1 What|strong="G5101" then|strong="G3767", it|strong="G5101" may|strong="G3004" be|strong="G3588" asked|strong="G3004", are|strong="G3588" we|strong="G2249" to|strong="G2596" say|strong="G3004" about|strong="G2596" Abraham, the|strong="G2596" ancestor|strong="G3962" of|strong="G3962" our|strong="G2596" nation|strong="G4561"?
2 If|strong="G1487" he|strong="G1063" was|strong="G2316" pronounced righteous|strong="G1344" as|strong="G1063" the|strong="G1537" result|strong="G1537" of|strong="G1537" obedience, then|strong="G1063" he|strong="G1063" has|strong="G2192" something|strong="G2745" to|strong="G4314" boast|strong="G2745" of|strong="G1537". Yes|strong="G1063", but|strong="G1487" not|strong="G3756" before|strong="G4314" God|strong="G2316".
3 For|strong="G1063" what|strong="G5101" are|strong="G3588" the|strong="G2532" words|strong="G2532" of|strong="G2316" scripture|strong="G1124"? “Abraham|strong="G4100" had|strong="G2532" faith|strong="G4100" in|strong="G1519" God|strong="G2316", and|strong="G2532" his|strong="G1519" faith|strong="G4100" was|strong="G3588" regarded|strong="G3049" by|strong="G2532" God|strong="G2316" as|strong="G1519" righteousness|strong="G1343".”
4 Now|strong="G1161" wages|strong="G3408" are|strong="G3588" regarded|strong="G3049" as|strong="G1161" due|strong="G2596" to|strong="G2596" the|strong="G1161" person who|strong="G3588" works|strong="G2038", not|strong="G3756" as|strong="G1161" a|strong="G1161" favour|strong="G5485", but|strong="G1161" as|strong="G1161" a|strong="G1161" debt|strong="G3783";
5 while|strong="G1161", as|strong="G1519" for|strong="G1519" the|strong="G1519" person who|strong="G3588" does|strong="G2038" not|strong="G3361" rely on|strong="G1909" their|strong="G1519" obedience, but|strong="G1161" has|strong="G4102" faith|strong="G4102" in|strong="G1519" him|strong="G3588" who|strong="G3588" can pronounce the|strong="G1519" godless righteous|strong="G1344", their|strong="G1519" faith|strong="G4102" is|strong="G3588" regarded|strong="G3049" by|strong="G1909" God|strong="G3361" as|strong="G1519" righteousness|strong="G1343".
6 In|strong="G2532" precisely the|strong="G2532" same|strong="G3739" way|strong="G3739" David|strong="G1138" speaks|strong="G3004" of|strong="G2316" the|strong="G2532" blessing|strong="G3108" pronounced on|strong="G3049" the|strong="G2532" person|strong="G3739" who|strong="G3739" is|strong="G3588" regarded|strong="G3049" by|strong="G2532" God|strong="G2316" as|strong="G2509" righteous apart|strong="G5565" from|strong="G2532" actions|strong="G2041" –
7 “Blessed|strong="G3107" are|strong="G3588" those|strong="G3588" whose|strong="G3739" wrongdoings have|strong="G2532" been|strong="G2532" forgiven and|strong="G2532" over whose|strong="G3739" sins a|strong="G2532" veil has|strong="G3739" been|strong="G2532" drawn!
8 Blessed|strong="G3107" the|strong="G3739" man|strong="G3361" whom|strong="G3739" the|strong="G3739" Lord|strong="G2962" will|strong="G3739" never|strong="G3756" regard|strong="G3049" as|strong="G3739" sinful!”
9 Is|strong="G3588" this|strong="G3778" blessing|strong="G3108", then|strong="G3767", pronounced on|strong="G1909" the|strong="G2532" circumcised|strong="G4061" only|strong="G2532" or|strong="G2228" on|strong="G1909" the|strong="G2532" uncircumcised as|strong="G1519" well|strong="G2532"? We|strong="G1063" say|strong="G3004" that|strong="G3588" – “Abraham’s faith|strong="G4102" was|strong="G3588" regarded|strong="G3049" by|strong="G1909" God|strong="G3004" as|strong="G1519" righteousness|strong="G1343".”
10 Under|strong="G1722" what|strong="G4459" circumstances|strong="G1722", then|strong="G3767", did|strong="G1510" this|strong="G1722" take|strong="G3049" place|strong="G1722"? After|strong="G1722" his|strong="G1722" circumcision|strong="G4061" or|strong="G2228" before|strong="G1722" it|strong="G1510"?
11 Not|strong="G1510" after|strong="G1223", but|strong="G2532" before|strong="G1722". And|strong="G2532" it|strong="G2532" was|strong="G1510" as|strong="G1519" a|strong="G2532" sign|strong="G4592" of|strong="G1223" this|strong="G3588" that|strong="G3588" he|strong="G2532" received|strong="G2983" the|strong="G1722" rite of|strong="G1223" circumcision|strong="G4061" – to|strong="G1519" show|strong="G2983" the|strong="G1722" righteousness|strong="G1343" due|strong="G1722" to|strong="G1519" the|strong="G1722" faith|strong="G4102" of|strong="G1223" an|strong="G2532" uncircumcised man|strong="G3956" – in|strong="G1722" order that|strong="G3588" he|strong="G2532" might|strong="G2532" be|strong="G1510" the|strong="G1722" father|strong="G3962" of|strong="G1223" all|strong="G3956" who|strong="G3588" have|strong="G2532" faith|strong="G4102" in|strong="G1722" God|strong="G2532" even|strong="G2532" when|strong="G2532" uncircumcised, so|strong="G2532" that|strong="G3588" they|strong="G2532" also|strong="G2532" may|strong="G2532" be|strong="G1510" regarded|strong="G3049" by|strong="G1223" God|strong="G2532" as|strong="G1519" righteous;
12 as|strong="G1722" well|strong="G2532" as|strong="G1722" father|strong="G3962" of|strong="G1537" the|strong="G1722" circumcised|strong="G4061" – to|strong="G2532" those|strong="G3588" who|strong="G3588" are|strong="G3588" not|strong="G3756" only|strong="G3440" circumcised|strong="G4061", but|strong="G2532" who|strong="G3588" also|strong="G2532" follow|strong="G4748" our|strong="G2532" father|strong="G3962" Abraham in|strong="G1722" that|strong="G3588" faith|strong="G4102" which|strong="G3588" he|strong="G2532" had|strong="G2532" while|strong="G1722" still uncircumcised.
13 For|strong="G1063" the|strong="G1223" promise|strong="G1860" that|strong="G3588" he|strong="G3588" should|strong="G3588" inherit the|strong="G1223" world|strong="G2889" did|strong="G1510" not|strong="G3756" come|strong="G1510" to|strong="G3756" Abraham or|strong="G2228" his|strong="G1223" descendants|strong="G4690" through|strong="G1223" Law|strong="G3551", but|strong="G1063" through|strong="G1223" the|strong="G1223" righteousness|strong="G1343" due to|strong="G3756" faith|strong="G4102".
14 If|strong="G1487" those|strong="G3588" who|strong="G3588" take|strong="G2532" their|strong="G2532" stand on|strong="G1537" Law|strong="G3551" are|strong="G3588" to|strong="G2532" inherit the|strong="G2532" world, then|strong="G2532" faith|strong="G4102" is|strong="G3588" robbed of|strong="G1537" its|strong="G1537" meaning and|strong="G2532" the|strong="G2532" promise|strong="G1860" comes|strong="G2532" to|strong="G2532" nothing!
15 Law|strong="G3551" entails punishment; but|strong="G1161", where|strong="G3757" no|strong="G3756" Law|strong="G3551" exists, no|strong="G3756" breach of|strong="G3551" it|strong="G1161" is|strong="G1510" possible.
16 That|strong="G2443" is|strong="G1510" why|strong="G1223" everything|strong="G3956" is|strong="G1510" made|strong="G3756" to|strong="G1519" depend on|strong="G1519" faith|strong="G4102": so|strong="G2443" that|strong="G2443" everything|strong="G3956" may|strong="G2532" be|strong="G1510" God|strong="G2532"’s gift|strong="G5485", and|strong="G2532" in|strong="G1519" order|strong="G2443" that|strong="G2443" the|strong="G2532" fulfilment of|strong="G1537" the|strong="G2532" promise|strong="G1860" may|strong="G2532" be|strong="G1510" made|strong="G3756" certain|strong="G2596" for|strong="G1519" all|strong="G3956" Abraham’s descendants|strong="G4690" – not|strong="G3756" only|strong="G3440" for|strong="G1519" those|strong="G3588" who|strong="G3739" take|strong="G2532" their|strong="G2532" stand|strong="G3778" on|strong="G1519" the|strong="G2532" Law|strong="G3551", but|strong="G2532" also|strong="G2532" for|strong="G1519" those|strong="G3588" who|strong="G3739" take|strong="G2532" their|strong="G2532" stand|strong="G3778" on|strong="G1519" the|strong="G2532" faith|strong="G4102" of|strong="G1537" Abraham. (He|strong="G2532" is|strong="G1510" the|strong="G2532" father|strong="G3962" of|strong="G1537" us|strong="G1519" all|strong="G3956";
17 as|strong="G5613" scripture|strong="G1125" says – “I|strong="G3739" have|strong="G2532" made|strong="G5087" you|strong="G4771" the|strong="G2532" father|strong="G3962" of|strong="G2316" many|strong="G4183" nations|strong="G1484".”) And|strong="G2532" this|strong="G3588" they|strong="G2532" do|strong="G2532" in|strong="G2532" the|strong="G2532" sight|strong="G2713" of|strong="G2316" that|strong="G3754" God|strong="G2316" in|strong="G2532" whom|strong="G3739" Abraham|strong="G4100" had|strong="G2532" faith|strong="G3739", and|strong="G2532" who|strong="G3739" gives|strong="G2227" life|strong="G2227" to|strong="G2532" the|strong="G2532" dead|strong="G3498", and|strong="G2532" speaks of|strong="G2316" what|strong="G3739" does|strong="G1510" not|strong="G3361" yet|strong="G2532" exist|strong="G1510" as|strong="G5613" if|strong="G5613" it|strong="G2532" did|strong="G2532".
18 With|strong="G3844" no|strong="G3739" ground for|strong="G1519" hope|strong="G1680", Abraham|strong="G4100", sustained by|strong="G2596" hope|strong="G1680", put|strong="G1096" faith|strong="G3739" in|strong="G1519" God|strong="G3004"; in|strong="G1519" order that|strong="G3739", in|strong="G1519" fulfilment of|strong="G3844" the|strong="G1519" words – “So|strong="G3779" many|strong="G4183" will|strong="G1510" your|strong="G1909" descendants|strong="G4690" be|strong="G1096",” he|strong="G3739" might|strong="G1484" become|strong="G1096" “the|strong="G1519" father|strong="G3962" of|strong="G3844" many|strong="G4183" nations|strong="G1484".”
19 Though|strong="G2532" he|strong="G2532" was|strong="G3588" nearly a|strong="G2532" hundred|strong="G1541" years|strong="G1541" old|strong="G1541", yet|strong="G2532" his|strong="G1438" faith|strong="G4102" did|strong="G2532" not|strong="G3361" fail him|strong="G3588", even|strong="G2532" when|strong="G2532" he|strong="G2532" thought of|strong="G2532" his|strong="G1438" own|strong="G1438" body|strong="G4983", then|strong="G2532" utterly worn out|strong="G2532", and|strong="G2532" remembered that|strong="G3588" Sarah|strong="G4564" was|strong="G3588" past bearing children.
20 He|strong="G1161" was|strong="G3588" not|strong="G3756" led by|strong="G1519" want of|strong="G2316" faith|strong="G4102" to|strong="G1519" doubt|strong="G1252" God|strong="G2316"’s promise|strong="G1860".
21 On|strong="G4160" the|strong="G2532" contrary, his|strong="G4160" faith|strong="G3739" gave|strong="G4160" him|strong="G3739" strength; and|strong="G2532" he|strong="G2532" praised God|strong="G1861", in|strong="G2532" the|strong="G2532" firm conviction that|strong="G3754" what|strong="G3739" God|strong="G1861" has|strong="G3739" promised|strong="G1861" he|strong="G2532" is|strong="G1510" also|strong="G2532" able|strong="G1415" to|strong="G2532" carry|strong="G4160" out|strong="G2532".
22 And|strong="G2532" therefore|strong="G1352" his|strong="G1519" faith “was|strong="G2532" regarded|strong="G3049" as|strong="G1519" righteousness|strong="G1343".”
23 Now|strong="G1161" these|strong="G3748" words – “it|strong="G3754" was|strong="G3748" regarded|strong="G3049" as|strong="G1161" righteousness” – were|strong="G3748" not|strong="G3756" written|strong="G1125" with|strong="G1223" reference to|strong="G3756" Abraham only|strong="G3440";
24 but|strong="G2532" also|strong="G2532" with|strong="G1537" reference to|strong="G2532" us|strong="G2249". Our|strong="G2424" faith|strong="G3739", too|strong="G2532", will|strong="G3195" be|strong="G2532" regarded|strong="G3049" by|strong="G1223" God|strong="G2532" in|strong="G1909" the|strong="G2532" same|strong="G3739" light, if|strong="G2532" we|strong="G2249" have|strong="G2532" faith|strong="G3739" in|strong="G1909" him|strong="G3588" who|strong="G3739" raised|strong="G1453" Jesus|strong="G2424", our|strong="G2424" Lord|strong="G2962", from|strong="G1537" the|strong="G2532" dead|strong="G3498";
25 for|strong="G1223" Jesus|strong="G2532" was|strong="G3588" given|strong="G3860" up|strong="G1453" to|strong="G2532" death to|strong="G2532" atone for|strong="G1223" our|strong="G2532" offences|strong="G3900", and|strong="G2532" was|strong="G3588" raised|strong="G1453" to|strong="G2532" life that|strong="G3739" we|strong="G2249" might|strong="G2532" be|strong="G2532" pronounced righteous.