Chapter 4

  What shall we say then that Abraham hath found, who is our father according to the flesh.  

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  For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory, but not before God.  

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  For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was reputed to him unto justice.  

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  Now to him that worketh, the reward is not reckoned according to grace, but according to debt.  

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  But to him that worketh not, yet believeth in him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is reputed to justice, according to the purpose of the grace of God.  

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  As David also termeth the blessedness of a man, to whom God reputeth justice without works:  

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  Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.  

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  Blessed is the man to whom the Lord hath not imputed sin.  

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  This blessedness then, doth it remain in the circumcision only, or in the uncircumcision also? For we say that unto Abraham faith was reputed to justice.  

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  How then was it reputed? When he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.  

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  And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the justice of the faith, which he had, being uncircumcised; that he might be the father of all them that believe, being uncircumcised, that unto them also it may be reputed to justice:  

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  And might be the father of circumcision; not to them only, that are of the circumcision, but to them also that follow the steps of the faithful, that is in the uncircumcision of our father Abraham.  

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  For not through the law was the promise to Abraham, or to his seed, that he should be heir of the world; but through the justice of faith.  

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  For if they who are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, the promise is made of no effect.  

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  For the law worketh wrath. For where there is no law, neither is there transgression.  

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  Therefore is it of faith, that according to grace the promise might be firm 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,  

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  (As it is written: I have made thee a father of many nations,) before God, whom he believed, who quickeneth the dead; and calleth those things that are not, as those that are.  

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  Who against hope believed in hope; that he might be made the father of many nations, according to that which was said to him: So shall thy seed be.  

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  And he was not weak in faith; neither did he consider his own body now dead, whereas he was almost an hundred years old, nor the dead womb of Sara.  

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  In the promise also of God he staggered not by distrust; but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God:  

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  Most fully knowing, that whatsoever he has promised, he is able also to perform.  

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  And therefore it was reputed to him unto justice.  

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  Now it is not written only for him, that it was reputed to him unto justice,  

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  But also for us, to whom it shall be reputed, if we believe in him, that raised up Jesus Christ, our Lord, from the dead,  

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  Who was delivered up for our sins, and rose again for our justification.  

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