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v1
What then shall we say that Abraham, our ancestor according to the flesh, has found?
v2
For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God.
v3
For what does the scripture say? “And Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness.” ^[A quotation from Gen 15:6]
v4
Now to the one who works, his pay is not credited according to grace, but according to his due.
v5
But to the one who does not work, but who believes in the one who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited for righteousness,
v6
just as David also speaks about the blessing of the person to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:
v7
“Blessed are they whose lawless deeds have been forgiven, and whose sins are covered over.
v8
Blessed is the person against whom the Lord will never count sin.” ^[A quotation from Ps 32:1–2]
v9
Therefore, is this blessing for those who are circumcised ^[Literally “the circumcision”], or also for those who are uncircumcised ^[Literally “the uncircumcision”]? For we say, “Faith was credited to Abraham for righteousness.” ^[A quotation from Gen 15:6]
v10
How then was it credited? While he ^[Here “while” is supplied as a component of the participle (“was”) which is understood as temporal] was circumcised ^[Literally “in circumcision”] or uncircumcised ^[Literally “in uncircumcision”]? Not while circumcised ^[Literally “in circumcision”] but while uncircumcised ^[Literally “in uncircumcision”]!
v11
And he received the sign of circumcision as a seal ^[Or “confirmation”] of the righteousness by faith which he had while uncircumcised ^[Literally “in uncircumcision”], so that he could be the father of all who believe although they are uncircumcised ^[Literally “through uncircumcision”], so that righteousness could be credited to them, ^[Some manuscripts have “could be credited to them also”]
v12
and the father of those who are circumcised ^[Literally “of the circumcision”] to those who are not only from the circumcision, but who also follow in the footsteps of the faith of our father Abraham which he had while uncircumcised ^[Literally “of the in uncircumcision faith of our father Abraham”].
v13
For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants, that he would be heir of the world, was not through the law, but through the righteousness by faith.
v14
For if those of the law are heirs, faith is rendered void and the promise is nullified.
v15
For the law produces wrath, but where there is no law, neither is there transgression.
v16
Because of this, it is by faith, in order that it may be according to grace, so that the promise may be secure to all the descendants, not only to those of the law, but also to those of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all
v17
(just as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”) ^[A quotation from Gen 17:5] before God, in whom he believed, the one who makes the dead alive and who calls the things that are not as though they are,
v18
who against hope believed in hope, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was said, “so will your descendants be.” ^[A quotation from Gen 15:5]
v19
And not being weak in faith, he considered his own body as good as dead, ^[Some manuscripts have “already as good as dead”] because he ^[Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“was”) which is understood as causal] was approximately a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah’s womb.
v20
And he did not waver in unbelief at the promise of God, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God
v21
and being fully convinced that what he had promised, he was also able to do.
v22
Therefore ^[Some manuscripts have “Therefore, indeed,”] it was credited to him for righteousness.
v23
But it was not written for the sake of him alone that it was credited to him,
v24
but also for the sake of us to whom it is going to be credited, to those who believe in the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead,
v25
who was handed over on account of our trespasses, and was raised up in the interest of our justification. ^[Or “vindication”; or “acquittal”]