New International Version NIV
Revised Standard Version RSV
1 What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, discovered in this matter?
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What then shall we say about Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh?
2 If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God.
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For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God.
3 What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
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For what does the scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness."
4 Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation.
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Now to one who works, his wages are not reckoned as a gift but as his due.
5 However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness.
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And to one who does not work but trusts him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness.
6 David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the one to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:
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So also David pronounces a blessing upon the man to whom God reckons righteousness apart from works:
7 “Blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.
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"Blessed are those whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered;
8 Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord will never count against them.”
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blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not reckon his sin."
9 Is 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.
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Is this blessing pronounced only upon the circumcised, or also upon the uncircumcised? We say that faith was reckoned to Abraham as righteousness.
10 Under what circumstances was it credited? Was it after he was circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before!
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How then was it reckoned to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised.
11 And 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.
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He received circumcision as a sign or seal of the righteousness which he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised and who thus have righteousness reckoned to them,
12 And 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.
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and likewise the father of the circumcised who are not merely circumcised but also follow the example of the faith which our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.
13 It 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.
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The promise to Abraham and his descendants, that they should inherit the world, did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith.
14 For if those who depend on the law are heirs, faith means nothing and the promise is worthless,
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If it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void.
15 because the law brings wrath. And where there is no law there is no transgression.
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For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression.
16 Therefore, 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.
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That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his descendants--not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham, for he is the father of us all,
17 As 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.
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as it is written, "I have made you the father of many nations" --in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.
18 Against 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.”
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In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations; as he had been told, "So shall your descendants be."
19 Without 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.
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He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead because he was about a hundred years old, or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb.
20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God,
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No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God,
21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.
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fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.
22 This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.”
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That is why his faith was "reckoned to him as righteousness."
23 The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone,
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But the words, "it was reckoned to him," were written not for his sake alone,
24 but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.
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but for ours also. It will be reckoned to us who believe in him that raised from the dead Jesus our Lord,
25 He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.
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who was put to death for our trespasses and raised for our justification.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.