Romans 4:13-25 - The Promise To Abraham Secured Through Faith

¹³ Again, the promise that he should inherit the world did not come to Abraham or his posterity conditioned by Law, but by faith-righteousness. ¹⁴ For if it is the righteous through Law who are heirs, then faith is useless and the promise counts for nothing. ¹⁵ For the Law inflicts punishment; but where no Law exists, there can be no violation of Law.

¹⁶ All depends on faith, and for this reason--that acceptance with God might be an act of pure grace, ¹⁷ so that the promise should be made sure to all Abraham's true descendants; not merely to those who are righteous through the Law, but to those who are righteous through a faith like that of Abraham. Thus in the sight of God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and makes reference to things that do not exist, as though they did, Abraham is the forefather of all of us. As it is written, "I have appointed you to be the forefather of many nations." ¹⁸ Under utterly hopeless circumstances he hopefully believed, so that he might become the forefather of many nations, in agreement with the words "Equally numerous shall your posterity be." ¹⁹ And, without growing weak in faith, he could contemplate his own vital powers which had now decayed--for he was nearly 100 years old--and Sarah's barrenness. ²⁰ Nor did he in unbelief stagger at God's promise, but became mighty in faith, giving glory to God, ²¹ and being absolutely certain that whatever promise He is bound by He is able also to make good. ²² For this reason also his faith was placed to his credit as righteousness. ²³ Nor was the fact of its being placed to his credit put on record for his sake only; ²⁴ it was for our sakes too. Faith, before long, will be placed to the credit of us also who are believers in Him who raised Jesus, our Lord, from the dead, ²⁵ who was surrendered to death because of the offences we had committed, and was raised to life because of the acquittal secured for us.