Romans 4:1

The Illustration of Justification

4:1 What then shall we say that Abraham, our ancestor according to the flesh, ¹  has discovered regarding this matter? ² 

Romans 4:11-16

4:11 And he received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised, ³  so that he would become ⁴  the father of all those who believe but have never been circumcised, ⁵  that they too could have righteousness credited to them. 4:12 And he is also the father of the circumcised, ⁶  who are not only circumcised, but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham possessed when he was still uncircumcised. ⁷ 

4:13 For the promise ⁸  to Abraham or to his descendants that he would inherit the world was not fulfilled through the law, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. 4:14 For if they become heirs by the law, faith is empty and the promise is nullified. ⁹  4:15 For the law brings wrath, because where there is no law there is no transgression ¹⁰  either. 4:16 For this reason it is by faith so that it may be by grace, ¹¹  with the result that the promise may be certain to all the descendants – not only to those who are under the law, but also to those who have the faith of Abraham, ¹²  who is the father of us all

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¹ tn Or “according to natural descent” (BDAG 916 s.v. σάρξ 4).

² tn Grk “has found?”

³ tn Grk “of the faith, the one [existing] in uncircumcision.”

⁴ tn Grk “that he might be,” giving the purpose of v. 11a.

⁵ tn Grk “through uncircumcision.”

⁶ tn Grk “the father of circumcision.”

⁷ tn Grk “the ‘in-uncircumcision faith’ of our father Abraham.”

⁸ sn Although a singular noun, the promise is collective and does not refer only to Gen 12:7, but as D. Moo (Romans 1-8 [WEC], 279) points out, refers to multiple aspects of the promise to Abraham: multiplied descendants (Gen 12:2), possession of the land (Gen 13:15-17), and his becoming the vehicle of blessing to all people (Gen 12:13).

⁹ tn Grk “rendered inoperative.”

¹⁰ tn Or “violation.”

¹¹ tn Grk “that it might be according to grace.”

¹² tn Grk “those who are of the faith of Abraham.”