| International Standard Version | Christian Standard Bible |
| 1What, then, are we to say about Abraham, our human ancestor? | 1What then will we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found? |
| 2For if Abraham was justified by actions, he would have had something to boast about—though not before God. | 2If Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about--but not before God. |
| 3For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." | 3For what does the Scripture say? Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness. |
| 4Now to someone who works, wages are not considered a gift but an obligation. | 4Now to the one who works, pay is not credited as a gift, but as something owed. |
| 5However, to someone who does not work, but simply believes in the one who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness. | 5But to the one who does not work, but believes on him who declares the ungodly to be righteous, his faith is credited for righteousness. |
| 6Likewise, David also speaks of the blessedness of the person whom God regards as righteous apart from actions: | 6Just as David also speaks of the blessing of the person to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: |
| 7"How blessed are those whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered! | 7Blessed are those whose lawless acts are forgiven and whose sins are covered. |
| 8How blessed is the person whose sins the Lord will never charge against him!" | 8Blessed is the person the Lord will never charge with sin. |
| 9Now does this blessedness come to the circumcised alone, or also to the uncircumcised? For we say, "Abraham's faith was credited to him as righteousness." | 9Is this blessing only for the circumcised, then? Or is it also for the uncircumcised? For we say, Faith was credited to Abraham for righteousness. |
| 10Under what circumstances was it credited? Was he circumcised or uncircumcised? He had not yet been circumcised, but was uncircumcised. | 10In what way then was it credited--while he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? It was not while he was circumcised, but uncircumcised. |
| 11Afterward he received the mark of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. Therefore, he is the ancestor of all who believe while uncircumcised, in order that righteousness may be credited to them. | 11And he received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while still uncircumcised. This was to make him the father of all who believe but are not circumcised, so that righteousness may be credited to them also. |
| 12He is also the ancestor of the circumcised—those who are not only circumcised, but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised. | 12And he became the father of the circumcised, who are not only circumcised but who also follow in the footsteps of the faith our father Abraham had while he was still uncircumcised. |
| 13For the promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the Law, but through the righteousness produced by faith. | 13For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would inherit the world was not through the law, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. |
| 14For if those who were given the Law are the heirs, then faith is useless and the promise is worthless, | 14If those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made empty and the promise nullified, |
| 15for the Law produces wrath. Now where there is no Law, neither can there be any violation of it. | 15because the law produces wrath. And where there is no law, there is no transgression. |
| 16Therefore, the promise is based on faith, so that it may be a matter of grace and may be guaranteed for all of Abraham's descendants—not only for those who were given the Law, but also for those who share the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all. | 16This is why the promise is by faith, so that it may be according to grace, to guarantee it to all the descendants--not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of Abraham's faith. He is the father of us all. |
| 17As it is written, "I have made you the father of many nations." Abraham acted in faith when he stood in the presence of God, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence things that don't yet exist. | 17As it is written: I have made you the father of many nations. He is our father in God's sight, in whom Abraham believed--the God who gives life to the dead and calls things into existence that do not exist. |
| 18Hoping in spite of hopeless circumstances, he believed that he would become "the father of many nations," just as he had been told: "This is how many descendants you will have." | 18He believed, hoping against hope, so that he became the father of many nations according to what had been spoken: So will your descendants be. |
| 19His faith did not weaken when he thought about his own body (which was already as good as dead now that he was about a hundred years old) or about Sarah's inability to have children, | 19He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body to be already dead (since he was about a hundred years old) and also the deadness of Sarah's womb. |
| 20nor did he doubt God's promise out of a lack of faith. Instead, his faith became stronger and he gave glory to God, | 20He did not waver in unbelief at God's promise but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, |
| 21being absolutely convinced that God would do what he had promised. | 21because he was fully convinced that what God had promised, he was also able to do. |
| 22This is why "it was credited to him as righteousness." | 22Therefore, it was credited to him for righteousness. |
| 23Now the words "it was credited to him" were written not only for him | 23Now it was credited to him was not written for Abraham alone, |
| 24but also for us. Our faith will be regarded in the same way, if we believe in the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. | 24but also for us. It will be credited to us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. |
| 25He was sentenced to death because of our sins and raised to life to justify us. | 25He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification. |
The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. | The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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