Romans 3:21-4:25

English Standard Version

The Righteousness of God Through Faith

²¹ But now ^(A)the righteousness of God ^(B)has been manifested apart from the law, although ^(C)the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— ²² the righteousness of God ^(D)through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. ^(E)For there is no distinction: ²³ for ^(F)all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ^24 (G)and are justified ^(H)by his grace as a gift, ^(I)through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, ²⁵ whom God ^(J)put forward as ^(K)a propitiation ^(L)by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in ^(M)his divine forbearance he had passed over ^(N)former sins. ²⁶ It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

^27 (O)Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. ²⁸ For we hold that one is justified by faith ^(P)apart from works of the law. ²⁹ Or ^(Q)is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, ³⁰ since ^(R)God is one—who will justify the circumcised by faith and ^(S)the uncircumcised through faith. ³¹ Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.

Abraham Justified by Faith

4 What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, ^(T)our forefather according to the flesh? ² For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but ^(U)not before God. ³ For what does the Scripture say? ^(V)“Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” ⁴ Now ^(W)to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. ⁵ And to the one who does not work but ^(X)believes in^[a] him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, ⁶ just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works:

⁹ Is this blessing then only for ^(AA)the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? ^(AB)For we say that faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness. ¹⁰ How then was it counted to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised. ^11 (AC)He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was ^(AD)to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised, so that righteousness would be counted to them as well, ¹² and to make him the father of the circumcised who are not merely circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.

The Promise Realized Through Faith

¹³ For ^(AE)the promise to Abraham and his offspring ^(AF)that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. ^14 (AG)For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. ¹⁵ For ^(AH)the law brings wrath, but ^(AI)where there is no law ^(AJ)there is no transgression.

¹⁶ That is why it depends on faith, ^(AK)in order that the promise may rest on grace and ^(AL)be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, ^(AM)who is the father of us all, ¹⁷ as it is written, ^(AN)“I have made you the father of many nations”—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, ^(AO)who gives life to the dead and calls into existence ^(AP)the things that do not exist. ¹⁸ In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, ^(AQ)“So shall your offspring be.” ¹⁹ He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was ^(AR)as good as dead (^(AS)since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered ^(AT)the barrenness^[b] of Sarah's womb. ²⁰ No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, ²¹ fully convinced that ^(AU)God was able to do what he had promised. ²² That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” ²³ But ^(AV)the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, ²⁴ but for ours also. It will be counted to us ^(AW)who believe in ^(AX)him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, ^25 (AY)who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised ^(AZ)for our justification.