Romans 4

NEW JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Then what do we say about Abraham, the ancestor from whom we are descended physical y?	1 So then, what shall we say that Abraham had achieved, who is our father 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 For if Abraham was justified by works, he would have glory, but not with God.
3 does not scripture say: Abraham put his faith in God and this was reckoned to him as uprightness?	3 For what does Scripture say? “Abram believed God, and it was reputed to him unto justice.”
4 Now, when someone works, the wages for this are not considered as a favour but as due;	4 But for he who works, wages are not accounted according to grace, but according to debt.
5 however, when someone, without working, puts faith in the one who justifies the godless, it is this faiththat is reckoned as uprightness.	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 David, too, says the same: he cal s someone blessed if God attributes uprightness to that person,apart from any action undertaken:	6 Similarly, David also declares the blessedness of a man, to whom God brings justice without works:
7 How blessed are those whose offence is forgiven, whose sin is blotted out.	7 “Blessed are they whose iniquities have been forgiven and whose sins have been covered.
8 How blessed are those to whom the Lord imputes no guilt.	8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord has not imputed sin.”
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, then, remain only in the circumcised, or is it even in the uncircumcised? For we say that faith was reputed to Abraham unto justice.
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 But then how was it reputed? In circumcision or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.
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 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 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 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 his descendants that he should inherit the world was not through theLaw, but through the uprightness of faith.	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 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 are of the law are the heirs, then faith becomes empty and the Promise is abolished.
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 works unto wrath. And where there is no law, there is no law-breaking.
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 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 (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 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 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 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: “Thus shall your posterity shall 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 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 Counting on the promise of God, he did not doubt or disbelieve, but drew strength from faith and gaveglory to God,	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 ful y convinced that whatever God promised he has the power to perform.	21 knowing most fully that whatever God has promised, he is also able to accomplish.
22 This is the faith that was reckoned to him as uprightness.	22 And for this reason, it was reputed to him unto justice.
23 And the word 'reckoned' in scripture applies not only to him;	23 Now this has been written, that it was reputed to him unto justice, not only for his sake,
24 it is there for our sake too -- our faith, too, wil be 'reckoned'	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 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 because of our offenses, and who rose again for our justification.