

Blessed are those whose lawless acts are forgiven

and whose sins are covered.

Blessed is the person

the Lord will never charge with sin.

NLTNew Living Translation

But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners. David also spoke of this when he described the happiness of those who are declared righteous without working for it:

“Oh, what joy for those

whose disobedience is forgiven,

whose sins are put out of sight.

Yes, what joy for those

whose record the Lord has cleared of sin.”

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

But to the one who does not work, but who believes in the one who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited for righteousness, just as David also speaks about the blessing of the person to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:

“Blessed are they whose lawless deeds have been forgiven,

and whose sins are covered over.

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

KJV 1900King James Version

But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.

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