Romans · Bible in Basic English
Romans 4 Bible in Basic English
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
BBE Bible in Basic English
RV1909 Reina-Valera 1909
WEB World English Bible (Classic, with Deuterocanon)
1 What, then, may we say that Abraham, our father after the flesh, has got?
1 ¿QUÉ, pues, diremos que halló Abraham nuestro padre según la carne?
1 What then will we say that Abraham, our forefather, has found according to the flesh?
2 For if Abraham got righteousness by works, he has reason for pride; but not before God.
2 Que si Abraham fué justificado por la obras, tiene de qué gloriarse; mas no para con Dios.
2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not toward God.
3 But what does it say in the holy Writings? And Abraham had faith in God, and it was put to his account as righteousness.
3 Porque ¿qué dice la Escritura? Y creyó Abraham á Dios, y le fué atribuído á justicia.
3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”
4 Now, the reward is credited to him who does works, not as of grace but as a debt.
4 Empero al que obra, no se le cuenta el salario por merced, sino por deuda.
4 Now to him who works, the reward is not counted as grace, but as something owed.
5 But to him who without working has faith in him who gives righteousness to the evil-doer, his faith is put to his account as righteousness.
5 Mas al que no obra, pero cree en aquél que justifica al impío, la fe le es contada por justicia.
5 But to him who doesn’t work, but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness.
6 As David says that there is a blessing on the man to whose account God puts righteousness without works, saying,
6 Como también David dice ser bienaventurado el hombre al cual Dios atribuye justicia sin obras,
6 Even as David also pronounces blessing on the man to whom God counts righteousness apart from works:
7 Happy are those who have forgiveness for their wrongdoing, and whose sins are covered.
7 [Diciendo]: Bienaventurados aquellos cuyas iniquidades son perdonadas, y cuyos pecados son cubiertos.
7 “Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, whose sins are covered.
8 Happy is the man against whom no sin is recorded by the Lord.
8 Bienaventurado el varón al cual el Señor no imputó pecado.
8 Blessed is the man whom the Lord will by no means charge with sin.”
9 Is this blessing, then, for the circumcision only, or in the same way for those who have not circumcision? for we say that the faith of Abraham was put to his account as righteousness.
9 ¿Es pues esta bienaventuranza [solamente] en la circuncisión, ó también en la incircuncisión? porque decimos que á Abraham fué contada la fe por justicia.
9 Is this blessing then pronounced only on the circumcised, or on the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness.
10 How, then, was it judged? when he had circumcision, or when he had it not? Not when he had it, but when he did not have it:
10 ¿Cómo pues [le] fué contada? ¿en la circuncisión, ó en la incircuncisión? No en la circuncisión, sino en la incircuncisión.
10 How then was it counted? When he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.
11 And he was given the sign of circumcision as a witness of the faith which he had before he underwent circumcision: so that he might be the father of all those who have faith, though they have not circumcision, and so that righteousness might be put to their account;
11 Y recibió la circuncisión por señal, por sello de la justicia de la fe que tuvo en la incircuncisión: para que fuese padre de todos los creyentes no circuncidados, para que también á ellos les sea contado por justicia;
11 He received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while he was in uncircumcision, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they might be in uncircumcision, that righteousness might also be accounted to them.
12 And the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who keep to the way of that faith which our father Abraham had before he underwent circumcision.
12 Y padre de la circuncisión, no solamente á los que son de la circuncisión, mas también á los que siguen las pisadas de la fe que fué en nuestro padre Abraham antes de ser circuncidado.
12 He is the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had in uncircumcision.
13 For God's word, that the earth would be his heritage, was given to Abraham, not through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
13 Porque no por la ley fué [dada] la promesa á Abraham ó á su simiente, que sería heredero del mundo, sino por la justicia de la fe.
13 For the promise to Abraham and to his offspring that he would be heir of the world wasn’t through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
14 For if they who are of the law are the people who get the heritage, then faith is made of no use, and the word of God has no power;
14 Porque si los que son de la ley son los herederos, vana es la fe, y anulada es la promesa.
14 For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void, and the promise is made of no effect.
15 For the outcome of the law is wrath; but where there is no law it will not be broken.
15 Porque la ley obra ira; porque donde no hay ley, tampoco hay transgresión.
15 For the law produces wrath; for where there is no law, neither is there disobedience.
16 For this reason it is of faith, so that it may be through grace; and so that the word of God may be certain to all the seed; not only to that which is of the law, but to that which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all,
16 Por tanto [es] por la fe, para que [sea] por gracia; para que la promesa sea firme á toda simiente, no solamente al que es de la ley, mas también al que es de la fe de Abraham, el cual es padre de todos nosotros,
16 For this cause it is of faith, that it may be according to grace, to the end that the promise may be sure to all the offspring, not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all.
17 (As it is said in the holy Writings, I have made you a father of a number of nations) before him in whom he had faith, that is, God, who gives life to the dead, and to whom the things which are not are as if they were.
17 (Como está escrito: Que por padre de muchas gentes te he puesto) delante de Dios, al cual creyó; el cual da vida á los muertos, y llama las cosas que no son, como las que son.
17 As it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations.” This is in the presence of him whom he believed: God, who gives life to the dead, and calls the things that are not, as though they were.
18 Who without reason for hope, in faith went on hoping, so that he became the father of a number of nations, as it had been said, So will your seed be.
18 El creyó en esperanza contra esperanza, para venir á ser padre de muchas gentes, conforme á lo que [le] había sido dicho: Así será tu simiente.
18 Against hope, Abraham in hope believed, to the end that he might become a father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, “So will your offspring be.”
19 And not being feeble in faith though his body seemed to him little better than dead (he being about a hundred years old) and Sarah was no longer able to have children:
19 Y no se enflaqueció en la fe, ni consideró su cuerpo ya muerto (siendo ya de casi cien años), ni la matriz muerta de Sara;
19 Without being weakened in faith, he didn’t consider his own body, already having been worn out, (he being about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb.
20 Still, he did not give up faith in the undertaking of God, but was made strong by faith, giving glory to God,
20 Tampoco en la promesa de Dios dudó con desconfianza: antes fué esforzado en fe, dando gloria á Dios,
20 Yet, looking to the promise of God, he didn’t waver through unbelief, but grew strong through faith, giving glory to God,
21 And being certain that God was able to keep his word.
21 Plenamente convencido de que todo lo que había prometido, era también poderoso para hacerlo.
21 and being fully assured that what he had promised, he was also able to perform.
22 For which reason it was put to his account as righteousness.
22 Por lo cual también le fué atribuído á justicia.
22 Therefore it also was “credited to him for righteousness.”
23 Now, it was not because of him only that this was said,
23 Y no solamente por él fué escrito que le haya sido imputado;
23 Now it was not written that it was accounted to him for his sake alone,
24 But for us in addition, to whose account it will be put, if we have faith in him who made Jesus our Lord come back again from the dead,
24 Sino también por nosotros, á quienes será imputado, [esto es], á los que creemos en el que levantó de los muertos á Jesús Señor nuestro,
24 but for our sake also, to whom it will be accounted, who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead,
25 Who was put to death for our evil-doing, and came to life again so that we might have righteousness.
25 El cual fué entregado por nuestros delitos, y resucitado para nuestra justificación.
25 who was delivered up for our trespasses, and was raised for our justification.
Cross references (25)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Isaiah 51:2; Romans 4:16; 2 Corinthians 11:22; John 8:56; Acts 13:26
- 2 1 Corinthians 1:31; 2 Corinthians 11:30; Philippians 3:9; Ephesians 2:9; Galatians 3:22
- 3 Genesis 15:6; James 2:23; Galatians 3:6–8; Romans 4:9; Romans 4:22–25
- 4 Romans 11:6; Romans 9:32; Romans 11:35; Matthew 20:1–16
- 5 Philippians 3:9; Romans 3:22; Titus 3:3–7; Romans 10:9–10; Galatians 3:8–14
- 6 Philippians 3:9; 2 Timothy 1:9; Ephesians 2:8–10; Galatians 3:8–9; 1 Corinthians 1:30
- 7 Psalm 32:1–2; Psalm 130:3–4; Luke 7:47–50; Psalm 85:2; Micah 7:18–20
- 8 Psalm 32:2; 1 Peter 2:24; 2 Corinthians 5:19–20; 1 Peter 3:18; Isaiah 53:10–12
- 9 Galatians 3:14; Colossians 3:11; Ephesians 3:8; Romans 4:3; Galatians 3:26–28
- 10 Galatians 6:15; Galatians 5:6; 1 Corinthians 7:18–19; Genesis 15:16; Genesis 15:5–6
- 11 Romans 3:22; Luke 19:9; Hebrews 11:7; 2 Corinthians 1:22; Galatians 6:16
- 12 Proverbs 2:20; Song of Songs 1:8; John 8:39–40; Galatians 4:22–31; 2 Corinthians 12:18
- 13 Galatians 3:29; Genesis 28:14; Romans 9:8; Genesis 22:17–18; Psalm 2:8
- 14 Galatians 3:18–24; Hebrews 7:19; Philippians 3:9; Romans 3:31; Isaiah 55:11
- 15 Romans 5:13; Galatians 3:10; Romans 3:19–20; 1 Corinthians 15:56; Romans 7:7–25
- 16 Romans 3:24–26; Ephesians 2:8; Romans 9:8; Galatians 3:22; Titus 3:7
- 17 1 Corinthians 1:28; Genesis 17:4–5; John 5:21; Romans 8:29–30; John 6:63
- 18 Romans 8:24; Genesis 15:5–6; Romans 5:5; Acts 27:25; Proverbs 13:12
- 19 Hebrews 11:11–19; Genesis 17:17; Romans 4:20–21; Matthew 14:31; Mark 9:23–24
- 20 Luke 1:45; 1 Corinthians 16:13; Daniel 10:19; 2 Corinthians 12:10; 2 Timothy 2:1
- 21 Luke 1:37; Jeremiah 32:27; Jeremiah 32:17; Hebrews 11:19; Luke 1:45
- 22 Romans 4:3; Romans 4:6
- 23 1 Corinthians 10:11; Romans 15:4; 1 Corinthians 10:6; 2 Timothy 3:16–17; 1 Corinthians 9:9–10
- 24 Acts 2:24; 1 Peter 1:21; Acts 13:30; Romans 10:9–10; Ephesians 1:18–20
- 25 1 John 4:9–10; Isaiah 53:5–6; 1 Peter 3:18; Galatians 1:4; 2 Corinthians 5:21
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
He had said (5 mss. eipen), that the world had become guilty before God, and that all had sinned, and that boasting was excluded, and that it was impossible to be saved otherwise than by faith.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 11 (1889)
And Abram believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness." On account of his faith and hospitality, a son was given him in his old age; and in the exercise of obedience, he offered him as a sacrifice to God on one of the mountains which He showed him.
"Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness." In the first place, [he believed] that He was the maker of heaven and earth, the only God; and in the next place, that He would make his seed as the stars of heaven.
Here, indeed, is set down that sentence which the apostle quotes in order to commend the grace of God, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness;" lest the circumcision should glory, and be unwilling to receive the uncircumcised nations to the faith of Christ.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)
God promises the old man a child, and Abraham without being weakened in faith, though he considered his own body now as good as dead, heeded not the weakness of his body, but the power of Him who promised, because he counted Him faithful who had promised, and so beyond all expectation gained the child from bodies as it …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)