1 What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?
2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to
glory; but not before God. 3For what saith the scripture? Abraham
believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but
of debt.
5But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that
justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto
whom God imputeth righteousness without works, 7Saying, Blessed are they
whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. 8Blessed is
the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.
9 Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon
the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham
for righteousness.
10 How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.
11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the
righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he
might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not
circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also: 12And
the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only,
but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham,
which he had being yet uncircumcised.
13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was
not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the
righteousness of faith.
14For if they which are of the law be heirs,
faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect: 15Because the
law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.
16Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the
promise might be sure to all the seed; 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 thee a father of
many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the
dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.
18Who
against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many
nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.
19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now
dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness
of Sara’s womb:
20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
21 And being fully persuaded that, what HE had promised, HE was able also to perform.
22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.
23Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed
to him; 24But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on
him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; 25Who was delivered
for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.