Romans 4:1-12 - Abraham's Faith Counted As Righteousness

¹ What should we say then [about what] our forefather Abraham discovered? ² For if Abraham had been made right with God by doing good deeds he would have had something to boast about, but not in God's presence. ³ For what does the Scripture say? [Gen. 15:6 says], "And Abraham believed God, so God considered him righteous."

⁴ Now wages are not considered a gift if the person has to work for them, but [rather] an obligation [of his employer]. ⁵ But to the person who believes in God, who makes ungodly people right with Himself apart from doing good deeds, that person's faith is considered by God [as the basis] for being righteous.

⁶ Even King David also spoke of the blessing experienced by the person who was considered righteous by God apart from doing good deeds.

⁷ He said [Psa. 32:1ff], "Those people whose ungodly deeds are forgiven [by God] and whose sins are covered over, are [truly] blessed. ⁸ That person whose sin will not be held against him by the Lord is [truly] blessed."

⁹ Is this blessing experienced by the circumcised ones [i.e., the Jews only] or by the uncircumcised ones [i.e., the Gentiles] also? We are saying, "Abraham's faith was credited to him for righteousness." ¹⁰ [But] when was he given credit [i.e., for being righteous]? Was it after he was circumcised, or before? It was before he was circumcised, not afterward. ¹¹ He received the sign of circumcision as a seal [confirming] that he had been [considered] righteous because of the faith he had before being circumcised. Thus, he became the [spiritual] father of all people who believe [in God], even though they have not been circumcised, so that they could be considered righteous [by their faith]. ¹² And he also became the father of circumcised people [i.e., the Jews], who are not only circumcised, but who also follow the [same] example of faith [in God] which our forefather Abraham had before he was circumcised.