Abraham's Justification by Faith

(Genesis 15:1-7; Galatians 3:1-9; Hebrews 11:8-19; James 2:14-26)

1What shall we say then that Abraham our father according to flesh has found? 2For if Abraham has been justified on the principle of works, he has whereof to boast: but not before God; 3for what does the scripture say? And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. 4Now to him that works the reward is not reckoned as of grace, but of debt: 5but to him who does not work, but believes on him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness. 6Even as David also declares the blessedness of the man to whom God reckons righteousness without works:

7Blessed [they] whose lawlessnesses have been forgiven, and whose sins have been covered:

8blessed [the] man to whom [the] Lord shall not at all reckon sin.

9[Does] this blessedness then [rest] on the circumcision, or also on the uncircumcision? For we say that faith has been reckoned to Abraham as righteousness. 10How then has it been reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. 11And he received [the] sign of circumcision [as] seal of the righteousness of faith which [he had] being in uncircumcision, that he might be [the] father of all them that believe being in uncircumcision, that righteousness might be reckoned to them also; 12and father of circumcision, not only to those who are of [the] circumcision, but to those also who walk in the steps of the faith, during uncircumcision, of our father Abraham.

Abraham Receives the Promise

(Genesis 15:8-21; Numbers 34:1-15)

13For [it was] not by law that the promise was to Abraham, or to his seed, that he should be heir of [the] world, but by righteousness of faith. 14For if they which [are] of law be heirs, faith is made vain, and the promise made of no effect. 15For law works wrath; but where no law is neither [is there] transgression.

16Therefore [it is] on the principle of faith, that [it might be] according to grace, in order to the promise being sure to all the seed, not to that only which [is] of the law, but to that also which [is] of Abraham's faith, who is father of us all, 17(according as it is written, I have made thee father of many nations,) before the God whom he believed, who quickens the dead, and calls the things which be not as being; 18who against hope believed in hope to his becoming father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be: 19and not being weak in faith, he considered not his own body already become dead, being about a hundred years old, and the deadening of Sarah's womb, 20and hesitated not at the promise of God through unbelief; but found strength in faith, giving glory to God; 21and being fully persuaded that what he has promised he is able also to do; 22wherefore also it was reckoned to him as righteousness. 23Now it was not written on his account alone that it was reckoned to him, 24but on ours also, to whom, believing on him who has raised from among [the] dead Jesus our Lord, 25who has been delivered for our offences and has been raised for our justification, it will be reckoned.