Romans 4 - The Scriptures 1998

¹ What, then, shall we say Aḇ

² For if Aḇ

³ For what does the Scripture say? “Aḇ

⁴ And to him who is working, the reward is not reckoned as a favour but as a debt.

⁵ And to him who is not working but believes on Him who is declaring right the wicked, his belief is reckoned for righteousness,

⁶ even as Dawiḏ

⁷ “Blessed are those whose lawlessnesses are forgiven, and whose sins are covered,

⁸ blessed is the man to whom יהוה  shall by no means reckon sin.”

⁹ Is this blessing then upon the circumcised only, or also upon the uncircumcised? For we affirm: Belief was reckoned unto Aḇ

¹⁰ How then was it reckoned? Being in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.

¹¹ And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the belief while in uncircumcision, for him to be a father of all those believing through uncircumcision, for righteousness to be reckoned to them also,

¹² and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of the belief which our father Aḇ

¹³ For the promise that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Aḇ

¹⁴ For if those who are of the Torah are heirs, belief has been made useless, and the promise has been nullified,

¹⁵ for the Torah works out wrath, for where there is no Torah there is no transgression.

¹⁶ On account of this it is of belief, that it be according to favour, for the promise to be made certain to all the seed, not only to those who are of the Torah, but also to those who are of the belief of Aḇ

¹⁷ as it has been written, “I have made you a father of many nations” – in the presence of Him whom he believed, even Elohim, who gives life to the dead and calls that which does not exist as existing,

¹⁸ who against all expectation did believe, in expectation, so that he should become father of many nations, according to what was said, “So shall your seed be.”

¹⁹ And not having grown weak in belief, he did not consider his own body, already dead, being about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah’s womb,

²⁰ he did not hesitate about the promise of Elohim through unbelief, but was strengthened in belief, giving esteem to Elohim,

²¹ and being completely persuaded that what He had promised He was also able to do.

²² Therefore also “it was reckoned to him for righteousness.”

²³ And not because of him alone was it written that it was reckoned to him,

²⁴ but also because of us, to whom it shall be reckoned, to us who believe in Him who raised up יהושע  our Master from the dead,

²⁵ who was delivered up because of our trespasses, and was raised for us to be declared right.