Romans 4:1-9:33 What then will we say that Abraham, our forefather, has found according to the flesh?

NHEB⁽ⁱ⁾ ¹ What then will we say that Abraham, our forefather, has found according to the flesh? ² For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. ³ For what does the Scripture say? "And Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." ⁴ Now to the one who works, the pay is not counted as a gift, but as an obligation. ⁵ But to him who does not work, but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness. ⁶ Even as David also pronounces blessing on the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works, ⁷ "Happy are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. ⁸ Happy is the one whom the Lord will not charge with sin." ⁹ Is this blessing then pronounced on the circumcised, or on the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was credited to Abraham as righteousness. ¹⁰ How then was it credited? When he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. ¹¹ He received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while he was in uncircumcision, so that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they be in uncircumcision, that righteousness might also be credited to them. ¹² The father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had in uncircumcision. ¹³ For the promise to Abraham and to his descendants that he should be heir of the world was not through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. ¹⁴ For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void, and the promise is made of no effect. ¹⁵ For the law works wrath, for where there is no law, neither is there disobedience. ¹⁶ For this cause it is of faith, that it may be according to grace, to the end that the promise may be sure to all the descendants, 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. ¹⁷ As it is written, "I have made you a father of many nations." This is in the presence of him whom he believed: God, who gives life to the dead, and calls the things that are not, as though they were. ¹⁸ Who hoped in spite of hopeless circumstances, with the result that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, "so will your descendants be." ¹⁹ And not being weak in faith, he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (he being about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's womb. ²⁰ Yet, looking to the promise of God, he did not waver through unbelief, but grew strong through faith, giving glory to God, ²¹ and being fully assured that what he had promised, he was able also to perform. ²² And therefore "it was credited to him as righteousness." ²³ Now it was not written that it was credited to him for his sake alone, ²⁴ but for our sake also, to whom it will be credited, who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, ²⁵ who was delivered up for our trespasses, and was raised for our justification. ⁵ ¹ Being therefore justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ; ² through whom we also have our access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. ³ Not only this, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering works perseverance; ⁴ and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope: ⁵ and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. ⁶ For while we were yet weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷ For rarely does one die for the righteous. Yet perhaps for a good person someone might dare to die. ⁸ But God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. ⁹ Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we will be saved from God's wrath through him. ¹⁰ For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we will be saved by his life. ¹¹ Not only so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. ¹² Therefore, as sin entered into the world through one man, and death through sin; and so death passed to all people, because all sinned. ¹³ For until the law, sin was in the world; but sin is not charged when there is no law. ¹⁴ Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those whose sins weren't like Adam's disobedience, who is a foreshadowing of him who was to come. ¹⁵ But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if by the trespass of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God, and the gift by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many. ¹⁶ The gift is not as through one who sinned: for the judgment came by one to condemnation, but the free gift came of many trespasses to justification. ¹⁷ For if by the trespass of the one, death reigned through the one; so much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one, Jesus Christ. ¹⁸ So then as through one trespass, all people were condemned; even so through one act of righteousness, all people were justified to life. ¹⁹ For as through the one man's disobedience many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the one, many will be made righteous. ²⁰ The law came in besides, that the trespass might abound; but where sin abounded, grace abounded more exceedingly; ²¹ that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to everlasting life through Jesus Christ our Lord. ⁶ ¹ What should we say then? Should we continue in sin, that grace may abound? ² Absolutely not. We who died to sin, how could we live in it any longer? ³ Or do you not know that all we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? ⁴ We were buried therefore with him through baptism to death, that just like Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life. ⁵ For if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, we will also be part of his resurrection; ⁶ knowing this, that our old self was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be in bondage to sin. ⁷ For he who has died has been freed from sin. ⁸ But if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him; ⁹ knowing that Christ, being raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no more has dominion over him. ¹⁰ For the death that he died, he died to sin one time; but the life that he lives, he lives to God. ¹¹ In the same way, consider yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. ¹² Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. ¹³ Neither present your members to sin as instruments of unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God, as alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. ¹⁴ For sin will not have dominion over you. For you are not under law, but under grace. ¹⁵ What then? Should we sin because we are not under law, but under grace? Absolutely not. ¹⁶ Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, whether of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? ¹⁷ But thanks be to God, that, whereas you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were entrusted. ¹⁸ Being made free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. ¹⁹ I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh, for as you presented your members as slaves to uncleanness and to wickedness upon wickedness, even so now present your members as slaves to righteousness for sanctification. ²⁰ For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. ²¹ What fruit then did you have at that time in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. ²² But now, being made free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit of sanctification, and the result of everlasting life. ²³ For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is everlasting life in Christ Jesus our Lord. ⁷ ¹ Or do you not know, brothers (for I speak to those who know the law), that the law has authority over a person for as long as he lives? ² For the married woman is bound by law to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is released from the law concerning the husband. ³ So then if, while the husband lives, she is joined to another man, she is called an adulteress. But if the husband dies, she is free from the law, so that she is not an adulteress, though she is joined to another man. ⁴ Therefore, my brothers, you also were made dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you would be joined to another, to him who was raised from the dead, that we may bear fruit to God. ⁵ For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were through the law, worked in our members to bring forth fruit for death. ⁶ But now we have been released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit, and not in oldness of the letter. ⁷ What should we say then? Is the law sin? Absolutely not. However, I would not have known sin, except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness, unless the law had said, "Do not covet." ⁸ But sin, taking opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. For apart from the law, sin is dead. ⁹ I was alive apart from the law once, but when the commandment came, sin became alive, and I died. ¹⁰ The commandment, which was for life, this I found to be for death; ¹¹ for sin, taking the opportunity through the commandment, deceived me, and through it killed me. ¹² Therefore the law indeed is holy, and the commandment holy, and righteous, and good. ¹³ Did that which is good, then, become death to me? Absolutely not. But sin, that it might be shown to be sin, by working death to me through that which is good; that through the commandment sin might become exceeding sinful. ¹⁴ For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am fleshly, sold under sin. ¹⁵ For I do not know what I am doing. For I do not practice what I desire to do; but what I hate, that I do. ¹⁶ But if I do what I do not want to do, I agree with the law that it is good. ¹⁷ So now it is no more I that do it, but sin which dwells in me. ¹⁸ For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwells no good thing. For the desire is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. ¹⁹ For the good which I desire, I do not do; but the evil which I do not desire, that I practice. ²⁰ But if what I do not desire, that I do, it is no more I that do it, but sin which dwells in me. ²¹ I find then the law, that, to me, while I desire to do good, evil is present. ²² For I delight in God's law in my inner being, ²³ but I see a different law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity under the law of sin which is in my members. ²⁴ What a wretched man I am. Who will deliver me out of the body of this death? ²⁵ Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ, our Lord. So then with the mind, I myself serve God's law, but with the flesh, the sin's law. ⁸ ¹ There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. ² For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. ³ For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God did, sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh; ⁴ so that the requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. ⁵ For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. ⁶ For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace; ⁷ because the mind set on the flesh is hostile towards God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. ⁸ And those who are in the flesh cannot please God. ⁹ But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if it is so that the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to him. ¹⁰ And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. ¹¹ But if the Spirit of him who raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised up Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you. ¹² So then, brothers, we have no obligation to the flesh, to live after the flesh. ¹³ For if you live after the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. ¹⁴ For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are children of God. ¹⁵ For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, "Abba. Father." ¹⁶ The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God; ¹⁷ and if children, then heirs; heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ; if indeed we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified with him. ¹⁸ For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which will be revealed to us. ¹⁹ For the creation waits with eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. ²⁰ For the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will, but because of him who subjected it, in hope ²¹ that the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of decay into the glorious freedom of the children of God. ²² For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers with labor pains together until now. ²³ And not only this, but ourselves also, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for adoption, the redemption of our body. ²⁴ For we were saved in hope, but hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for that which he sees? ²⁵ But if we hope for that which we do not see, we wait for it with patience. ²⁶ And in the same way, the Spirit also helps our weaknesses, for we do not know how to pray as we ought. But the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with inexpressible groanings. ²⁷ And he who searches the hearts knows what is on the Spirit's mind, because he makes intercession for the saints in accordance with God. ²⁸ And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose. ²⁹ For whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. ³⁰ Whom he predestined, those he also called. Whom he called, those he also justified. Whom he justified, those he also glorified. ³¹ What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? ³² He who did not spare his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how would he not also with him freely give us all things? ³³ Who could bring a charge against God's chosen ones? It is God who justifies. ³⁴ Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and more than that, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. ³⁵ Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Could oppression, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? ³⁶ Even as it is written, "For your sake we are killed all day long. We were regarded as sheep to be slaughtered." ³⁷ No, in all these things, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, ³⁹ nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. ⁹ ¹ I tell the truth in Christ. I am not lying, my conscience testifying with me in the Holy Spirit, ² that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. ³ For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brothers' sake, my physical relatives according to the flesh, ⁴ who are Israelites; whose is the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service, and the promises; ⁵ of whom are the patriarchs, and from whom is the Christ, as concerning the flesh, who is over all, God, blessed forever. Amen. ⁶ But it is not as though the word of God has come to nothing. For they are not all Israel, that are of Israel. ⁷ Neither, because they are Abraham's descendants, are they all children. But, "In Isaac will your descendants be called." ⁸ That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as descendants. ⁹ For this is what the promise said, "At the appointed time I will come, and Sarah will have a son." ¹⁰ And not only that, but Rebekah also had conceived by one, our father Isaac. ¹¹ For being not yet born, neither having done anything good or bad, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him who calls, ¹² it was said to her, "The elder will serve the younger." ¹³ Even as it is written, "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated." ¹⁴ What should we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Absolutely not. ¹⁵ For he said to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." ¹⁶ So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who has mercy. ¹⁷ For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, "For this very purpose I caused you to be raised up, that I might show in you my power, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth." ¹⁸ So then, he has mercy on whom he desires, and he hardens whom he desires. ¹⁹ You will say then to me, "Why does he still find fault? For who withstands his will?" ²⁰ But who indeed are you, a human being, to reply against God? Will the thing formed ask him who formed it, "Why did you make me like this?" ²¹ Or hasn't the potter a right over the clay, from the same lump to make one part a vessel for honor, and another for dishonor? ²² What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath made for destruction, ²³ and that he might make known the riches of his glory on vessels of mercy, which he prepared beforehand for glory, ²⁴ us, whom he also called, not from the Jews only, but also from the non-Jews? ²⁵ As he says also in Hosea, "I will call them which were not my people 'my people,' and her who was not loved, 'loved.'" ²⁶ "It will be that in the place where it was said to them, 'You are not my people,' There they will be called 'children of the living God.'" ²⁷ And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel, "Though the number of the children of Israel are as the sand of the sea, the remnant will be kept safe. ²⁸ For he will fulfill the word and decisively in righteousness; because the Lord will carry out the word decisively on the earth." ²⁹ As Isaiah has said before, "Unless the Lord of hosts had left us a few survivors, we would have become like Sodom, and would have been made like Gomorrah." ³⁰ What should we say then? That the non-Jews, who did not follow after righteousness, attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith; ³¹ but Israel, following after a law of righteousness, did not arrive at that law. ³² Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone; ³³ even as it is written, "Look, I am laying in Zion a stumbling stone and a rock to trip over; and the one who believes in him will not be put to shame."