John Calvin · 134 of 146

Translation of Romans · Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

1 What shall we then say, that Abraham, our father according to the flesh, had obtained?

2 For if Abraham was by works justified, he has what he may glory in, but not before God.

3 But what saith the Scripture? “Abraham believed God, and it was imputed to him for righteousness.”

4 To him indeed who works the reward is not imputed as a grace, but as a debt:

5 But to him who works not, but believes on him who justifies the ungodly, imputed is his faith for righteousness.

6 As David also describes the blessedness of the man, to whom God imputes righteousness without works,

7 “Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered;

8 Blessed is the man to whom God has not imputed sin.”

9 Was then this blessedness on the circumcision only, or also on the uncircumcision? for we say, that imputed to Abraham was faith for righteousness:

10 How then was it imputed? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision;

11 And he received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had in uncircumcision, that he might be the father of all who believe while in uncircumcision, in order that to them also righteousness might be imputed, —

12 And the father of the circumcision, not to those who are in circumcision only, but who walk in the footsteps of that faith which our father Abraham had in uncircumcision.

13 It was not indeed by the law that the promise was to Abraham and to his seed, that he should be the heir of the world, but through the righteousness of faith.

14 For if they who are of the law are heirs, then made void is faith, and abolished is the promise.

15 For the law causeth wrath: but where no law is, there is also no transgression.

16 It is therefore by faith, that it might be through grace, in order that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not to that only which is of the law, but which also is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all,

17 (As it is written, “The father of many nations have I made thee,”) before God whom he believed, who quickens the dead, and calls things which are not, as though they were:

18 Who against hope believed through hope, that he would be the father of many nations, according to what had been said, “So shall thy seed be.”

19 And being not in faith weak, he considered not his own body, now dead, when he was nearly an hundred years old, nor the dead womb of Sarah;

20 Nor did he indeed search into the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened by faith, giving glory to God;

21 And being assuredly persuaded, that what he had promised he was also able to perform:

22 And it was therefore imputed to him for righteousness.

23 Now it was not written on his account only, that it was imputed to him

24 But also on our account, to whom it shall be imputed, even to us who believe on him, who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead;

25 Who was delivered for our offenses and raised for our justification.