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then can we say that Abraham, our father according to the flesh, discovered in this matter? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, then he had something to boast about—but not before God. 3 What does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness”.
4 Now to the one who works, his wages are not considered as a gift, but as something owed. 5 But to the one who does not work, but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness. 6 David also speaks of the same thing when he describes the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:
7 “Blessed are they
whose lawless deeds are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
8 Blessed is the man
whose sin the Lord will never charge against him”.
9 It is this blessedness only for the circumcised, then? Or is it also for the uncircumcised? For we have been saying that Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness. 10 How then was it credited to him? Was it while he was circumcised, or before he was circumcised? It was not after he was circumcised, but before he was circumcised. 11 And he received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. So then, he is the father of all who believe but are not circumcised, so that righteousness might be credited to them also. 12 And he is also the father of the circumcised who are not only circumcised, but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.
13 For the promise to Abraham and to his descendants that he would be the heir of the world was not through the law, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. 14 If those who are of the law are heirs, then faith is made to be of no value and the promise is of no effect, 15 because the law brings wrath; but where there is no law, there is no transgression.
16 This is why the promise comes by faith, so that it may be according to grace and be guaranteed to all the descendants—not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, for he is the father of us all. 17 As it is written: “I have made you the father of many nations”. He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls things into existence that do not exist.
18 Against all hope, with hope Abraham believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken: “So shall your descendants be.” 19 He did not weaken in his faith when he realised his own body was already as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old, and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. 20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21 being fully convinced that God was able to do what He had promised. 22 That is why “it was credited to him as righteousness”. 23 Now the words, “it was credited to him” were not written for Abraham alone, 24 but also for us. It will be credited to us who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25 He was handed over to death for our trespassers and was raised to life for our justification.