| New King James Version | New International Version |
| 1What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? | 1What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, discovered in this matter? |
| 2For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. | 2If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about--but not before God. |
| 3For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” | 3What does Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." |
| 4Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. | 4Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. |
| 5But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, | 5However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness. |
| 6just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works: | 6David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the one to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: |
| 7“Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, And whose sins are covered; | 7"Blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. |
| 8Blessed is the man to whom the LORD shall not impute sin.” | 8Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord will never count against them." |
| 9Does this blessedness then come upon the circumcised only, or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness. | 9Is this blessedness only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? We have been saying that Abraham's faith was credited to him as righteousness. |
| 10How then was it accounted? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised. | 10Under what circumstances was it credited? Was it after he was circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before! |
| 11And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also, | 11And he received circumcision as a sign, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. So then, he is the father of all who believe but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them. |
| 12and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of the faith which our father Abraham had while still uncircumcised. | 12And he is then also the father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised but who also follow in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised. |
| 13For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. | 13It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. |
| 14For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect, | 14For if those who depend on the law are heirs, faith means nothing and the promise is worthless, |
| 15because the law brings about wrath; for where there is no law there is no transgression. | 15because the law brings wrath. And where there is no law there is no transgression. |
| 16Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all | 16Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring--not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. |
| 17(as it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations” ) in the presence of Him whom he believed—God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did; | 17As it is written: "I have made you a father of many nations." He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed--the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not. |
| 18who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, “So shall your descendants be.” | 18Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, "So shall your offspring be." |
| 19And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. | 19Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead--since he was about a hundred years old--and that Sarah's womb was also dead. |
| 20He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, | 20Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, |
| 21and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. | 21being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. |
| 22And therefore “it was accounted to him for righteousness.” | 22This is why "it was credited to him as righteousness." |
| 23Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, | 23The words "it was credited to him" were written not for him alone, |
| 24but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, | 24but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness--for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. |
| 25who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification. | 25He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification. |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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