Romans 4-7

American Standard Version

4 What then shall we say ^[a]that Abraham, ^[b]our forefather, hath found according to the flesh? ² For if Abraham was justified ^[c]by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not toward God. ³ For what saith the scripture? ^[d]And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness. ⁴ Now to him that worketh, the reward is not reckoned as of grace, but as of debt. ⁵ But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is reckoned for righteousness. ⁶ Even as David also pronounceth blessing upon the man, unto whom God reckoneth righteousness apart from works, ⁷ saying,

⁹ Is this blessing then pronounced upon the circumcision, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say, To Abraham his faith was reckoned for righteousness. ¹⁰ How then was it reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision: ¹¹ and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while he was in uncircumcision: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be in uncircumcision, that righteousness might be reckoned unto them; ¹² and the father of circumcision to them who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham which he had in uncircumcision. ¹³ For not ^[f]through the law was the promise to Abraham or to his seed that he should be heir of the world, but through the righteousness of faith. ¹⁴ For if they that are of the law are heirs, faith is made void, and the promise is made of none effect: ¹⁵ for the law worketh wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there transgression. ¹⁶ For this cause it is of faith, that it may be according to grace; to the end that the promise may be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all ¹⁷ (as it is written, ^[g]A father of many nations have I made thee) before him whom he believed, even God, who giveth life to the dead, and calleth the things that are not, as though they were. ¹⁸ Who in hope believed against hope, to the end that he might become a father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, ^[h]So shall thy seed be. ¹⁹ And without being weakened in faith he considered his own body ^[i]now as good as dead (he being about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s ^[j]womb; ²⁰ yet, looking unto the promise of God, he wavered not through unbelief, but waxed strong through faith, giving glory to God, ²¹ and being fully assured that what he had promised, he was able also to perform. ²² Wherefore also it was reckoned unto him for righteousness. ²³ Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was reckoned unto him; ²⁴ but for our sake also, unto whom it shall be reckoned, who believe on him that raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, ²⁵ who was delivered up for our trespasses, and was raised for our justification.

5 Being therefore justified ^[k]by faith, ^[l]we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ; ² through whom also we have had our access ^[m]by faith into this grace wherein we stand; and ^[n]we ^[o]rejoice in hope of the glory of God. ³ And not only so, but ^[p]we also ^[q]rejoice in our tribulations: knowing that tribulation worketh stedfastness; ⁴ and stedfastness, approvedness; and approvedness, hope: ⁵ and hope putteth not to shame; because the love of God hath been ^[r]shed abroad in our hearts through the Holy Spirit which was given unto us. ⁶ For while we were yet weak, in due season Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷ For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: for peradventure for the good man some one would even dare to die. ⁸ But God commendeth his own love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. ⁹ Much more then, being now justified ^[s]by his blood, shall we be saved from the wrath of God through him. ¹⁰ For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, shall we be saved ^[t]by his life; ¹¹ and not only so, ^[u]but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

¹² Therefore, as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin; and so death passed unto all men, for that all sinned:— ¹³ for until the law sin was in the world; but sin is not imputed when there is no law. ¹⁴ Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the likeness of Adam’s transgression, who is a figure of him that was to come. ¹⁵ But not as the trespass, so also is the free gift. For if by the trespass of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God, and the gift by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abound unto the many. ¹⁶ And not as through one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment came of one unto condemnation, but the free gift came of many trespasses unto ^[v]justification. ¹⁷ For if, by the trespass of the one, death reigned through the one; much more shall they that receive the abundance of grace and ^[w]of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one, even Jesus Christ. ¹⁸ So then as through one trespass the judgment came unto all men to condemnation; even so through one act of righteousness the free gift came unto all men to justification of life. ¹⁹ For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the one shall the many be made righteous. ²⁰ And ^[x]the law came in besides, that the trespass might abound; but where sin abounded, grace did abound more exceedingly: ²¹ that, as sin reigned in death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

6 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? ² God forbid. We who died to sin, how shall we any longer live therein? ³ Or are ye ignorant that all we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? ⁴ We were buried therefore with him through baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life. ⁵ For if we have become ^[y]united with him in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection; ⁶ knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away, that so we should no longer be in bondage to sin; ⁷ for he that hath died is ^[z]justified from sin. ⁸ But if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him; ⁹ knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death no more hath dominion over him. ¹⁰ For ^[aa]the death that he died, he died unto sin ^[ab]once: but ^[ac]the life that he liveth, he liveth unto God. ¹¹ Even so reckon ye also yourselves to be dead unto sin, but alive unto God in Christ Jesus.

¹² Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey the lusts thereof: ¹³ neither present your members unto sin as ^[ad]instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves unto God, as alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. ¹⁴ For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under law, but under grace.

¹⁵ What then? shall we sin, because we are not under law, but under grace? God forbid. ¹⁶ Know ye not, that to whom ye present yourselves as ^[ae]servants unto obedience, his ^[af]servants ye are whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? ¹⁷ But thanks be to God, ^[ag]that, whereas ye were ^[ah]servants of sin, ye became obedient from the heart to that ^[ai]form of teaching whereunto ye were delivered; ¹⁸ and being made free from sin, ye became ^[aj]servants of righteousness. ¹⁹ I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye presented your members as servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity, even so now present your members as servants to righteousness unto sanctification. ²⁰ For when ye were ^[ak]servants of sin, ye were free in regard of righteousness. ²¹ What fruit then had ye at that time in the things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. ²² But now being made free from sin and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto sanctification, and the end eternal life. ²³ For the wages of sin is death; but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

7 Or are ye ignorant, brethren (for I speak to men who know ^[al]the law), that the law hath dominion over a man for so long time as he liveth? ² For the woman that hath a husband is bound by law to the husband while he liveth; but if the husband die, she is discharged from the law of the husband. ³ So then if, while the husband liveth, she be joined to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if the husband die, she is free from the law, so that she is no adulteress, though she be joined to another man. ⁴ Wherefore, my brethren, ye also were made dead to the law through the body of Christ; that ye should be joined to another, even to him who was raised from the dead, that we might bring forth fruit unto God. ⁵ For when we were in the flesh, the ^[am]sinful passions, which were through the law, wrought in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. ⁶ But now we have been discharged from the law, having died to that wherein we were held; so that we serve in newness of the spirit, and not in oldness of the letter.

⁷ What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Howbeit, I had not known sin, except through ^[an]the law: for I had not known ^[ao]coveting, except the law had said, ^[ap]Thou shalt not ^[aq]covet: ⁸ but sin, finding occasion, wrought in me through the commandment all manner of ^[ar]coveting: for apart from ^[as]the law sin is dead. ⁹ And I was alive apart from ^[at]the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died; ¹⁰ and the commandment, which was unto life, this I found to be unto death: ¹¹ for sin, finding occasion, through the commandment beguiled me, and through it slew me. ¹² So that the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and righteous, and good. ¹³ Did then that which is good become death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might be shown to be sin, by working death to me through that which is good;—that through the commandment sin might become exceeding sinful. ¹⁴ For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. ¹⁵ For that which I ^[au]do I know not: for not what I would, that do I practise; but what I hate, that I do. ¹⁶ But if what I would not, that I do, I consent unto the law that it is good. ¹⁷ So now it is no more I that ^[av]do it, but sin which dwelleth in me. ¹⁸ For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me, but to ^[aw]do that which is good is not. ¹⁹ For the good which I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I practise. ²⁰ But if what I would not, that I do, it is no more I that ^[ax]do it, but sin which dwelleth in me. ²¹ I find then ^[ay]the law, that, to me who would do good, evil is present. ²² For I delight ^[az]in the law of God after the inward man: ²³ but I see a different law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity ^[ba]under the law of sin which is in my members. ²⁴ Wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me out of ^[bb]the body of this death? ^25 [bc]I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then I of myself with the mind, indeed, serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.