| International Standard Version | English Standard Version |
| 1What, then, are we to say about Abraham, our human ancestor? | 1What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? |
| 2For if Abraham was justified by actions, he would have had something to boast about—though not before God. | 2For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. |
| 3For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." | 3For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” |
| 4Now to someone who works, wages are not considered a gift but an obligation. | 4Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. |
| 5However, to someone who does not work, but simply believes in the one who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness. | 5And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, |
| 6Likewise, David also speaks of the blessedness of the person whom God regards as righteous apart from actions: | 6just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works: |
| 7"How blessed are those whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered! | 7“Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; |
| 8How blessed is the person whose sins the Lord will never charge against him!" | 8blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.” |
| 9Now does this blessedness come to the circumcised alone, or also to the uncircumcised? For we say, "Abraham's faith was credited to him as righteousness." | 9Is this blessing then only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? For we say that faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness. |
| 10Under what circumstances was it credited? Was he circumcised or uncircumcised? He had not yet been circumcised, but was uncircumcised. | 10How then was it counted to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised. |
| 11Afterward he received the mark of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. Therefore, he is the ancestor of all who believe while uncircumcised, in order that righteousness may be credited to them. | 11He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised, so that righteousness would be counted to them as well, |
| 12He is also the ancestor of the circumcised—those who are not only circumcised, but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised. | 12and 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. |
| 13For the promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the Law, but through the righteousness produced by faith. | 13For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. |
| 14For if those who were given the Law are the heirs, then faith is useless and the promise is worthless, | 14For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. |
| 15for the Law produces wrath. Now where there is no Law, neither can there be any violation of it. | 15For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression. |
| 16Therefore, the promise is based on faith, so that it may be a matter of grace and may be guaranteed for all of Abraham's descendants—not only for those who were given the Law, but also for those who share the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all. | 16That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and 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, who is the father of us all, |
| 17As it is written, "I have made you the father of many nations." Abraham acted in faith when he stood in the presence of God, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence things that don't yet exist. | 17as 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. |
| 18Hoping in spite of hopeless circumstances, he believed that he would become "the father of many nations," just as he had been told: "This is how many descendants you will have." | 18In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.” |
| 19His faith did not weaken when he thought about his own body (which was already as good as dead now that he was about a hundred years old) or about Sarah's inability to have children, | 19He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. |
| 20nor did he doubt God's promise out of a lack of faith. Instead, his faith became stronger and he gave glory to God, | 20No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, |
| 21being absolutely convinced that God would do what he had promised. | 21fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. |
| 22This is why "it was credited to him as righteousness." | 22That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” |
| 23Now the words "it was credited to him" were written not only for him | 23But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, |
| 24but also for us. Our faith will be regarded in the same way, if we believe in the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. | 24but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, |
| 25He was sentenced to death because of our sins and raised to life to justify us. | 25who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification. |
The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. | ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. |
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