Romans 4

1 What then [next, as a consequence] shall we say that Abraham [our father, the Hebrew patriarch], our forefather [according to the flesh, as a human ancestor], has discovered [found, met with, or experienced]? word study 2 If Abraham [the father of the faithful] was indeed justified [made righteous, declared innocent] by works [deeds, actions], he had something to boast about [a reason for pride, a basis for glory], but not before [in the presence of, toward] God [the Almighty, Creator]. word study 3 For what does the Scripture [holy Writings, written document] say? “Abraham [the father of the Jewish nation] believed [trusted, had faith] God [the one true deity], and it was credited [counted, reckoned] to him as righteousness [living according to God’s will, being in right standing].” word study 4 Now the wages [payment for work done, reward] of the worker [one who labors, toils] are not credited [reckoned, counted] as a gift [unmerited favor, grace], but [on the contrary, rather] as an obligation [debt, something owed]. word study 5 However, to the one who does not [is not engaged in] work [labor, physical or mental effort], but believes [trusts, has faith] in Him who justifies [declares righteous, makes right] the wicked [ungodly, irreverent], his faith [confidence, trust] is credited [counted, reckoned] as righteousness [living according to God’s will]. word study 6 And David [the king of Israel, a man after God’s heart] speaks likewise of the blessedness [happiness, beatification] of the man to whom God [the one true deity] credits [counts, reckons] righteousness [living according to God’s will, being in right standing] apart from [without, separately from] works [deeds, actions]: word study 7 “Blessed [happy, supremely fortunate] are they whose lawless acts [iniquities, wickedness] are forgiven [released, left behind], whose sins [transgressions, missing the mark] are covered [concealed, forgiven] [by God’s mercy]. word study 8 Blessed [happy, supremely fortunate] is the man [adult male, husband] whose sin [missing the mark, falling short of God’s standards] the Lord [God, Master] will never [not at all, by no means] count [reckon, impute] against him [to his account, as a charge].” word study 9 Is this blessing [happiness, beatification] only on the circumcised [those who have undergone the Jewish rite of cutting], or also on the uncircumcised [those who have not been circumcised, non-Jews]? We have been saying [affirming, teaching] that Abraham’s [the Hebrew patriarch] faith [trust, confidence in God] was credited [reckoned, counted] to him as righteousness [living according to God’s will, being in right standing with God]. word study 10 In what context [or circumstance, situation] was it credited [reckoned, counted as righteous]? Was it after his circumcision [the Jewish rite of cutting, a sign of covenant], or before [prior to, when he was in uncircumcision]? It was not after [at a later time], but before [in his uncircumcised state, as a non-Jew]. word study 11 And he received the sign [a token] of circumcision [the Jewish rite of cutting] as a seal [a mark of confirmation, a guarantee] of the righteousness [living according to God’s will, being in right standing] that he had by faith [trust, confidence in God] while he was still uncircumcised [in a state of not being circumcised, a non-Jew]. So then, he is the father [a spiritual ancestor, a patriarch] of all who believe [have faith, trust in God] but are not circumcised [in uncircumcision, not having undergone the Jewish rite], in order that righteousness [right standing, being justified] might be credited [reckoned, imputed] to them. word study 12 And he is also the father [spiritual ancestor, patriarch] of the circumcised [those who have received the Jewish rite of cutting] who not only are circumcised [have undergone the physical act of circumcision], but who also walk [follow, live in step with] in the footsteps [tracks, path] of the faith [trust, confidence in God] that our father [patron, progenitor] Abraham [the Hebrew patriarch] had before he was circumcised [in his uncircumcised state, before receiving the sign of covenant]. word study 13 For the promise [commitment, assurance] to Abraham [the father of faith] and his offspring [seed, descendants] that he would be heir [receiver of the inheritance] of the world [the cosmos, all creation] was not given through the law [Mosaic law, regulations], but through the righteousness [justification, being made right] that comes by faith [trust, confidence in God]. word study 14 For if those who live [are guided, walk] by the law [Moses’ law, God’s commandments] are heirs [receivers of the inheritance, children of God], faith [trust, confidence in God] is useless [made void, without effect] and the promise [commitment, assurance from God] is worthless [made of no effect, without power], word study 15 because the law brings [results in] wrath [God’s strong anger, divine displeasure]. And where [in the absence of, without] there is no law [regulation, rule], there is no [nor, neither] transgression [violation, disobedience]. word study 16 Therefore, the promise [based on faith, through trusting God] comes by faith [trust and confidence in God], so that it may rest [be firmly established, depend] on grace [unmerited favor, divine influence] and may be guaranteed [made certain, sure] to all Abraham’s offspring [seed, descendants]—not only to those who are of the law [Mosaic law, God’s commandments], but also to those who are of the faith [trust, confidence] of Abraham [the father of faith, a Hebrew patriarch]. He is the father [paternal ancestor, spiritual leader] of us all [every believer, all people]. word study 17 As it is written [in the Scriptures, according to God’s Word]: “I have made you [Abraham, the father of faith] a father of many nations [Gentiles, non-Jewish peoples].” He is our father [in the faith, a spiritual ancestor] in the presence of God [before the Almighty, in His sight], in whom he believed [trusted, had faith], the God [Elohim, the all-powerful Creator] who gives life to the dead [makes alive, resurrects] and calls into being [creates, brings forth] what does not yet exist [what is not, non-existent things]. word study 18 Against all hope [without reason for hope, in desperation], Abraham in hope [trusting in God’s goodness, with expectation] believed [to trust, have faith] and so became the father [male parent, ancestor] of many nations [Gentiles, non-Jewish people], just as he had been told [spoken to, promised], “So shall your offspring [seed, descendants] be [exist, come into being].” word study 19 Without weakening [becoming feeble, losing strength] in his faith [trust, confidence in God], he acknowledged [considered, took into account] the decrepitness [weakness, frailty] of his body [physical person, mortal frame] (since he was about a hundred years old [advanced in age, elderly]) and the lifelessness [deadness, barrenness] of Sarah’s womb [the place of birth, the female reproductive organ]. word study 20 Yet he did not waver [stagger, doubt] through [because of, in response to] disbelief [unbelief, lack of faith] in the promise [commitment, assurance] of God [the one true deity], but was strengthened [empowered, made strong] in his faith [trust, confidence] and gave glory [honor, praise] to God, word study 21 being [completely, totally] fully persuaded [convinced, assured] that God [the Almighty, Creator] was able [powerful, capable] to do [perform, fulfill] what He had promised [professed, vowed]. word study 22 This is why [therefore, as a consequence] “it was credited [reckoned, imputed] to him [Abraham, as an example] as [toward, in the direction of] righteousness [living according to God’s will, being in right standing].” word study 23 Now the words [written in Scripture, recorded for our benefit] “it was credited to him [reckoned, imputed, counted as righteousness]” were written [recorded, inscribed] not only [alone, merely] for Abraham [as an example, for his sake], word study 24 but also [in addition, for our sake] for us, to whom righteousness [will be reckoned, imputed] will be credited [to our account, for righteousnesse]—for us who believe [trust, have faith] in Him [the Lord, God] who raised [caused to arise, brought back to life] Jesus [Joshua, God is salvation] our Lord [Master, the one in authority] from the dead [the lifeless, the spiritually dead]. word study 25 He was delivered [handed over, surrendered] over to death [as a result of our sins] for our trespasses [unintentional errors, misdeeds] and was raised [brought back to life, resurrected] to life [eternal life, spiritual existence] for our justification [being made right with God, declared righteous]. word study