What then shall we say {Some ancient authorities read of Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh?}that Abraham, {Or, our forefather according to the flesh found?}our forefather, hath found according to the flesh?
For if Abraham was justified {Greek: out of Galatians 3:8.}by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not toward God.
For what saith the scripture? {Genesis 15:6.}And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness.
Now to him that worketh, the reward is not reckoned as of grace, but as of debt.
But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is reckoned for righteousness.
Even as David also pronounceth blessing upon the man, unto whom God reckoneth righteousness apart from works,
saying,
{Psalm 32:1 f.}Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven,
And whose sins are covered.
Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not reckon sin.
Is this blessing then pronounced upon the circumcision, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say, To Abraham his faith was reckoned for righteousness.
How then was it reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision:
and 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 them that believe, though they be in uncircumcision, that righteousness might be reckoned unto them;
and the father of circumcision to them 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.
For not {Or, through law}through the law was the promise to Abraham or to his seed that he should be heir of the world, but through the righteousness of faith.
For if they that are of the law are heirs, faith is made void, and the promise is made of none effect:
for the law worketh wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there transgression.
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 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
(as it is written, {Genesis 17:5}A father of many nations have I made thee) before him whom he believed, even God, who giveth life to the dead, and calleth the things that are not, as though they were.
Who in hope believed against hope, to the end that he might become a father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, {Genesis 15:5}So shall thy seed be.
And without being weakened in faith he considered his own body {Many ancient authorities omit now.}now as good as dead (he being about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's {Or, womb: yea &c.}womb;
yet, looking unto the promise of God, he wavered not through unbelief, but waxed strong through faith, giving glory to God,
and being fully assured that what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
Wherefore also it was reckoned unto him for righteousness.
Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was reckoned unto him;
but for our sake also, unto whom it shall be reckoned, who believe on him that raised Jesus our Lord from the dead,
who was delivered up for our trespasses, and was raised for our justification.
Querverweise zu Römer 4,5 Röm 4,5
but for our sake also, unto whom it shall be reckoned, who believe on him that raised Jesus our Lord from the dead,
but for our sake also, unto whom it shall be reckoned, who believe on him that raised Jesus our Lord from the dead,
For therein is revealed a righteousness of God from faith unto faith: as it is written, {Habakkuk 2:4.}But the righteous shall live {Greek: from.}by faith.
For what saith the scripture? {Genesis 15:6.}And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness.
who was delivered up for our trespasses, and was raised for our justification.
for the showing, I say, of his righteousness at this present season: that he might himself be {See chapter 2:13 margin.}just, and the {See chapter 2:13 margin.}justifier of him that {Greek: is of faith.}hath faith in Jesus.
Where then is the glorying? It is excluded. By what manner of law? of works? Nay: but by a law of faith.
{Many ancient authorities read For we reckon.}We reckon therefore that a man is justified by faith apart from {Or, works of law}the works of the law.
Or is God the God of Jews only? is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yea, of Gentiles also:
if so be that God is one, and he shall justify the circumcision {Greek: out of. Galatians 3:8.}by faith, and the uncircumcision {Or, through the faith Galatians 2:16.}through faith.
For the {Or, a wrath}wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who {Or, hold the truth Compare 1 Corinthians 7:30 (Greek)}hinder the truth in unrighteousness;
Behold, his soul is puffed up, it is not {Or, straight}upright in him; but the righteous shall live {Or, in his faithfulness}by his faith.
even the righteousness of God through faith {Or, of}in Jesus Christ unto all {Some ancient authorities add and upon all.}them that believe; for there is no distinction;
and whom he foreordained, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?
He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not also with him freely give us all things?
Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? {Or, Shall God that justifieth?}It is God that justifieth;
who is he that condemneth? {Or, Shall Christ Jesus that died…us?}It is Christ Jesus that died, yea rather, that was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
For while we were yet weak, in due season Christ died for the ungodly.
For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: for peradventure for the good man some one would even dare to die.
But God commendeth his own love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Being therefore justified {Greek: out of.}by faith, {Many ancient authorities read let us have.}we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ;
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth him that sent me, hath eternal life, and cometh not into judgment, but hath passed out of death into life.
And Joshua said unto all the people, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt of old time beyond the River, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nahor: and they served other gods.
through whom also we have had our access {Some ancient authorities omit by faith.}by faith into this grace wherein we stand; and {Or, let us rejoice}we {Greek: glory. Verse 11; Hebrew 3:6.}rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
And the scripture, foreseeing that God {Greek: justifieth.}would justify the {Greek: nations.}Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand unto Abraham, saying, {Genesis 12:3.}In thee shall all the nations be blessed.
Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and was standing before the angel.
For being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.
And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take the filthy garments from off him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with rich apparel.
{Or, that}because if thou shalt {Some ancient authorities read confess the word with thy mouth, that Jesus is Lord.}confess with thy mouth Jesus as Lord, and shalt believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved:
Or know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with men,
nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
And such were some of you: but ye {Greek: washed yourselves.}were washed, but ye were sanctified, but ye were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God.
for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
though I was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: howbeit I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief;
and the grace of our Lord abounded exceedingly with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
Faithful is the saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief:
Be it known unto you therefore, brethren, that through this man is proclaimed unto you remission of sins:
For we also once were foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another.
But when the kindness of God our Saviour, and his love toward man, appeared,
not by works done in righteousness, which we did ourselves, but according to his mercy he saved us, through the {Or, laver}washing of regeneration {Or, and through renewing}and renewing of the Holy Spirit,
which he poured out upon us richly, through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
that, being justified by his grace, we might be made {Or, heirs, according to hope, of eternal life}heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
and by him every one that believeth is justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.
yet knowing that a man is not {Or, accounted righteous: and so elsewhere. Compare Romans 2:13.}justified by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we believed on Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the law: because by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
But if, while we sought to be justified in Christ, we ourselves also were found sinners, is Christ a minister of sin? God forbid.
So then they that are of faith are blessed with the faithful Abraham.
For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse: for it is written, {Deuteronomy 27:26.}Cursed is every one who continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the law, to do them.
Now that no man is justified {Greek: in.}by the law before God, is evident: for, {Habakkuk 2:4.}The righteous shall live by faith;
and the law is not of faith; but, {Leviticus 18:5.}He that doeth them shall live in them.
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us; for it is written, {Deuteronomy 21:23.}Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
that upon the Gentiles might come the blessing of Abraham in Christ Jesus; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
and be found in him, {Or, not having as my righteousness that which is of the law}not having a righteousness of mine own, even that which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God {Greek: upon.}by faith: