Romans 4

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Then what do we say about Abraham, the ancestor from whom we are descended physical y?	1 What then can we say that Abraham found, our ancestor according to the flesh?
2 If Abraham had been justified because of what he had done, then he would have had something toboast about. But not before God:	2 Indeed, if Abraham was justified on the basis of his works, he has reason to boast; but this was not so in the sight of God.
3 does not scripture say: Abraham put his faith in God and this was reckoned to him as uprightness?	3 For what does the scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness."
4 Now, when someone works, the wages for this are not considered as a favour but as due;	4 A worker's wage is credited not as a gift, but as something due.
5 however, when someone, without working, puts faith in the one who justifies the godless, it is this faiththat is reckoned as uprightness.	5 But when one does not work, yet believes in the one who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness.
6 David, too, says the same: he cal s someone blessed if God attributes uprightness to that person,apart from any action undertaken:	6 So also David declares the blessedness of the person to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:
7 How blessed are those whose offence is forgiven, whose sin is blotted out.	7 "Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered.
8 How blessed are those to whom the Lord imputes no guilt.	8 Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not record."
9 Is this blessing only for the circumcised, or is it said of the uncircumcised as wel ? Wel , we said ofAbraham that his faith was reckoned to him as uprightness.	9 Does this blessedness apply only to the circumcised, or to the uncircumcised as well? Now we assert that "faith was credited to Abraham as righteousness."
10 Now how did this come about? When he was already circumcised, or before he had beencircumcised? Not when he had been circumcised, but while he was still uncircumcised;	10 Under what circumstances was it credited? Was he circumcised or not? He was not circumcised, but uncircumcised.
11 and circumcision was given to him later, as a sign and a guarantee that the faith which he had whilestill uncircumcised was reckoned to him as uprightness. In this way, Abraham was to be the ancestor of albelievers who are uncircumcised, so that they might be reckoned as upright;	11 And he received the sign of circumcision as a seal on the righteousness received through faith while he was uncircumcised. Thus he was to be the father of all the uncircumcised who believe, so that to them (also) righteousness might be credited,
12 as well as the ancestor of those of the circumcision who not only have their circumcision but who alsofol ow our ancestor Abraham along the path of faith that he trod before he was circumcised.	12 as well as the father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised, but also follow the path of faith that our father Abraham walked while still uncircumcised.
13 For the promise to Abraham and his descendants that he should inherit the world was not through theLaw, but through the uprightness of faith.	13 It was not through the law that the promise was made to Abraham and his descendants that he would inherit the world, but through the righteousness that comes from faith.
14 For if it is those who live by the Law who wil gain the inheritance, faith is worthless and the promise iswithout force;	14 For if those who adhere to the law are the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void.
15 for the Law produces nothing but God's retribution, and it is only where there is no Law that it ispossible to live without breaking the Law.	15 For the law produces wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there violation.
16 That is why the promise is to faith, so that it comes as a free gift and is secure for al thedescendants, not only those who rely on the Law but al those others who rely on the faith of Abraham, theancestor of us all	16 For this reason, it depends on faith, so that it may be a gift, and the promise may be guaranteed to all his descendants, not to those who only adhere to the law but to those who follow the faith of Abraham, who is the father of all of us,
17 (as scripture says: I have made you the father of many nations). Abraham is our father in the eyes ofGod, in whom he put his faith, and who brings the dead to life and cal s into existence what does not yet exist.	17 as it is written, "I have made you father of many nations." He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into being what does not exist.
18 Though there seemed no hope, he hoped and believed that he was to become father of many nationsin fulfilment of the promise: Just so wil your descendants be.	18 He believed, hoping against hope, that he would become "the father of many nations," according to what was said, "Thus shall your descendants be."
19 Even the thought that his body was as good as dead -- he was about a hundred years old -- and thatSarah's womb was dead too did not shake his faith.	19 He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body as (already) dead (for he was almost a hundred years old) and the dead womb of Sarah.
20 Counting on the promise of God, he did not doubt or disbelieve, but drew strength from faith and gaveglory to God,	20 He did not doubt God's promise in unbelief; rather, he was empowered by faith and gave glory to God
21 ful y convinced that whatever God promised he has the power to perform.	21 and was fully convinced that what he had promised he was also able to do.
22 This is the faith that was reckoned to him as uprightness.	22 That is why "it was credited to him as righteousness."
23 And the word 'reckoned' in scripture applies not only to him;	23 But it was not for him alone that it was written that "it was credited to him";
24 it is there for our sake too -- our faith, too, wil be 'reckoned'	24 it was also for us, to whom it will be credited, who believe in the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead,
25 because we believe in him who raised from the dead our Lord Jesus who was handed over to deathfor our sins and raised to life for our justification.	25 who was handed over for our transgressions and was raised for our justification.