Romans 4:18

18 Against hope, with hope he believed, so that he became the father of many nations, ^[a] according to what had been spoken: So will your descendants be. ^[b]

Romans 4:18 Meaning and Commentary

Romans 4:18

Who against hope believed in hope
Abraham believed the promise of God,

that he might become the father of many nations,
being assisted by a supernatural aid: "in hope"; of the fulfilment of it by the grace and power of God: "against hope": against all visible, rational grounds of hope; Sarah's womb and his own body being dead, but inasmuch as God had said it, he believed:

according to that which is spoken, so shall thy seed be;
his faith rested upon the word of God, which showed the nature of it, and that it was of the right kind.

Romans 4:18 In-Context

16 This 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

17 in God's sight. As it is written: I have made you the father of many nations. He believed in God, who gives life to the dead and calls things into existence that do not exist.

18 Against hope, with hope he believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what had been spoken: So will your descendants be.

19 He considered his own body to be already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's womb, without weakening in the faith.

20 He did not waver in unbelief at God's promise, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God,

Footnotes

• [a]. Gn 17:5
• [b]. Gn 15:5