Abraham was not justified by works done, as of himself, but by grace and by faith. And that before he was circumcised. Gentiles, by faith, are his children.

¹ So then, what shall we say that Abraham had achieved, who is our father according to the flesh?

² For if Abraham was justified by works, he would have glory, but not with God.¹²

1. 4:2By works: Done by his own strength, without the grace of God, and faith in him.(Challoner)
2. 4:2Not before God: Whatever glory or applause such works might procure from men, they would be of no value in the sight of God.(Challoner)

³ For what does Scripture say? “Abram believed God, and it was reputed to him unto justice.”¹

1. 4:3Reputed, etc: By God, who reputes nothing otherwise than it is. However, we may gather from this word, that when we are justified, our justification proceeds from God’s free grace and bounty; and not from any efficacy which any act of ours could have of its own nature, abstracting from God’s grace.(Challoner)

⁴ But for he who works, wages are not accounted according to grace, but according to debt.¹

1. 4:4To him that works: Vis., as of his own fund, or by his own strength. Such a man, says the apostle, challenges his reward as a debt due to his own performances; whereas he who works not, that is, who presumes not upon any works done by his own strength, but seeks justice through faith and grace, is freely justified by God’s grace.(Challoner)

⁵ Yet truly, for he who does not work, but who believes in him who justifies the impious, his faith is reputed unto justice, according to the purpose of the grace of God.

⁶ Similarly, David also declares the blessedness of a man, to whom God brings justice without works:

⁷ “Blessed are they whose iniquities have been forgiven and whose sins have been covered.¹

1. 4:7Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered: That is, blessed are those who, by doing penance, have obtained pardon and remission of their sins, and also are covered; that is, newly clothed with the habit of grace, and vested with the stole of charity.(Challoner)

⁸ Blessed is the man to whom the Lord has not imputed sin.”¹

1. 4:8Blessed is the man to whom the Lord has not imputed sin: That is, blessed is the man who has retained his baptismal innocence, that no grievous sin can be imputed to him. And, likewise, blessed is the man, who after fall into sin, has done penance and leads a virtuous life, by frequenting the sacraments necessary for obtaining the grace to prevent a relapse, that sin is no more imputed to him.(Challoner)

⁹ Does this blessedness, then, remain only in the circumcised, or is it even in the uncircumcised? For we say that faith was reputed to Abraham unto justice.¹

1. 4:9In the circumcision, etc: That is, is it only for the Jews that are circumcised? No, says the apostle, but also for the uncircumcised Gentiles: who, by faith and grace, may come to justice; as Abraham did before he was circumcised.(Challoner)

¹⁰ But then how was it reputed? In circumcision or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.

¹¹ For he received the sign of circumcision as a symbol of the justice of that faith which exists apart from circumcision, so that he might be the father of all those who believe while uncircumcised, so that it might also be reputed to them unto justice,

¹² and he might be the father of circumcision, not only for those who are of circumcision, but even for those who follow the footsteps of that faith which is in the uncircumcision of our father Abraham.

¹³ For the Promise to Abraham, and to his posterity, that he would inherit the world, was not through the law, but through the justice of faith.

¹⁴ For if those who are of the law are the heirs, then faith becomes empty and the Promise is abolished.¹

1. 4:14Be heirs: That is, if they alone, who follow the ceremonies of the law, be heirs of the blessings promised to Abraham; then that faith which was so much praised in him, will be found to be of little value. And the very promise will be made void, by which he was promised to be the father, not of the Jews only, but of all nations of believers.(Challoner)

¹⁵ For the law works unto wrath. And where there is no law, there is no law-breaking.¹

1. 4:15The law works wrath: The law, abstracting from faith and grace, works wrath occasionally, by being an occasion of many transgressions, which provoke God’s wrath.(Challoner)

¹⁶ Because of this, it is from faith according to grace that the Promise is ensured for all posterity, not only for those who are of the law, but also for those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all before God,

¹⁷ in whom he believed, who revives the dead and who calls those things that do not exist into existence. For it is written: “I have established you as the father of many nations.”

¹⁸ And he believed, with a hope beyond hope, so that he might become the father of many nations, according to what was said to him: “So shall your posterity be.”

¹⁹ And he was not weakened in faith, nor did he consider his own body to be dead (though he was then almost one hundred years old), nor the womb of Sarah to be dead.

²⁰ And then, in the Promise of God, he did not hesitate out of distrust, but instead he was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God,

²¹ knowing most fully that whatever God has promised, he is also able to accomplish.

²² And for this reason, it was reputed to him unto justice.

²³ Now this has been written, that it was reputed to him unto justice, not only for his sake,

²⁴ but also for our sake. For the same shall be reputed to us, if we believe in him who raised up our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead,

²⁵ who was handed over because of our offenses, and who rose again for our justification.