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Romans · World English Bible (Classic, with Deuterocanon)

Romans 4 World English Bible (Classic, with Deuterocanon)

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  • Protestant
  • OT: Masoretic Hebrew
  • NT: Majority (Byzantine) text
  • All books (ecumenical)
  • Formal (word for word)
  • 2020
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Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings

Notes on this text (1)

1 What then will we say that Abraham, our forefather, has found according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not toward God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” 4 Now to him who works, the reward is not counted as grace, but as something owed. 5 But to him who doesn’t work, but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness. 6 Even as David also pronounces blessing on the man to whom God counts righteousness apart from works: 7 “Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, whose sins are covered. 8 Blessed is the man whom the Lord will by no means charge with sin.” 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 counted? When he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. 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 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 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 those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void, and the promise is made of no effect. 15 For the law produces wrath; for where there is no law, neither is there disobedience. 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 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 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 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 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 fully assured that what he had promised, he was also able to perform. 22 Therefore it also was “credited to him for righteousness.” 23 Now it was not written that it was accounted to him for his sake alone, 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 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. 1 Isaiah 51:2; Romans 4:16; 2 Corinthians 11:22; John 8:56; Acts 13:26
  2. 2 1 Corinthians 1:31; 2 Corinthians 11:30; Philippians 3:9; Ephesians 2:9; Galatians 3:22
  3. 3 Genesis 15:6; James 2:23; Galatians 3:6–8; Romans 4:9; Romans 4:22–25
  4. 4 Romans 11:6; Romans 9:32; Romans 11:35; Matthew 20:1–16
  5. 5 Philippians 3:9; Romans 3:22; Titus 3:3–7; Romans 10:9–10; Galatians 3:8–14
  6. 6 Philippians 3:9; 2 Timothy 1:9; Ephesians 2:8–10; Galatians 3:8–9; 1 Corinthians 1:30
  7. 7 Psalm 32:1–2; Psalm 130:3–4; Luke 7:47–50; Psalm 85:2; Micah 7:18–20
  8. 8 Psalm 32:2; 1 Peter 2:24; 2 Corinthians 5:19–20; 1 Peter 3:18; Isaiah 53:10–12
  9. 9 Galatians 3:14; Colossians 3:11; Ephesians 3:8; Romans 4:3; Galatians 3:26–28
  10. 10 Galatians 6:15; Galatians 5:6; 1 Corinthians 7:18–19; Genesis 15:16; Genesis 15:5–6
  11. 11 Romans 3:22; Luke 19:9; Hebrews 11:7; 2 Corinthians 1:22; Galatians 6:16
  12. 12 Proverbs 2:20; Song of Songs 1:8; John 8:39–40; Galatians 4:22–31; 2 Corinthians 12:18
  13. 13 Galatians 3:29; Genesis 28:14; Romans 9:8; Genesis 22:17–18; Psalm 2:8
  14. 14 Galatians 3:18–24; Hebrews 7:19; Philippians 3:9; Romans 3:31; Isaiah 55:11
  15. 15 Romans 5:13; Galatians 3:10; Romans 3:19–20; 1 Corinthians 15:56; Romans 7:7–25
  16. 16 Romans 3:24–26; Ephesians 2:8; Romans 9:8; Galatians 3:22; Titus 3:7
  17. 17 1 Corinthians 1:28; Genesis 17:4–5; John 5:21; Romans 8:29–30; John 6:63
  18. 18 Romans 8:24; Genesis 15:5–6; Romans 5:5; Acts 27:25; Proverbs 13:12
  19. 19 Hebrews 11:11–19; Genesis 17:17; Romans 4:20–21; Matthew 14:31; Mark 9:23–24
  20. 20 Luke 1:45; 1 Corinthians 16:13; Daniel 10:19; 2 Corinthians 12:10; 2 Timothy 2:1
  21. 21 Luke 1:37; Jeremiah 32:27; Jeremiah 32:17; Hebrews 11:19; Luke 1:45
  22. 22 Romans 4:3; Romans 4:6
  23. 23 1 Corinthians 10:11; Romans 15:4; 1 Corinthians 10:6; 2 Timothy 3:16–17; 1 Corinthians 9:9–10
  24. 24 Acts 2:24; 1 Peter 1:21; Acts 13:30; Romans 10:9–10; Ephesians 1:18–20
  25. 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).

  1. Commentary 4:1 John Chrysostom, Homilies on Romans (Homily VIII)

    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)

  2. Quotes verse 4:3 Clement of Rome, First Epistle to the Corinthians (Chapters VII–XIII)

    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.

    Read in context · Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1 (1885)

  3. Quotes verse 4:3 Irenaeus of Lyons, Against Heresies (Book IV, Preface)

    "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.

    Read in context · Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1 (1885)

  4. Quotes verse 4:3 Augustine of Hippo, The City of God (Book XVI, Chapters 22–24)

    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)

  5. Quotes verse 4:19 Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lectures (Lecture V)

    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)