CVG Romans Chapter 4

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1. What therefore shall we say that Abraham is to have found, our forefather according to the flesh?

2. For if Abraham was justified from works, he has a boast, but not to God.

3. For what does the scripture say? "And Abraham believed God and it was reckoned to him to righteousness" (Genesis 15:6).

4. But to the one who works, his wages are not reckoned a gift but what is due,

5. But to the one who does not work, but to the one who believes on the One Who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned [to result] in righteousness.

6. Just as David also states the blessing of the man to whom God reckons righteousness separate from his works.

7. "Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven and those whose sins are covered over.

8. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not take into account" (Psalm 32:1-2).

9. Therefore is this blessing on the circumcised or also on the uncircumcised? For we say, "faith was reckoned to Abraham to righteousness" (Genesis 15:6).

10. How therefore is it reckoned? Is it in his being circumcised or in his uncircumcision? Not in his circumcision, but in his uncircumcision.

11. And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of his faith which was in his uncircumcision, in order for him to be the father of all those believing while uncircumcised, for righteousness to be reckoned to them.

12. And he is the father of circumcision for those not of circumcision only, but also for those with footsteps in line of the faith of our father Abraham in his uncircumcision [i.e. while he was uncircumcised].

13. For the promise to Abraham or to his seeds is not through the law, for him to be an heir of the world, but through righteousness of faith.

14. For if they are heirs from the law, faith has no account and the promise is nullified.

15. For the law works wrath, but where there is no law, neither is there transgression.

16. For this reason it is from faith so that it is according to grace in order that the promise is ratified to all the seed. Not to him who is from the Law only, but also to him who is from the faith of Abraham, who is the father of all of us.

17. Just as it is written, "I have made you a father of all nations." To Him Who is present, he blieved, God who makes alive the dead and calls those things which are not as those which are.

18. For he who believed in hope on hope so that he would become him, "a father of many nations," according to that which has been spoken, "In this way your seeds will be."***