Romans 4-5

Tree of Life Version

Abraham Set Right by Faith

4 What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found? ² For if Abraham was set right by works, he has something to boast about—but not before God. ³ For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” ^{[a] 4} Now to the one who works, the pay is not credited as a gift, but as what is due. ⁵ But to the one who does not work, but trusts in Him who justifies the ungodly, his trust is credited as righteousness— ⁶ just as David also speaks of the blessing on the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:

⁷ “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven and whose sins are covered.

⁸ Blessed is the man whose sin Adonai will never count against him.”^[b]

⁹ Is this blessing then only on the circumcised, or also on the uncircumcised? For we say, “trust was credited to Abraham as righteousness.”^[c]

¹⁰ In what state then was it credited? While circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised! ¹¹ And he received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness of the trust he had while he was uncircumcised, so he might be the father of all who are trusting while uncircumcised—that righteousness might be credited to them as well. ¹² Also he is the father of the circumcised, to those not only circumcised but also walking in the footsteps of the trust of our father Abraham before his circumcision.^[d]

Trusting in the Promise

¹³ For the promise to Abraham or to his seed—to become heir of the world—was not through law, but through the righteousness based on trust. ¹⁴ For if those who are of the Torah are heirs, trust has become empty and the promise is made ineffective. ¹⁵ For the Torah brings about wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there a violation.

¹⁶ For this reason it depends on trust, so that the promise according to grace might be guaranteed to all the offspring—not only to those of the Torah but also to those of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all ¹⁷ (as it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations”^[e]). He is our father in the sight of God in whom he trusted, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence that which does not exist. ¹⁸ In hope beyond hope, he trusted that he would become the father of many nations according to what was spoken—“So shall your descendants be.” ^{[f] 19} And without becoming weak in faith, he considered his own body—as good as dead, since he was already a hundred years old—and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. ²⁰ Yet he did not waver in unbelief concerning the promise of God. Rather, he was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God. ²¹ He was fully convinced that what God has promised, He also is able to do. ^{[g] 22} That is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.”^[h]

²³ Now not only for his sake was it written that it was credited to him, ²⁴ but for our sake as well. It is credited to us as those who trust in Him who raised Yeshua our Lord from the dead. ²⁵ He was handed over for our transgressions and raised up for the sake of setting us right.^[i]

Shalom with God through Messiah

5 Therefore, having been made righteous by trusting, we have shalom with God through our Lord Yeshua the Messiah. ^{[j] 2} Through Him we also have gained access by faith into this grace in which we stand and boast in the hope of God’s glory. ³ And not only that, but we also boast in suffering—knowing that suffering produces perseverance; ⁴ and perseverance, character; and character, hope. ⁵ And hope does not disappoint, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Ruach ha-Kodesh who was given to us.

⁶ For while we were still helpless, at the right time Messiah died for the ungodly. ⁷ For rarely will anyone die for a righteous man—though perhaps for a good man someone might even dare to die. ⁸ But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Messiah died for us. ⁹ How much more then, having now been set right by His blood, shall we be saved from God’s wrath through Him. ¹⁰ For if, while we were yet enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved by His life. ¹¹ And not only that, but we also boast in God through our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Yet Sin Reigns through Death

¹² So then, just as sin came into the world through one man and death through sin, in the same way death spread to all men because all sinned. ¹³ For up until the Torah, sin was in the world; but sin does not count as sin when there is no law. ¹⁴ Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned in a manner similar to the violation of Adam, who is a pattern of the One to come.

¹⁵ But the gracious gift is not like the transgression. For if many died because of the transgression of one man, how much more did the grace of God overflow to many through the gift of one Man—Yeshua the Messiah. ¹⁶ Moreover, the gift is not like what happened through the one who sinned. For on the one hand, the judgment from one violation resulted in condemnation; but on the other hand, the gracious gift following many transgressions resulted in justification. ^{[k] 17} For if by the one man’s transgression, death reigned through the one,^[l] how much more shall those who receive the overflow of grace and the gift of righteousness reign in life through the One, Messiah Yeshua.

¹⁸ So then, through the transgression of one, condemnation came to all men; likewise, through the righteousness of one came righteousness of life to all men. ¹⁹ For just as through the disobedience of one man, many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of one man, many will be set right forever.^[m]

²⁰ Now the Torah came in so that transgression might increase. But where sin increased, grace overflowed even more— ²¹ so that just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness, to eternal life through Messiah Yeshua our Lord.