ROMANS 4 - Annotated Notes
THE PRACTICALITY OF RIGHT DOCTRINE:
As a doctrinal epistle, Romans imparts “right believing”, “right teaching” - instructing us how to believe rightly in harmony with God’s revealed Word and will. Chapters 1-8 comprise the doctrinal section of the epistle.
In examining the over-all message from chapters 1-8 on how to believe rightly, the subject matter of "the righteousness of God" is preeminent. In the theme verse (1:17) and in several subsequent verses, the truth is established that a man obtains the righteousness of God by grace, not law -- through believing, not works. To be made righteous, or to be justified, gives a person right standing before God. It is a legal standing before the throne of God, the righteous Judge of all men. The righteousness of God gives a man the privilege to enter into the presence of God without any sense of sin, or guilt, or shame, or condemnation, or unworthiness, or fear of rejection or punishment. It is a God-given, Christ-bought right, to be enjoyed by everyone who believes, whether Jew or Gentile, whether male or female.
Romans 1-8 does not talk about one’s social or political rights, or one's economic or human rights. It doesn’t address one’s rights if he stands before a human court of law, or even before a so-called Supreme Court in pursuit of justice and equality. Romans deals with the rights that a man or woman has in the presence of God Almighty - in the "Courtroom of God’s grace”. Romans is all about relationship, between a Father and each child in His family.
Whenever a person is ignorant of what Romans teaches about that relationship, there will always be practical disadvantage in their life - ALWAYS. In reaching out to people in need with the service of Biblical Christian counseling, I have the opportunity to witness that practical disadvantage in a multiplicity of ways.
For instance, many a couple comes to me for help with their marriage, and a high percentage of the time the root cause of their disharmony is an ignorance of what Romans says about who each of them is in God’s eyes. In other words, the relationship that is in primary disrepair is the one with their heavenly Father, not their earthly spouse. The former is the cause, the latter is the symptom. An image of self might have been ingrained into their impressionable minds growing up, and now when they think of God there is crippling condemnation, or an angry bitterness, or some other mixture of thoughts and emotions born of ignorance, driving a wedge between them and their heavenly Father - and the effects can become evident in the marriage.
Perhaps an individual comes to me expressing an inability to move on from a tragic error, claiming they’re not able to forgive themselves. No matter how hard they try - through repeated prayers of apology, or self-punishing penance of one kind or another - they just can’t seem to get past their past. And even though they might have heard the truth of 1 John 1:7 and 9 (that they have been cleansed from all unrighteousness by the blood of Jesus Christ), they have yet to believe what it says and receive deliverance from their torment.
But after a few probing questions about how they were raised by their parents, what they were taught in church growing up, what they believed about their salvation and the foundation of their relationship with God - the root of the “I can’t forgive myself” traces back to an ignorance of Romans. A deeply rooted sense of "saved-by-grace-AND-works" has left them without a sense of the utter depravity they came from in the first place, as described in Romans 1:18-3:20. They didn’t see how truly needful they were when they accepted Christ. He was a savior in part, not in whole. Righteousness was a 50/50 deal. They saw themselves as “good”, and Christ merely made them “better-than-they-could-be-on-their-own”. But now that they have experienced for the first time the reality of their personal depravity from Romans (which they failed to understand when they got saved), they can experience the magnitude of their salvation by grace. The full solution: realize the magnitude of SIN, and the even greater magnitude of their SAVIOR. Romans majors in magnitude.
The next section of Romans that we’ll examine verse by verse, beginning with 4:1, builds upon what has come before it by pointing to the example of Abraham. Right believing brought practical advantage to his life.
Romans 4:1 [AV]
What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?
ANNOTATED NOTES:
What shall we say then…?: this is the 1st of 6 occurrences of this interrogative phrase in Romans (6:1; 7:7; 8:31; 9:14,30);
Abraham: the man whom Israel proudly claimed as their “father”, tracing their bloodline back to him through Jacob and Isaac (see Mtt 1:1-2; 3:9; 8:11; Lk 3:8; 19:9; Jn 8:33,37,39,56). In Rom 1:1-2, it was declared that the gospel of God had been “promised afore by His prophets in the holy scriptures”. The theme verse (1:17) cites the prophet Habakkuk. From 1:18 to 3:31 the book of Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Isaiah, and Ezekiel were cited in declaring the sinfulness of man and the need for a Savior other than self. Now, in chapter 4, the gospel will be shown to have roots that go back long before the Law was given by God to Moses, all the way back to Abraham whom God declared to be a prophet in Gen 20:17. Here in Rom 4 he will be declared "the father of all them that believe" - for just as we are, he was justified by believing, not by works.
father=pater: a male ancestor, forefather, progenitor of a people, the originator of something (see Acts 7:1-2; Gal 3:8).
as pertaining to the flesh: This phrase could either be connected with the words "Abraham our father" or with "hath found"; the former referring to lineage by birth and the latter referring to human works. Although the statement is true of his lineage, the context here would dictate it is referring to human works (such as circumcision). Rom 3:28-30 concluded that a man, whether circumcised or not, is justified by believing without the deeds of the law. The next verse (4:2) opens with the clause, "For if Abraham were justified by works…” So the context clearly points to “the flesh” referring to works, not lineage.
** Throughout this chapter, which focuses on how Abraham had righteousness imputed to him, there will be 3 points of similarity highlighted between Abraham and all those who believe rightly regarding Jesus Christ: Abraham was justified by believing, not works; he was justified by grace, not law; he was justified by resurrection power, not by human effort.
ALTERNATIVE TRANSLATIONS:
Romans 4:1 [AEI]
What then are we saying concerning Abraham the patriarch, that he obtained [righteousness] by the flesh?
Romans 4:1 [WUEST]
What then shall we say that Abraham our forefather found with reference to the flesh?
Romans 4:2 [AV]
For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.
ANNOTATED NOTES:
justified=dikaioo: to make just or righteous according to God’s established standard
glory=kauchema: boast; Abraham had no grounds for boasting before God based on works (no one does, according to Eph 2:8-9). What is stated as being true for every man in 3:26-28 is specifically stated as being true for Abraham here in 4:2, i.e. justification by believing excludes all boasting. God did not put Abraham right with himself because of any works Abraham did. No person has grounds to boast in their own works - and they certainly don’t have grounds to boast in the fact that they believed, since what’s important is the object of one's believing rather than the believing itself.
** This section of Romans is dealing with justification, being given right standing before God. But the principle of “no boasting” is applicable elsewhere in the walk. For instance, if one were to witness someone being raised from the dead in the name of Jesus Christ, and thus believed in God, it would be preposterous for them to boast or be prideful in the fact that they believed. The boasting to be done would be in the LORD GOD because of the display of His power and love in the name of His Son.
Even if you were the believer who got the revelation to raise the man from the dead, and did it - there would still be no room for pride or boasting in one’s self. See Acts 3:1-16. Peter’s question in v12 says it all: “Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?”. Peter had indeed been with Jesus (Acts 4:13), and had been given instructions, "Freely ye have received, freely give" (Mtt 10:8b). And if it is simply a matter of receiving something in order to give, why boast? 1 Cor 4:7 : “For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?” [NKJV]
ALTERNATIVE TRANSLATIONS:
Romans 4:2 [NEB]
If Abraham was justified by anything he had done, then he has a ground for pride. But he has no such ground before God;
Romans 4:2 [WEY]
For if he was held to be righteous on the ground of his actions, he has something to boast of; but not in the presence of God.
Romans 4:3 [AV]
For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
ANNOTATED NOTES:
what saith the scriptures?: This is the quintessential question to be asked and answered by every Christian concerning any subject: “What does God say in His Word?”. Romans began with how the gospel of God was promised by the prophets “in the holy scriptures”. The word “scripture(s)” occurs 7x in Romans (1:2; 4:3; 9:17; 10:11; 11:2; 15:4; 16:26) In Mtt 4:1-11 Jesus Christ answered each temptation with “It is written”. Romans provides the same standard, with the phrase “it is written” occurring 16 times (1:17; 2:24; 3:4,10; 4:17; 8:36; 9:13,33; 10:15; 11:8,26; 12:19; 14:11; 15:3,9,21). For a man to know where God has given us answers, and yet remain intentionally ignorant of what is written, is to be willfully blind (see 2 Cor 4:1-4).
Abraham believed…righteousness.: a quote from Gen 15:6. This truth is repeated in 4:9,22 (also see Gal 3:6-8). The Hebrew word for “believed” in Gen 15:6 is aman, meaning “to say ‘amen’, or ‘so be it’” (see Luke 1:37-38 for a similar response from Mary at the announcement of something that could naturally appear impossible). Gen 15:6 is not the first time that Abraham believed God. Heb 11:8-10 testifies to previous points in time in Genesis where Abraham simply believed God’s Word and acted accordingly. But the Gen 15 record being recalled here in Rom 4 is singularly significant, in that God makes the point of comparison to our believing regarding Jesus Christ (Rom 4:23-24). Both are an incident of God bringing LIFE to pass, according to His promise, where deadness was previously present (4:17-20).
counted=logizomai: impute, reckon, credit to one’s account, whether by calculation or imputation; it is to put something to one’s account, as in a banking or accounting sense of putting a credit on one’s ledger. Before Jesus Christ came and completed the work for man's redemption, it was impossible for a man to have "the righteousness of God". His sins could be covered but not cleansed, no matter how many works he did or sacrifices he offered. God, however, credited righteousness to Abraham when he believed, and did so to others who believed in the coming Redeemer. Righteousness was set to their account in anticipation of Christ's atoning sacrifice. Thus God could treat Abraham as a righteous man even before Christ paid the price for sin. In God’s foreknowledge, redemption for those who believed was already a reality.
** Believing and righteousness are major themes of chapter 4. So, also, is the Gr word logizomai. It occurs 11x in this chapter, being translated in some form of “impute”, “reckon”, or “count” in the AV (see 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 22, 23, 24). It shows God as the active One and man in the passive sense - God as the Giver, man as the recipient.
ALTERNATIVE TRANSLATION:
Romans 4:3 [AMP]
For what does the Scripture say? Abraham believed in (trusted in) God, and it was credited to his account as righteousness (...right standing with God). [Gen. 15:6.]
Romans 4:4 [AV]
Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
ANNOTATED NOTES:
reward=misthos: wage, the amount paid for services or work done
reckoned=logizomai: same Gr word translated “counted” in the prior verse; means to impute, reckon, credit to one’s account, whether by calculation or imputation (see note on 4:3)
debt=opheilema: that which is owed and legally due; When a laborer does work for an employer, he rightfully doesn’t consider the paycheck he collects as a gift, but rather as earned wages. An employer’s debt that he owes to a worker is the opposite of an undeserved gift he gives by grace. Grace, by definition, cannot be earned. Wages earned by work performed, by definition, cannot be a gift. Grace and works are not just different concepts - when it comes to the basis of justification, they are 100% mutually exclusive. Romans 11:6 [NKJV]: “And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.” (see Gal 2:21; 5:2-4; Rom 10:3-4)
ALTERNATIVE TRANSLATION:
Romans 4:4 [AMP]
Now to a laborer, his wages are not counted as a favor or a gift, but as an obligation (something owed to him).
Romans 4:4 [WUEST]
Now, for the one who works with a definite result in view [his wages], the remuneration is not put down on his account as an undeserved, gratuitous gift, but as a legally contracted debt.
Romans 4:5 [AV]
But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
ANNOTATED NOTES:
him that worketh not: within the verse and the context, it’s referring to the person who's not attempting to be justified by his own works, but rather is trusting in the One who declares the ungodly free from guilt based on Christ’s work. The one who “worketh not” has renounced any and all possibilities of earning his salvation, whether before or after receiving it. For that man, his believing regardling Jesus Christ is counted to his credit as righteousness.
justifieth the ungodly: in truth, there are no godly ones, as documented in 3:10-19; The one who doesn’t trust in his own works will disavow any personal merit and admit to being ungodly rather than good. The man who “believeth on him that justifies the ungodly" acknowledges that all his own best efforts could never fulfill even one iota of God’s righteous demands. Such a man doesn’t come to God believing in his own goodness, trumpeting his good intentions while thinking he deserves pardon because he has tried his best and sacrificed himself on the altar of good works. Nor does he attempt to make the case to God that at least he hasn’t been as bad as others (see Lk 18:9-14; Mtt 9:10-13). He knows he is guilty and ungodly, and that He who "justifies the ungodly" is his only hope. For that man, trusting and “believing” in the work of God's Son (not his own) is the sole path to salvation.
faith=pistis: believing; the verb form, pisteuo, is translated “believeth” in this verse
counted=logizomai: see note on logizomai in 4:3; Abraham did not work for his righteousness - he simply believed the promise of God’s provision by grace. God put it to Abraham’s account, counting him as righteous based on the legal price that would be paid. It was Jesus Christ who would do the work on the cross, making the full payment for man’s redemption and salvation. God put our sins on Christ’s account, that He might put Christ’s payment to our account. Christ is the one who paid the just punishment for our sins: Death! In shedding his precious, innocent blood (1 Pet 1:18-19; Mtt 27:4; Ps 94:21), Christ paid a debt he never owed, because we owed a debt we could never pay. That’s love. That’s mercy. That’s grace. That’s God. (2 Cor 5:21: “For he [God] hath made him [Jesus Christ] to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”; 1 Cor 6:20a and 723a: “you were bought with a price…”; (also see Gal 3:13; Heb 9:12,14)
righteousness: right standing with God according to God’s just and righteous standard
ALTERNATIVE TRANSLATIONS:
Romans 4:5 [WEY]
Whereas in the case of a man who pleads no actions of his own, but simply believes in Him who declares the ungodly free from guilt, his faith is placed to his credit as righteousness.
Romans 4:5 [GNB]
But those who depend on faith, not on deeds, and who believe in the God who declares the guilty to be innocent, it is this faith that God takes into account in order to put them right with Himself.
PERIPHERAL NOTES ON TRANSLATIONS:
Below is a list of translations I draw from in the ALTERNATIVE TRANSLATIONS. Some of them I have yet to cite from, but they are nonetheless useful in my personal study and preparation for the Annotated Notes.
AVAuthorized Version (aka: King James)
AMP Amplified Bible
ASV American Standard Version of 1901
CEV Contempory English Version
DAR1890 Darby Bible
ESVEnglish Standard Version
GNBGood News Bible
GW God’s Word
HCSBHolman’s Christian Standard Bible
ISV International Standard Version
LITLiteral Translation
MSGThe Message
NASBNew American Standard Bible
NCVNew Century Version
NEBNew English Bible
NETNew English Translation
NIV New International Version
NKJV New King James Version
NLTNew Liiving Translation
PHILIPSJB Philips NT in Modern English
RSVRevised Standard Version
TLBThe Living Bible
WEYWeymouth NT
WUESTWuest Expanded Translation of NT
YLTYoung’s Literal Translation
When referencing a Greek word, I often identify it with “Gr”, and always put the transliterated letters of the Greek word in italics, to mark it as non-English (i.e. Gr: pistis).
English translations of the Bible will generally fall into 1 of 2 categories: Word-for-Word, or Thought-for-Thought
Although some Bible students claim that only a word-for-word translation is worthy of our personal study, others find a thought-for-thought translation more helpful to their understanding. If you speak to a Greek professor who is a “purist”, he’ll tell you that if you want to read the NT, you need to learn to read Greek. And yet, not a single one of the hundreds of Greek manuscripts of the NT in existence today is the "original text”, THE Word of God penned by the man of God who was “moved by the holy spirit” (2 Pet 1:20-21). At best, the extant manuscripts are copies of copies of copies - and any English version is the translator’s best effort to capture the very essence of THE WORD OF GOD, which lives and abides forever.
In providing counseling as an outreach service, it’s not unusual that I’m the first person in a counselee's life to strongly suggest they get a personal Bible of their choosing, and then read it each day for nourishment, enjoyment, and enlightenment. It’s also not unusual for a counselee to have attended church since childhood, but has yet to make it a daily habit to read and feed themselves the Bread of Life. They might “feast” on Sunday morning, but they “starve" the rest of the week, leading to malnutrition, weakness, and sickness - not in body, but in mind and heart. Every believer NEEDS spiritual food to live the life we’ve been called to live - physical food alone won’t cut it (Matt 4:1-10!!).
Regardless of their past experience, if someone asks me what translation they should buy, my answer is virtually identical each time: "the one you’ll read the most". And then I’ll explain the benefits of using a word-for-word as a rock solid foundation, and a second word-for-word or a thought-for-thought for further insight - adding that the greatest error that can enter their life will not be an error in some translation, but the error of not partaking, digesting, and LIVING what they read.
So, in addition to the previously emailed Alternative Translations for Romans 3:24-4:5, , here is one of the thought-for-thought translations that might be a blessing to you, as it speaks to the righteousness of God that is ours by believing - a pure gift!
Romans 3:24 - 4:5
God did it for us. Out of sheer generosity he put us in right standing with himself. A pure gift. He got us out of the mess we’re in and restored us to where he always wanted us to be. And he did it by means of Jesus Christ.
God sacrificed Jesus on the altar of the world to clear that world of sin. Having faith in him sets us in the clear. God decided on this course of action in full view of the public—to set the world in the clear with himself through the sacrifice of Jesus, finally taking care of the sins he had so patiently endured. This is not only clear, but it’s now—this is current history! God sets things right. He also makes it possible for us to live in his rightness.
So where does that leave our proud Jewish insider claims and counterclaims? Canceled? Yes, canceled. What we’ve learned is this: God does not respond to what we do; we respond to what God does. We’ve finally figured it out. Our lives get in step with God and all others by letting him set the pace, not by proudly or anxiously trying to run the parade.
And where does that leave our proud Jewish claim of having a corner on God? Also canceled. God is the God of outsider non-Jews as well as insider Jews. How could it be otherwise since there is only one God? God sets right all who welcome his action and enter into it, both those who follow our religious system and those who have never heard of our religion.
But by shifting our focus from what we do to what God does, don’t we cancel out all our careful keeping of the rules and ways God commanded? Not at all. What happens, in fact, is that by putting that entire way of life in its proper place, we confirm it.
So how do we fit what we know of Abraham, our first father in the faith, into this new way of looking at things? If Abraham, by what he did for God, got God to approve him, he could certainly have taken credit for it. But the story we’re given is a God-story, not an Abraham-story. What we read in Scripture is, “Abraham entered into what God was doing for him, and that was the turning point. He trusted God to set him right instead of trying to be right on his own.”
If you’re a hard worker and do a good job, you deserve your pay; we don’t call your wages a gift. But if you see that the job is too big for you, that it’s something only God can do, and you trust him to do it—you could never do it for yourself no matter how hard and long you worked—well, that trusting-him-to-do-it is what gets you set right with God, by God. Sheer gift.
Romans 4:6 [AV]
Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,
ANNOTATED NOTES:
Even as: "Just as”, indicating that David expressed the same truth as was declared true with Abraham
David: Abraham lived centuries before the Law was given to Moses, and David lived centuries after it was given. God is covering more than ample history to point out the only basis upon which righteousness is put to one’s account. Both Abraham and David represented monumental significance in the eyes of any Judean. To bring David into the record, a man who had been found openly guilty of both adultery and murder, leaves little question as to God’s mercy and grace in granting forgiveness of sins and right standing before Him on the basis of something other than works or law.
describeth: speaks of, tells of
blessedness=makarismos: a blessed state, a spiritually prosperous condition, a state of transcendent happiness
imputeth=logizomai: impute, reckon, credit to one’s account; see note on “counted” in 4:3
righteousness=dikaiosune: justness or rightness according to God’s established standard; right standing before God
without: apart from
** There are 3 sections of Scripture that Jesus Christ referred to in Luke 24:44 to summarize the entirety of the OT: the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms. In Rom 4:1-5, Abraham was cited, whose life is recorded in Genesis, the first book of the Law. Earlier in Romans (1:17), the prophet Habakkuk was cited in giving the theme verse of the epistle. Now a Davidic Psalm is being brought into the picture (4:6-8) to testify of God’s justification of man when he believes. Long before Christ came, a man was blessed because God credited righteousness to him not by his works but by believing. The law, the prophets, and the Psalms provide complete confirmation of this vital truth.
ALTERNATIVE TRANSLATIONS:
Romans 4:6 [NASB]
just as David also speaks of the blessing on the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:
Romans 4:6 [WUEST]
even as David also speaks of the spiritual prosperity of the man to whose account God puts righteousness apart from works:
Romans 4:6 [GNB]
This is what David meant when he spoke of the happiness of the person whom God accepts as righteous, apart from anything that person does:
Romans 4:7 [AV]
Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
ANNOTATED NOTES:
** Verses 7-8 are cited from Ps 32:1-2, a Psalm written by David, authored by God
Blessed=makarios: spiritually prosperous, blessed, transcendently happy
iniquities: referring to violations of the Mosaic law which David lived under; Every person under the law broke the law, so every person was in need of forgiveness. But since no man could be forgiven and made righteous by keeping the law (3:20), forgiveness would have to be on the basis of something other than the works of the law. It’s the same basis testified to by Abraham long before the law was given to Moses.
forgiven=aphiemi: sent away, let go, remitted, forgiven, disregarded; Later in Ps 32, David writes in v5: “…you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.” [NLT]
sins are covered: this is more far-reaching than just the violations of the law - it includes all varieties of sins since the fall. For OT believers, their sins were covered. If we were to liken those sins to filthy, stinky garbage in a trash can, we could put a lid over the can, covering up the sight and stench of the sins. But that would not “take away the sin of the world” (Jn 1:29) - it would only be a temporary fix (just take the lid off and you’ll find out how temporary). But if all the garbage were emptied out and sent away to the dump, with the inside of the garbage can thoroughly cleansed and disinfected from every contaminant, that would be a permanent fix for those sins. Christ was the permanent fix for all those who believe - through him we are cleansed in totality, for eternity. (see Heb 10:1-14)
ALTERNATIVE TRANSLATIONS:
Romans 4:7 [ESV]
“Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered;
Romans 4:7 [NLT]
“Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sins are put out of sight.
Romans 4:8 [AV]
Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.
ANNOTATED NOTES:
** Verse 8 is a continuation from v7 in citing Ps 32:1-2
Blessed=makarios: spiritually prosperous, blessed, transcendently happy
to: against
impute=logizomai: see note on 4:3; instead of sin being imputed or put to one's account, God credits righteousness to one's account when they believe. Righteousness, right standing before God (which meets all of God’s standard for rightness and justice), is a matter of God’s grace, not of man’s efforts. 2 Cor 5:19,21 [AV]: “...God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them...For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” That is God’s LOVE. When a man realizes the magnitude of that love, it helps him walk in that love toward others, as spoken of in 1 Cor 13:5, which says that the love of God that we can manifest toward others “thinks [logizomai] no evil”.
ALTERNATIVE TRANSLATION:
Romans 4:8 [AMP]
Blessed and happy and to be envied is the person of whose sin the Lord will take no account nor reckon it against him. [Ps. 32:1, 2.]
Romans 4:9 [AV]
Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.
ANNOTATED NOTES:
this blessedness: After citing the blessedness that David spoke of, the question is addressed as to who is qualified to have such blessedness bestowed upon them: only those circumcised? (both David and Abraham met that criteria, as well as all Judeans under the law), or those uncircumcised also (Gentiles)? In accordance with the pattern set by Abraham according to 4:3, the blessedness that David spoke of would include all who believe, both believing Jews and believing Gentiles. That leaves no room for Jews to think they had a corner on righteousness. In chapter 2, and 3, and again here in 4, God repeatedly refutes any self-righteous attitude of exclusivity or superiority - that repetition speaks to man’s tendency to move in that direction. Denominational thinking of “us” being superior to “them” breeds divisiveness, and such thinking is contrary to the gospel of God being laid out in Romans. According to 4:3, the scriptures testify that believing/faith is all that is required for righteousness. Circumcision is neither a prerequisite nor an improvement.
faith=pistis: believing
reckoned=logizomai: imputed, reckoned, accounted; put something to one’s account (see notes on 4:3)
Abraham: this verse simply reiterates the truth concerning Abraham as stated in v3, which quoted Gen 15:6
ALTERNATIVE TRANSLATIONS:
Romans 4:9 [NLT]
Now, is this blessing only for the Jews, or is it also for uncircumcised Gentiles? Well, we have been saying that Abraham was counted as righteous by God because of his faith.
Romans 4:9 [PHILIPS]
Now the question arises: is this happiness for the circumcised only, or for the uncircumcised as well?
Romans 4:10 [AV]
How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.
ANNOTATED NOTES:
reckoned=logizomai: impute, reckon, credit to one’s account (see note on 4:3)
uncircumcision: the biblical record of God imputing righteousness unto Abraham when he believed is found in Gen 15:5-6. Abraham was not circumcised until Gen 17:24, approximately 14 years later. In other words, Abraham was justified LONG before he was ever circumcised. If the forefather of the nation of Israel could be made righteous before God by believing, while he was still uncircumcised, then it follows that others who believe while uncircumcised could be made righteous as well. That is truly “good news” - the gospel of God’s grace.
** The epistle of Galatians corrects the doctrinal error that believers become vulnerable to when they don’t adhere to the revelation given here in Romans. Concerning the perversion of the gospel of grace (by adding circumcision as a requirement for salvation), see Gal 1:6-7; 5:1-6; 6:15.
ALTERNATIVE TRANSLATION:
Romans 4:10 [NLT]
But how did this happen? Was he counted as righteous only after he was circumcised, or was it before he was circumcised? Clearly, God accepted Abraham before he was circumcised!
Romans 4:11 [AV]
And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:
ANNOTATED NOTES:
the sign of circumcision: circumcision wasn’t the instrumental cause of Abraham’s justification - it was the outward sign in the flesh that he had already been justified by believing (which was ~14 years prior to being circumcised). In Gen 17:11, God called circumcision a “token of the covenant betwixt me and you”. In leading up to His request of circumcision, God gave Abraham this promise: “I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee” (Gen 17:6). Abraham could not make himself fruitful. His ability to produce a family had vanished with old age, for both he and his wife Sarah. Yet God made a covenant with him, promising that HE would make Abraham “exceeding fruitful”. Every time Abraham reflected on his own body and complete inability to bring the promise to pass himself, he would also have thought about the mark of God's covenant in the very part of his body where his inability was. Circumcision was the sign of the covenant, indicating that GOD would do what Abraham couldn't. This should also have been a reminder to all others who became partakers of the covenant by the rite of circumcision: HE, not me.
seal: referring to that by which the genuineness of something is confirmed, guaranteed, or authenticated; A sign points to the existence of that which it signifies. A seal authenticates or guarantees the genuineness of that which is signified. Circumcision confirmed to Abraham that he was already regarded by God as righteous through believing, not through works. A seal authenticates a condition that already exists – it presupposes the condition, it does not cause the condition.
faith=pistis: believing; this is the noun form of the Gr verb pisteuo, translated “believe” later in this verse
father: often used for one who is an originator or founder of something; also applied to one who is distinctly characterized by a particular trait. Abraham did not originate believing, per se - and yet from the record in Gen 15:6 it can be seen that he was distinctly characterized by believing, which God imputed to him for righteousness.
of all them that believe: Since Abraham was justified before he was circumcised, he could be the father of all others not circumcised who believe, i.e. believing Gentiles. In v11, Abraham is designated as the father of believing Gentiles (people with no physical descent to Abraham and no physical circumcision). In v12, he will be designated as the father of believing Jews, with no regard for physical descent or physical circumcision, but full regard for whether they believe. For all, Jew or Gentile, the only means of entry into right relationship with God is by believing, just like Abraham.
believe=pisteuo: believe; the verb form of the Gr noun, pistis (see “faith” above)
righteousness=dikaiosune: justness or rightness according to God’s established standard (see notes on 1:17)
ALTERNATIVE TRANSLATIONS:
Romans 4:11 [AMP]
He received the mark of circumcision as a token or an evidence [and] seal of the righteousness which he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised—[faith] so that he was to be made the father of all who [truly] believe, though without circumcision, and who thus have righteousness (right standing with God) imputed to them and credited to their account,
Romans 4:11 [NLT]
Circumcision was a sign that Abraham already had faith and that God had already accepted him and declared him to be righteous—even before he was circumcised. So Abraham is the spiritual father of those who have faith but have not been circumcised. They are counted as righteous because of their faith.
Romans 4:12 [AV]
And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.
ANNOTATED NOTES:
father=pater: In v11, Abraham was designated as the father of believing Gentiles (uncircumcised). Here in v12, he is being designated as the father of believing Jews (circumcised). Whether Jew or Gentile, the only means of entry into right relationship with God is by believing (not by circumcision or any other work of the flesh).
walk=stoicheo: to march or advance in a row, in order, much like a rank of soldiers marching together in an orderly fashion; (used 5x in NT: see Acts 21:24; Gal 5:25; 6:16; Phil 3:16); in this occurrence it's talking about being in tune with and in line with Abraham’s believing, who simply heard God’s promise and said “AMEN, so be it!”. Abraham walked by believing, not by sight (2 Cor 5:7), putting NO confidence in his flesh (Phil 3:3), but rather wholeheartedly trusting that God could and would do what He said He would do (Rom 4:20-21). When it came to earning right standing before God, Abraham put no credence in circumcision nor any other work that he could do. Circumcision served as a repetitive reminder to Abraham to trust God Who alone is able to bring His promises to pass. Abraham knew it was God Who does the work, not man - and anyone who so walks in the right way of believing, as Abraham did, is set in right standing WITH God, BY God.
that faith=ho pistis: the believing, i.e. the right way of believing.
ALTERNATIVE TRANSLATION:
Romans 4:12 [NLT]
And Abraham is also the spiritual father of those who have been circumcised, but only if they have the same kind of faith Abraham had before he was circumcised.
Romans 4:13 [AV]
For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
ANNOTATED NOTES:
heir of the world: The section of the earth that God had promised to give to Abraham and his offspring as an inheritance was limited, in the short view, to a relatively small geographical piece of land, the land of Canaan (see Gen 13:14-17; 17:8). But God had promised that all families on the earth would be blessed in Abraham (Gen 12:3). All nations would be blessed in Abraham and his seed because all men, including Gentiles, would be able to be justified by believing in the one who would be Abraham’s seed, CHRIST (see Gen 18:18; 22:18; 26:4; Gal 3:8, 14, 16, 22). Initially, Abraham's inheritance appeared to be limited to a certain bloodline and a specific geographical location, but in the long view (God’s view) the inheritance would extend throughout the entire world to all who believe rightly concerning Jesus Christ (Gal 3:29). It should also be noted that CHRIST, the promised seed of Abraham, will reign as King of kings and Lord of lords - that pretty much covers the world.
not..through the law: the law didn’t come till centuries after Abraham was given promises from God and believed them; the law was not given to save men, but to show men that they needed to be saved. It was Abraham’s seed, CHRIST, who would be the savior of the world (John 3:17; 4:42; 12:47; Lk 2:11; 1 John 4:14)
righteousness of faith: could accurately read "righteousness that comes by believing". The promise did not come by way of the law, nor by way of circumcision, which was later required by Law for the children of Israel. The promise of God comes to pass by believing, independent of the Law.
** In the previous 4 verses (9-12), it was shown through Abraham’s life that it is by believing, not circumcision, that righteousness is imputed. In the following 4 verses (13-16), it will be shown that obedience to any or all parts of the law will not put one in right standing with God and bring a promise to pass. In v13-16, the word “law” is used 5x and the contrasting word “promise” is used 3x. Abraham was reckoned righteous by believing a promise centuries before the law was ever given, so adherence to the law can’t enhance the reckoned righteousness, nor can non-adherence to the law annul it (see Gal 3:17). The promise was not conditional upon obedience to some legal code - it was an unconditional promise of grace, to be received by believing.
ALTERNATIVE TRANSLATIONS:
Romans 4:13 [PHILIPS]
The ancient promise made to Abraham and his descendants, that they should eventually possess the world, was given not because of any achievements made through obedience to the Law, but because of the righteousness which had its root in faith.
Romans 4:13 [MSG]
That famous promise God gave Abraham—that he and his children would possess the earth—was not given because of something Abraham did or would do. It was based on God’s decision to put everything together for him, which Abraham then entered when he believed.
Romans 4:13 [TLB]
It is clear, then, that God’s promise to give the whole earth to Abraham and his descendants was not because Abraham obeyed God’s laws but because he trusted God to keep his promise.
Romans 4:14 [AV]
For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:
ANNOTATED NOTES:
they which are of the law: referring to those who endeavor to become righteous and thus earn the inheritance through adherence to the law; invariably, such an approach fills a person with either self-righteousness (if they judge themselves “good enough”), or self-condemnation (if they judge themselves to “fall short”); If becoming an heir is based on how well someone performs the law, then both believing and the promise are stripped of power. Abraham was justified by believing God’s promise, not by obeying God’s law. The promised inheritance came by grace, not by works.
faith=pistis: believing
is made void=kenoo: to make empty of power, render useless; in the Gr, it is the antithesis of pleroo, which means "to fill"
made of none effect=katargeo: to render permanently idle, inactive, inoperative; deprived of force and influence; translated elsewhere in AV as “destroy” 5x, “abolish” 3x.
** The Jew of the 1st century was asking, ‘How can a man enter into the right relationship with God so that he too may inherit this great promise?’ The answer given by legalists was, ‘He must do so by acquiring merit in the sight of God through doing works prescribed by the law.’ Thus a 1st century Jew (or 21st century misinformed Christian) would depend on his own efforts to obtain a promise of grace. If the promise depends on keeping the law, it can never be fulfilled.
ALTERNATIVE TRANSLATION:
Romans 4:14 [AMP]
If it is the adherents of the Law who are to be the heirs, then faith is made futile and empty of all meaning and the promise [of God] is made void (is annulled and has no power).
Romans 4:14 [TLB]
So if you still claim that God’s blessings go to those who are “good enough,” then you are saying that God’s promises to those who have faith are meaningless, and faith is foolish.
Romans 4:14 [MSG]
If those who get what God gives them only get it by doing everything they are told to do and filling out all the right forms properly signed, that eliminates personal trust completely and turns the promise into an iron-clad contract! That’s not a holy promise; that’s a business deal.
Romans 4:15 [AV]
Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.
ANNOTATED NOTES:
worketh=katergazomai: to result in, to bring upon
wrath=orge: a key concept that was introduced in 1:18, and recurs in the doctrinal section at 2:5,8; 3:5; and 5:9 (see full introductory notes in 1:18); The wrath of God will come upon the unrighteous ones in the day of wrath and revelation of the just judging of God. The reason the Law works wrath is because it brings man under condemnation, declaring him guilty of transgression and deserving of death (see 2 Cor 3:6-9). The Mosaic Law condemns those who fail to keep all its commandments perfectly and continuously, and since none can keep them (3:19,23), all who are under the law are condemned to death and destined for the wrath to come. That is one part of God’s justice that is brought forth in Romans, i.e. the consequence for those who do not meet God’s established standard for right standing before Him as the Just Judge.
for: but
no transgression: you can’t break a law that doesn’t exist - if there is no law, there can be no violation of the law. This verse doesn’t say where there is no law there is no sin. Sin certainly exists even without the law (Rom 5:13-14), but the law defines that sin as a transgression, a legal offense demanding punishment. In this way the law results in wrath, showing sin in all it’s sinfulness (Rom 5:20), declaring sin as a legal offense, and condemning the legally guilty as worthy of just punishment. The law results in wrath, but can never save one from that wrath - only God through His Son can do that (Rom 5:9; 1 Thes 1:10)!!
ALTERNATIVE TRANSLATIONS:
Romans 4:15 [AMP]
For the Law results in [divine] wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression [of it either].
Romans 4:15 [NEB]
because law can only bring retribution; but where there is no law there can be no breach of law.
Romans 4:15 [WEY]
For the Law inflicts punishment; but where no Law exists, there can be no violation of Law.
Romans 4:16 [AV]
Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might 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,
ANNOTATED NOTES:
Therefore it is of faith: could accurately read “Therefore it is on account of believing”, or “For this reason it is of believing"
faith (2x)=pistis: believing; This verse aligns “believing”, “grace”, and “promise”. Note v13: “promise…heir of the world…through the righteousness that comes by believing”. In the context of v13-15, believing is set in contrast to any attempt at obtaining righteousness and the promised inheritance via the law, since the law only results in wrath. Believing, rather than a performance of the law’s demands, is the means to receiving righteousness and the promise. If it were dependent upon work of any kind on man's part, the promise wouldn't be an umerited gift of grace (Rom 11:6!). But by grace a man is acquitted of sin and placed in right standing with God because he believes rightly regarding Jesus Christ. It is through believing in the Lord Jesus Christ’s finished work on the cross and God raising him from the dead that a man is made righteous and obtains salvation (Rom 10:9-10!).
grace=charis: undeserved divine favor, God’s free gift; it is God (Who is Love) at work on our behalf, not because of us, but in spite of us (Jn 3:16-17)
sure=bebaios: stable, valid, absolutely certain, guaranteed; If a man’s justification, right standing with God, depended on law/works, he could never be sure, because he could not know if he had done enough good works or the right kind. No one who seeks to earn salvation enjoys full assurance. But when salvation is presented as a gift, to be received by believing, then a man can be sure that he is saved on the authority of the Word of God. This word “sure” stands in contrast to “of none effect” in v14, where at one end of the spectrum something is 100% void and powerless, and at the other end something is 100% guaranteed.
all the seed: talking about every child of believing, every person (Jew or Gentile) who believes in the manner Abraham believed, by simply trusting that God would fulfill His promise and do what He said he would do.
of the law: talking about those of the genealogical bloodline of Israel
father of us all: talking about all who fulfill the one requirement, which is to believe (see Gal 3:7,29).
ALTERNATIVE TRANSLATIONS:
Romans 4:16 [AMP]
Therefore, [inheriting] the promise is the outcome of faith and depends [entirely] on faith, in order that it might be given as an act of grace (unmerited favor), to make it stable and valid and guaranteed to all his descendants—not only to the devotees and adherents of the Law, but also to those who share the faith of Abraham, who is [thus] the father of us all.
Romans 4:16 [NLT]
So the promise is received by faith. It is given as a free gift. And we are all certain to receive it, whether or not we live according to the law of Moses, if we have faith like Abraham’s. For Abraham is the father of all who believe.
Romans 4:16 [MSG]
This is why the fulfillment of God’s promise depends entirely on trusting God and his way, and then simply embracing him and what he does. God’s promise arrives as pure gift. That’s the only way everyone can be sure to get in on it, those who keep the religious traditions and those who have never heard of them. For Abraham is father of us all. He is not our racial father—that’s reading the story backward. He is our faith father.
Romans 4:17 [AV]
(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.
ANNOTATED NOTES:
it is written: the following phrase (“I have….nations”) is cited from Gen 17:5; this is yet another of the 74 OT references used in Romans (see notes on 1:2 and 1:17)
believed=pisteuo: to believe to the extent of complete trust and reliance; this is the verb form of the Gr noun pistis (translated “believing” or “faith")
quickeneth=zoopoieo: make alive, give life to (see Gal 3:21; Jn 6:63; Rom 8:11; 2 Cor 1:9; 3:6) This quickening is critical for Abraham, because both his and Sarah’s reproductive organs were considered well past age and now dead (v19). If Abraham is going to become a father of many nations (in reality, not just name), God is going to have to make alive things that are dead. He’s the only One who can.
calleth things which be not: a clear reference to Isaac, who hadn’t been born yet at the time the promise was 1st given in Gen 15:5 (and wouldn’t be born for another 14 years). In the context of the cited verse of Gen 17:5 is where God changed Abram’s name to Abraham, which means "father of a multitude”. In giving him that name, God literally called those things that do not yet exist as though they already did. He did so before Isaac was ever born - before Isaac had Jacob - before Jacob had 12 sons who had sons and daughters who proliferated as Abraham’s physical descendents, multiplying in number as the stars of the sky - before THE seed, Christ, was ever born from Abraham’s bloodline - before the day of Pentecost when people could first believe rightly regarding the resurrected Christ and be born-again - before peoples of many nations would be made righteous by believing, just as Abraham had been, making him the father of them all. God is the One who called Abraham "a father of many nations”, and then brought it to pass as promised. That’s all part of who God made Abraham to be. And every time Abraham would state his name from that day forth, he would be confessing who God had made him to be before he ever was - glorifying God who makes the dead alive.
ALTERNATIVE TRANSLATIONS:
Romans 4:17 [ESV]
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.
Romans 4:17 [AMP]
As it is written, I have made you the father of many nations. [He was appointed our father] in the sight of God in Whom he believed, Who gives life to the dead and speaks of the nonexistent things that [He has foretold and promised] as if they [already] existed.
Romans 4:18 [AV]
Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.
ANNOTATED NOTES:
against hope believed in hope: the 1st word “hope” in this verse refers to a natural expectation someone might have based on available evidence in the senses realm. From that standpoint, Abraham was looking at a hopeless situation - hence, what he believed would come to pass in the future was against anything he could see that would give natural human hope. The 2nd “hope” in this verse refers to an expectation that is based not on senses information, but on spiritual revelation - the Word of God! Even though Abraham’s circumstances appeared hopeless, he was sustained by hope that was both born and borne by God’s promise. Abraham was literally inspired by God's promise that he would have a child by Sarah, even though he had not a shred of evidence to support such a hope other than that singular promise: “So shall thy seed be” (Gen 15:5).
** The Message gives an insightful paraphrase of Rom 4:17b-18a: "Abraham was first named “father”, and then became a father, because he dared to trust God to do what only God could do: raise the dead to life - with a word make something out of nothing. When everything was hopeless, Abraham believed anyway, deciding to live not on the basis of what he saw he couldn’t do, but on what God said He would do.”
believed=pisteuo: to believe to the extent of complete trust and reliance; this is the verb form of the Gr noun pistis (translated “believing” or “faith”); Heb 1:1 states, “Now faith (pistis) is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (see Heb 11:8-12, 17-19 for a testimony of Abraham’s believing in things not yet seen)
spoken: whether God speaks His promise or has it written down, it is nonetheless the promise of God. And in this case, it could only be the God of resurrection power who could bring it to pass.
So shall thy seed be: cited from Gen 15:5
ALTERNATIVE TRANSLATION:
Romans 4:18 [AMP]
[For Abraham, human reason for] hope being gone, hoped in faith that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been promised, So [numberless] shall your descendants be.
Romans 4:19 [AV]
And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara’s womb:
ANNOTATED NOTES:
faith=pistis: believing; he was "not weak in believing" because the object of his believing was the promise made by the God Who quickens the dead. There are 2 notable recorded incidents in Abraham’s life that demonstrate the conviction within his heart that God could make alive the dead. The 1st one is the incident referred to by this verse, when he was ~100 and Sarah ~90, and he believed that God could bring life into their “dead” reproductive organs. The 2nd incident was ~30 years later, when he literally acted on God’s command for him to sacrifice his son Isaac, believing that God could and would raise him from the dead. (Heb 11:17-19 [TLB]: “While God was testing him, Abraham still trusted in God and his promises, and so he offered up his son Isaac and was ready to slay him on the altar of sacrifice; yes, to slay even Isaac, through whom God had promised to give Abraham a whole nation of descendants! He believed that if Isaac died God would bring him back to life again; and that is just about what happened, for as far as Abraham was concerned, Isaac was doomed to death, but he came back again alive!”)
considered=katanoeo: to perceive clearly, consider closely, to fix one’s eyes or mind upon; denotes the action of the mind in apprehending certain facts about a thing, discovering through direct observation
not: some Gr texts include the “not” following “considered", while many Gr texts omit it; without the “not”, it would indicate he took a good attentive look at his physical condition, fully took in the obstacles that faced him, and then came to the conclusion that God was big enough to overcome them. If the verse is to include this “not”, it indicates that Abraham decided to look right past the challenges he was facing from a physical standpoint, choosing not to focus on his limitations, but instead to focus on God who was able to overcome whatever he was facing, no matter how big or small. Either way, Abraham was undeniably NOT weakened in his believing due to the circumstances, but rather was strong in believing God’s promise, giving glory to God Who raises the dead.
now dead: could read "already dead"; in the Gr it’s a perfect particle, meaning that as far as his procreative functions were concerned, Abraham’s body had already ceased to function (“dead”), and would remain non-functioning. In other words, the door was absolutely closed as far as having offspring was concerned. Abraham also handled the obstacle of the deadness of Sarah’s womb in the same manner – strong in believing, giving God the credit for the power to resurrect LIFE in the midst of death.
** This verse is referring to the record in Gen 17:15-19. Abraham had no other place to turn but to believe in God’s resurrection power. Similarly, when a person finally realizes that they are dead spiritually, incapable of saving themselves or doing anything to bring themselves into right standing with God, then they come to God with trust in His resurrection power as evidenced in the raising of Christ from the dead (Rom 10:9-10).
ALTERNATIVE TRANSLATIONS:
Romans 4:19 [NIV]
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.
Romans 4:19 [GNB]
He was then almost one hundred years old; but his faith did not weaken when he thought of his body, which was already practically dead, or of the fact that Sarah could not have children.
Romans 4:20 [AV]
He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
ANNOTATED NOTES:
staggered=diakrino: translated elsewhere as doubt, contend, waver; literally means “to judge between two”; it's referring to being divided with a doubting debate within oneself; The potential vacillating that could have taken place within Abraham’s heart is undeniable, with a debate between the factual evidence that would be screaming “It’s impossible”, vs the promise of God that would refute the senses evidence. Doubt could have ruled his heart and prevented believing (see Mk 11:23). But for Abraham, if God had said it, that settled it, and he just believed it. Abraham had declared the preeminence of God’s Word, hence he staggered not - he had no mental struggle within, for in his heart he was fully persuaded of God’s ability and willingness to fulfill what He had promised. From a human reproduction standpoint, pregnancy was an impossibility. But for Abraham, the only true impossibility was for God to break His personal promise - knowing that with God nothing is impossible. A woman by the name of Mary would believe in a similar fashion. In Luke 1:37, the angel of God declared to Mary concerning divine conception: “For with God nothing shall be impossible” (the AMP renders it, “No word from God shall be without power or impossible of fulfillment”). Mary’s response was: “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy Word” (Lk 1:38).
promise of God: being in the genitive case, it puts the emphasis on GOD as the Promiser
faith=pistis: believing
giving glory to God: Abraham did not glory in his own believing (as some do), but gave the glory to God in whom he believed. Knowing that pregancy could not come to pass merely by his and Sarah’s efforts, he gave 100% of the glory to God for what only He could do - bring the humanly impossible to pass. Isaac was the result of a biological miracle performed by God according to His promise - “To God be the glory, great things He hath done!"
ALTERNATIVE TRANSLATIONS:
Romans 4:20 [AMP]
No unbelief or distrust made him waver (doubtingly question) concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong and was empowered by faith as he gave praise and glory to God,
Romans 4:20 [TLB]
But Abraham never doubted. He believed God, for his faith and trust grew ever stronger, and he praised God for this blessing even before it happened.
Romans 4:21 [AV]
And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
ANNOTATED NOTES:
fully persuaded=plerophoreo: be completely certain, be fully assured, convinced; filled with a thought or conviction. When God made the promise, Abraham didn’t dwell on his own inability to bring it to pass - nor did he focus on developing his own ability in order to bring it to pass. He simply gave the glory to God, being absolutely certain that if God said it, then God was able to perform it. And if performing it meant that God would have to make that which was dead alive, then so be it.
ALTERNATIVE TRANSLATIONS:
Romans 4:21 [PHI]
remained absolutely convinced that God was able to implement his own promise.
Romans 4:21 [AMP]
Fully satisfied and assured that God was able and mighty to keep His word and to do what He had promised.
Romans 4:22 [AV]
And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.
ANNOTATED NOTES:
it: in the context, “it” is specifically referring to Abraham's believing that God can quicken the dead in fulfilling His promise
imputed=logizomai: impute, reckon, account; it is to put something to one’s account (see note on 4:3); the truth of this verse is mirroring the same truth stated in v3, which cites Gen 15:6.
righteousness=dikaiosune: see note on 1:17; Abraham had right standing before God imputed to him because he believed (based on God’s ability to do, not on his own ability to do)
ALTERNATIVE TRANSLATION:
Romans 4:22 [AMP]
That is why his faith was credited to him as righteousness (right standing with God).
Romans 4:23 [AV]
Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him;
ANNOTATED NOTES:
written: referring to the verse cited back in 4:3, i.e. Genesis 15:6, which has served as the scriptural underpinning for this section of Romans
for his sake: The book of Genesis wasn’t written down until centuries after Abraham had died - so it wasn’t for his sake in terms of him being able to actually read it himself. It was written for Abraham’s sake in terms of it being a permanent record and everlasting testimony of his acquittal and righteous standing before God when he simply believed God at His Word. But it was not written for his sake alone. God had it written with all subsequent believers in mind, both OT and NT, as an example for others to follow. In His foreknowledge, God would have seen the day when He would give Paul the revelation of Romans, to write these words down so people could read the holy scriptures and believe in God’s resurrection power.
imputed=logizomai: impute, reckon, account; it is to put something to one’s account (see note on 4:3)
ALTERNATIVE TRANSLATIONS:
Romans 4:23 [ESV]
But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone,
Romans 4:23 [TLB]
Now this wonderful statement—that he was accepted and approved through his faith—wasn’t just for Abraham’s benefit.
Romans 4:24 [AV]
But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;
ANNOTATED NOTES:
us also: referring to how what was written in Gen 15:6 about Abraham was not for his sake alone, but for the sake of “us” who believe as he did; The “us” included the 1st century believers, as well as “us” as 21st century believers. It’s inspiring to think that God had a single, simple sentence written down thousands of years ago, and in His infinite wisdom, it is still alive and powerful today (Heb 4:12). God’s Word is not just “past tense history” - it is “present tense Truth”, an eternal NOW!
imputed=logizomai: impute, reckon, account; it is to put something to one’s account; This is the last of 11 occurrences of this Gr word in chapter 4, and a critical concept in route to understanding the good news revealed in Romans.
if we believe on him: this “if” clause sets forth the requisite condition to be met for a person to be justified before God: “believe”. That condition is confirmed in the bold statement of Rom 10:9-10. Romans opened up with the declaration that the gospel of God concerning Jesus Christ is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believes (1:16). Only when a person hears the gospel can they believe, for believing comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God (10:17). The resurrection is the proof that God accepted His Son’s sacrifice, and that now sinners can be justified through that legal payment for sin. God has provided it all by grace, without violating His own Law or contradicting His own nature of being just and righteous.
raised=egeiro: raised, awakened; there are 10 uses of this Gr word in Romans (see 4:25; 6:4,9; 7:4; 8:11,34; 10:9; 13:11). The object of Abraham’s believing was the same as ours: God who gives life to the dead. Abraham believed that God would quicken his and Sarah's reproductive organs, and in essence bring life from death through resurrection power. We, too, have believed in God’s exceeding great power - that He raised Jesus Christ from the dead after he had died on the cross for our sins. (see Eph 1:19-20; 1 Pet 1:21)
ALTERNATIVE TRANSLATION:
Romans 4:24 [AMP]
But [they were written] for our sakes too. [Righteousness, standing acceptable to God] will be granted and credited to us also who believe in (trust in, adhere to, and rely on) God, Who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead,
Romans 4:25 [AV]
Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.
ANNOTATED NOTES:
delivered=paradidomi: to hand over, to give over, to deliver over to the power of someone or something
for=dia (twice): accurately translated “because"
for our offences: "because of our offences" - our transgressions, trespasses, sins were the reason he gave his life, as a redeeming payment, a ransom to buy us back from death (see Rom 5:12-20; Eph 2:1)
again: delete - not in Gr text
for our justification: could accurately read "because of our justification”; Another way of handling the translation of this verse is: “Who was delivered on account of our offences, and was raised on account of us having been justified.” Our sins were the cause for his being delivered over to death - and his death, his atoning shed blood, is what brought about our justification. Because our justification had thereby been accomplished, he was then raised from the dead to NEW LIFE - his and ours! (Rom 6:4-5!) If Christ remained dead and buried in the earth, where would the victory be? If death continued to rule over him, how could he be victorious over death? And if HE wasn’t victorious over death, how could WE be victorious over death? Jesus Christ being raised is the everlasting proof of our victory over death.
** This closing verse to Rom 4 makes it evident that the death of Jesus Christ on the cross, as well as his resurrection from the dead, were essential to bringing about our justification and giving us a new life to live, free from the condemnation and penalty of sin.
The scriptures clearly declare the death of Christ as the atoning sacrifice for the sins of the world:
1 Jn 2:2: "And he is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world."
Rom 3:25: "For him hath God set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood...”
Rom 5:6: "For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly”
Rom 5:10: “...when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son...”
Eph 1:7: "In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins...”
Eph 5:2: “...Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God...”
Col 1:14: "In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins”
Col 1:20,22: "And having made peace through the blood of his cross...in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight"
1 Tim 2:6: "Who gave himself a ransom for all...”
Titus 2:14: "Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity..."
Jesus Christ was delivered over to death - his death being the legal redemptive payment for man’s justification - making us righteous, giving us right standing before God. Jesus Christ was then raised from the dead in undeniable declaration of his complete victory over death. He was delivered unto death to accomplish our justification - and after being buried in the heart of the earth for 3 days and 3 nights, he was delivered from death since our justification was completely complete - as the above verses testify to: propitiation paid, ransom paid, life given...reconciled, redeemed, forgiveness, peace…holy, unblameable, unreproveable in God’s sight.
Following the death of Jesus Christ, the fact that he was raised from the dead serves as proof that the work was finished, the full price was paid, and that God is infinitely satisfied with the sin-atoning work of our savior on our behalf.
When we confess Jesus as Lord and believe that God raised him from the dead, we receive righteousness and salvation (Rom 10:9-10). Romans 4 tells us Abraham believed God quickens the dead. Abraham had righteousness credited to his account, and yet it was not possible for that righteousness to be born within him. God could only treat him as righteous because of his believing. However, the promised redeemer had not yet come and accomplished the work necessary to bring man into right standing with God. Today we look back on the redemption he accomplished on our behalf, and because we believe (like Abraham did) in God’s resurrection power, we are able to stand before Him without any sense of sin, or shame, or blame, or fear, or guilt, or condemnation, or unworthiness. We are His, and He is ours, through the precious blood of His Son. (Rom 8:32!!)
ALTERNATIVE TRANSLATION:
Romans 4:25 [WEY]
who was surrendered to death because of the offences we had committed, and was raised to life because of the acquittal secured for us.
Romans 4:25 [NASB]
He who was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification.
ROMANS 4 RECAP NOTES:
** You may have noticed that Romans 4 focuses on Abraham being reckoned righteous by believing, not by works. Within the chapter, several irrefutable reasons are presented as to why justification comes by believing:
1) Since justification is a gift, it cannot be earned by works (v1-8)
2) Since Abraham was justified before he was circumcised, circumcision has no causal relationship to justification (v9-12)
3) Since Abraham was justified centuries before the Law, justification cannot be based on the Law (v13-16)
4) Abraham was justified because he believed in God’s ability to quicken the dead (not in his own ability or works), since resurrection power would be required for God’s promise of “So shall thy seed be” to come to pass (v17-25).
In similar fashion as Abraham, who is called "the father of all them that believe", we too are justified by believing, not by works - by grace, not by law - by resurrection power, not by human effort. The difference is that Abraham looked forward to the promised Redeemer - we look back at his finished redemptive work. Ever since the Day of Pentecost as recorded in Acts 2, for any man (Jew or Gentile) to be justified and have right standing before God, it is through right believing regarding Jesus Christ.
Below is Romans 4, as a composite of various translations. May we all marvel, everyday, at God’s goodness and grace.
Romans 4:1-25
What then shall we say that Abraham our forefather found with reference to the flesh? For if he was held to be righteous on the ground of his actions, he has something to boast of; but not in the presence of God. For what does the Scripture say? Abraham believed God, and it was credited to his account as righteousness, right standing with God. [Gen 15:6]
Now, for the one who works with a definite result of receiving wages, the remuneration is not put down on his account as an undeserved, gratuitous gift, but as a legally contracted debt. Whereas in the case of a man who pleads no actions of his own, but simply believes in Him who declares the ungodly free from guilt, his faith is placed to his credit as righteousness.
Just as David also speaks of the blessing on the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; Blessed and happy is the person of whose sin the Lord will take no account nor reckon it against him. [Ps 32:1, 2]
Now, is this blessing only for the Jews, or is it also for uncircumcised Gentiles? Well, we have been saying that Abraham was counted as righteous by God because of his faith.
But how did this happen? Was he counted as righteous only after he was circumcised, or was it before he was circumcised? Clearly, God accepted Abraham before he was circumcised! Circumcision was a sign that Abraham already had faith and that God had already accepted him and declared him to be righteous—even before he was circumcised. So Abraham is the spiritual father of those who have faith but have not been circumcised. They are counted as righteous because of their faith. And Abraham is also the spiritual father of those who have been circumcised, but only if they have the same kind of faith Abraham had before he was circumcised.
That famous promise God gave Abraham—that he and his children would possess the earth—was not given because of something Abraham did or would do. It was based on God’s decision to put everything together for him, which Abraham then entered when he believed. So if you still claim that God’s blessings go to those who are “good enough,” then you are saying that God’s promises to those who believe are meaningless, and faith is foolish. For the Law inflicts punishment; but where no Law exists, there can be no violation of the Law.
This is why the fulfillment of God’s promise depends entirely on trusting God and his way, and then simply embracing him and what he does. God’s promise arrives as pure gift. That’s the only way everyone can be sure to get in on it - those who keep the religious traditions and those who have never heard of them. For Abraham is father of us all. He is not our racial father—that’s reading the story backward. He is our faith father. As it is written, "I have made you the father of many nations." He was appointed our father in the sight of God in Whom he believed, Who gives life to the dead and speaks of the nonexistent things that He has foretold and promised as if they already existed.
For Abraham, human reason for hope being gone, hoped in faith that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been promised: "So shall your descendants be." 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. But Abraham never doubted. He believed God, for his faith and trust grew ever stronger, and he praised God for this blessing even before it happened. He was fully satisfied and assured that God was able and mighty to keep His word and to do what He had promised. That is why his believing was credited to him as righteousness (right standing with God).
Now this wonderful statement—that he was accepted and approved through his faith—wasn’t just for Abraham’s benefit. But they were written for our sakes too. Righteousness, standing acceptable to God, will be granted and credited to us also who believe and trust in God, Who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead - who was surrendered to death because of the offences we had committed, and was raised to life because of the acquittal secured for us.
