¹ WHAT then shall we say that Abraham our father hath obtained by the flesh?

² For if Abraham was justified by works, he hath cause for glorying; though not before God.

³ For what doth the scripture say? Abraham truly believed God, and it was imputed to him for righteousness¹.

1. Gen. xv. 6.

⁴ Now to him that worketh, the reward is not brought to account as a favour, but as a debt.

⁵ But to him who doth not work, but believeth in him who justifieth the ungodly, his faith is reckoned in account for righteousness.

⁶ As David also describeth the blessedness of that man, to whom God imputeth righteousness without works,

⁷ “Blessed are they whose unrighteousnesses are forgiven, and whose sins are covered up.

⁸ Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will in nowise impute sin¹.”

1. Psa. xxxii. 1, 2.

⁹ This blessedness then, is it for the circumcision, or for the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was imputed to Abraham for righteousness.

¹⁰ How then was it imputed to him? when circumcised, or while uncircumcised? Not when circumcised, but whilst uncircumcised.

¹¹ And he received the sign of circumcision, as a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had when uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all those who believe, though uncircumcised; that to them also the righteousness might be imputed:

¹² and the father of circumcision, not to those who are of the circumcision merely, but who also tread in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham, which he exercised while uncircumcised.

¹³ For not by the law came the promise to Abraham and his seed, that he should be heir of the world, but by the righteousness of faith.

¹⁴ For if they who are of the law are heirs, faith becomes vain, and the promise is useless:

¹⁵ for the law causeth wrath: for where there is no law, neither is there transgression.

¹⁶ Therefore it is by faith, that it might be of grace; in order that the promise might be secured to all the seed; not only to that which is of the law, but to that which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,

¹⁷ (as it is written “that I have constituted thee father of many nations¹,”) before God, in whom he trusted, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth things that are not as if existing.

1. Gen. xvii. 5.

¹⁸ Who contrary to hope, in hope believed, that he should be the father of many nations, according to what was said, “So shall thy seed be¹.”

1. Gen. xv. 5.

¹⁹ And not being weak in faith, he regarded not his own body now deadened, being about an hundred years old, nor the deadness of Sarah’s womb:

²⁰ for he disputed not against the promise of God with unbelief; but was mighty in faith, giving glory to God;

²¹ and enjoyed the fullest assurance, that what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

²² And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.

²³ Now it was not written for his sake only, that it was imputed to him;

²⁴ but also for our sakes, to whom it will be imputed, if we believe in him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;

²⁵ who was delivered up for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.