| New Living Translation | New American Standard Bible 1995 |
| 1Abraham was, humanly speaking, the founder of our Jewish nation. What did he discover about being made right with God? | 1What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found? |
| 2If his good deeds had made him acceptable to God, he would have had something to boast about. But that was not God’s way. | 2For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. |
| 3For the Scriptures tell us, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” | 3For what does the Scripture say? "ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS." |
| 4When people work, their wages are not a gift, but something they have earned. | 4Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due. |
| 5But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners. | 5But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness, |
| 6David also spoke of this when he described the happiness of those who are declared righteous without working for it: | 6just as David also speaks of the blessing on the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: |
| 7“Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sins are put out of sight. | 7"BLESSED ARE THOSE WHOSE LAWLESS DEEDS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN, AND WHOSE SINS HAVE BEEN COVERED. |
| 8Yes, what joy for those whose record the LORD has cleared of sin.” | 8"BLESSED IS THE MAN WHOSE SIN THE LORD WILL NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT." |
| 9Now, is this blessing only for the Jews, or is it also for uncircumcised Gentiles? Well, we have been saying that Abraham was counted as righteous by God because of his faith. | 9Is this blessing then on the circumcised, or on the uncircumcised also? For we say, "FAITH WAS CREDITED TO ABRAHAM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS." |
| 10But how did this happen? Was he counted as righteous only after he was circumcised, or was it before he was circumcised? Clearly, God accepted Abraham before he was circumcised! | 10How then was it credited? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised; |
| 11Circumcision was a sign that Abraham already had faith and that God had already accepted him and declared him to be righteous—even before he was circumcised. So Abraham is the spiritual father of those who have faith but have not been circumcised. They are counted as righteous because of their faith. | 11and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while uncircumcised, so that he might be the father of all who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be credited to them, |
| 12And Abraham is also the spiritual father of those who have been circumcised, but only if they have the same kind of faith Abraham had before he was circumcised. | 12and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also follow in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham which he had while uncircumcised. |
| 13Clearly, God’s promise to give the whole earth to Abraham and his descendants was based not on his obedience to God’s law, but on a right relationship with God that comes by faith. | 13For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would be heir of the world was not through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith. |
| 14If God’s promise is only for those who obey the law, then faith is not necessary and the promise is pointless. | 14For if those who are of the Law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise is nullified; |
| 15For the law always brings punishment on those who try to obey it. (The only way to avoid breaking the law is to have no law to break!) | 15for the Law brings about wrath, but where there is no law, there also is no violation. |
| 16So the promise is received by faith. It is given as a free gift. And we are all certain to receive it, whether or not we live according to the law of Moses, if we have faith like Abraham’s. For Abraham is the father of all who believe. | 16For this reason it is by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants, 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, |
| 17That is what the Scriptures mean when God told him, “I have made you the father of many nations.” This happened because Abraham believed in the God who brings the dead back to life and who creates new things out of nothing. | 17(as it is written, "A FATHER OF MANY NATIONS HAVE I MADE YOU") in the presence of Him whom he believed, even God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist. |
| 18Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping—believing that he would become the father of many nations. For God had said to him, “That’s how many descendants you will have!” | 18In hope against hope he believed, so that he might become a father of many nations according to that which had been spoken, "SO SHALL YOUR DESCENDANTS BE." |
| 19And Abraham’s faith did not weaken, even though, at about 100 years of age, he figured his body was as good as dead—and so was Sarah’s womb. | 19Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah's womb; |
| 20Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. | 20yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, |
| 21He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises. | 21and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform. |
| 22And because of Abraham’s faith, God counted him as righteous. | 22Therefore IT WAS ALSO CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS. |
| 23And when God counted him as righteous, it wasn’t just for Abraham’s benefit. It was recorded | 23Now not for his sake only was it written that it was credited to him, |
| 24for our benefit, too, assuring us that God will also count us as righteous if we believe in him, the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. | 24but for our sake also, to whom it will be credited, as those who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, |
| 25He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised to life to make us right with God. | 25He who was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification. |
| Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. | New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org |
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