Abraham

1What then shall we say that our father Abraham discovered, as a man?

2If Abraham was really justified by works, he has a boast—but not before God.

3So what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” ⁷⁰

4Now to him who works, the pay is not counted as a gift but as an obligation.

5But to him who does not work ⁷¹but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness.

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

7“Blessed are they whose lawless deeds have been forgiven, and whose sins have been covered up.

8Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin!” ⁷²

Before circumcision

9Is this blessing then only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? Since we say that faith was credited to Abraham as righteousness,

10how then was it credited? After he was circumcised or while still uncircumcised? Not circumcised, but uncircumcised!

11And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness from his faith while still uncircumcised, so that he might be the father of all those who believe while uncircumcised, in order that this righteousness may be credited to them also, ⁷³

12and the father of the circumcised—not only those who are circumcised, but especially those who follow in the footsteps of the faith of our father Abraham while still uncircumcised. ⁷⁴

The promise

13Now the promise that he would be the heir of the world ⁷⁵was not to Abraham, or his seed, through law, but through the righteousness of faith.

14For if those who are of law are heirs, the faith is made empty and the promise has been invalidated;

15because the law produces wrath, since where there is no law neither is there transgression. ⁷⁶

16For this reason it is of faith so that it may be according to grace, in order that the promise be guaranteed to all the seed—not only to those of law, but also to those of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all;

17just as it is written: “I have made you a father of many ethnic nations” ⁷⁷—in the presence of Him whom he believed: God, who gives life to the dead and calls the nonexistent things as though they did exist. ⁷⁸

18Contrary to hope, Abraham in hope believed, so as to become a father of many ethnic nations, according to what had been spoken: “So shall your seed be.” ⁷⁹

19And not being weak in faith, he did not ⁸⁰consider his own body, already dead ⁸¹(being about a hundred years old), or the deadness of Sarah's womb.

20He did not waver at God's promise in unbelief; rather, he was strengthened by the faith, giving glory to God,

21being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform ⁸²

22—that is why it was credited to him as righteousness.

23Now it was not only for his sake that it was written that it was credited to him,

24but for our sake also, to whom it will be credited, we who believe on Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead,

25who was delivered up because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification. ⁸³