For the Gospel reveals how a person can be made right with God. It is through faith [in Jesus], from beginning to end, just as it is written [Hab. 2:4], "The righteous person will [obtain] life by [his] faith [in God]."

For what does the Scripture say? [Gen. 15:6 says], "And Abraham believed God, so God considered him righteous."

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.

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

[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.

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].

For it was not through [obedience to] law [See 3:31] that the promise to Abraham or his descendants of inheriting [the best of] the world [was made], but through their being considered righteous because of faith [in God].

So therefore, God considered him righteous [i.e., because of such faith].

Now the words "considered righteous [by God]" were not written for his sake only,

but they were written for our sake also, who will be considered righteous by God for believing in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.

Someone would not likely die to rescue a righteous person, though possibly someone would dare to die in order to rescue a good person.

And do not offer the parts of your bodies [i.e., hands, eyes, etc. See Matt. 5:29-30] as tools for [accomplishing] evil purposes; but [instead] offer yourselves to God, as [people who are] alive from the dead [i.e., no longer under the power of sin] and the parts of your bodies as tools for [accomplishing] righteous purposes for God.