Romans 4:1-25

Matthew^{(i) 1} What shall we saye then, that Abraham oure father as pertaynyng to the fleshe, dyd fynde? ² Yf Abraham were iustifyed by dedes, then hath he wherein to reioyce but not with god. ³ For what sayth the scripture? Abraham beleued God, and it was counted vnto hym for ryghteousnes. ⁴ To hym that worketh, is the rewarde not reckened of fauoure: but of dutye. ⁵ To hym that worketh not, but beleueth on hym that iustifyeth the vngodly, is hys fayth counted for ryghteousnes. ⁶ Euen as Dauid descrybeth the blessedfulnes of the man vnto whome God ascrybeth ryghteousnes withoute dedes. ⁷ Blessed are they, whose vnryghteousnes are forgeuen, and whose synnes are couered. ⁸ Blessed is that man to whome the Lord imputeth not synne. ⁹ Came thys blessednes then vpon the circumcysed or vpon the vncircumcysed? We say verelye how that fayth was rekened to Abraham for ryghtuousnes. ¹⁰ Howe was it rekened: in the tyme of circumcysyon? or in the tyme before he was circumcysed? Not in tyme of circumcisyon: but when he was yet vncircumcysed. ¹¹ And he receyued the sygne of circumcysyon, as a seale of the ryghtuousnes whiche is by fayth, whiche fayth he had yet beynge vncyrcumcysed: that he shoulde be the father of all them that beleue, thoughe they be not circumcysed, that ryghtuousnes myght be imputed to them also: ¹² and that he myghte be the father of the circumcysed, not because they are circumcysed only: but because they walke also in the steppes of that faythe that was in oure father Abraham before the tyme of circumcysyon. ¹³ For the promes that he shoulde be the heyre of the worlde, was not geuen to Abraham or to hys sede thorowe the lawe: but thorow the ryghtuousnesse which commeth of fayth. ¹⁴ For yf they whiche are of the lawe, be heyres, then is fayth but vayne, and the promes of none effecte. ¹⁵ Because the lawe causeth wrath. For where no lawe is, there is no transgressyon. ¹⁶ Therfore by fayth is the inheritaunce geuen, that it myght come of fauoure: and the promes myghte be sure to all the seed. Not to them onelye, which are of the lawe: but also to them whiche are of the fayth of Abraham, which is the father of vs all. ¹⁷ As it is written: I haue made the a father to manye nacyons, euen before God whome thou haste beleued, whiche quickeneth the deade, and called those thinges whiche be not, as thoughe they were. ¹⁸ Whiche Abraham contrary to hope, beleued in hope that he shoulde be the father of manye nacyons, accordynge to that whiche was spoken. ¹⁹ So shall thy seed be. And he fainted not in the fayth, nor yet consydered hys owne bodye which was now dead, euen when he was almost an hondred year olde: neyther yet that Sara was past chylde bearynge. ²⁰ He stackered not at the promes of God thorowe vnbelefe: but was made stronge in the fayth and gaue honoure to God, ²¹ full certifyed, that what he had promysed, that he was able to make good. ²² And therfore was it reckened to hym for ryghteousnes. ²³ It is not wryten for hym only, that it was reckened for hym for ryghteousnes: but also rekened to hym for ryghtuousnes: ²⁴ but also for vs, to whom ye shalbe counted for rightuousnes, so we beleue on hym that raysed vp Iesus oure Lorde from death. ²⁵ Whiche was deliuered for oure synnes and rose agayne for to iustifye vs.