RomarbrevetKapitel 4

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What then shall we say about Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? What did he find?

For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about—but not before God.

For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness."

Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation.

But to the one who does not work but trusts him who justifies the ungodly, that faith is credited as righteousness.

David says the same when he speaks of the blessedness of the one to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:

"Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven and whose sins are covered.

Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord will never count against him."

Is this blessing, then, only for the circumcised, or for the uncircumcised as well? We say that Abraham's faith was credited to him as righteousness.

Under what circumstances, then, was it credited? Was he circumcised at the time, or not? He was not yet circumcised—he was still uncircumcised.

He received circumcision as a sign, a seal of the righteousness he had by faith while still uncircumcised. So then, he is the father of all who believe without being circumcised, so that righteousness might be credited to them as well;

and he is also the father of the circumcised—those who are not merely circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.

For it was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith.

For if those who live by the law are the heirs, then faith is empty and the promise is void.

For the law brings wrath; and where there is no law, there is no transgression either.

That is why the promise comes by faith, so that it may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all of Abraham's offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who share Abraham's faith. He is the father of us all,

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 that are not as though they were.

Against all hope, Abraham hoped and believed, and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him: "So shall your offspring be."

His faith did not weaken when he considered his own body, as good as dead—he was about a hundred years old—and the deadness of Sarah's womb.

He did not waver in unbelief concerning God's promise but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God,

fully convinced that God had power to do what he had promised.

That is why it was credited to him as righteousness.

Now the words "it was credited to him" were not written for his sake alone,

but also for us, to whom it will be credited—us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.

He was handed over to death for our trespasses and was raised for our justification.

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Kapitel 4

Main Theme: Paul demonstrates through Abraham that righteousness comes by faith, not by works of the law or circumcision.

Content: Abraham was counted as righteous because of his faith while he was still uncircumcised, and circumcision became a seal of the righteousness that came by faith. David also testifies to the blessing for the one who receives righteousness without works. Therefore, Abraham is the father of all who believe—both the circumcised and the uncircumcised. God's promise rests on grace through faith, and this applies also to us who believe in him who raised Jesus from the dead—he who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.

Key Words/Images:

Imputed Righteousness (λογίζομαι): Faith is counted as righteousness, not as earned wages but as a gift.
Circumcision as a Seal: Circumcision was not the basis of righteousness but an outward sign of the righteousness Abraham already had by faith.
Father of Many Nations: Abraham is the ancestor of all believers, both Jews and Gentiles, because righteousness comes by faith.
Hope Against Hope: Abraham believed God's promise despite his and Sarah's advanced age, and was strengthened in faith.

Historisk kontext

Historical and Cultural Context for Romans 4

People

Abraham (Ἀβραάμ) stands completely central in this chapter as Paul's main example. In first-century Jewish tradition, Abraham was not only the patriarch but the very ideal of righteousness. Jewish sources such as the Book of Jubilees and 1 Maccabees highlight Abraham's obedience to the law and his willingness to sacrifice Isaac as the basis for his righteous status. Paul challenges this interpretation by pointing to the chronological order in Genesis: Abraham was counted as righteous (Gen 15:6) before he was circumcised (Gen 17), an argument that would have been surprising to many Jewish readers. In verse 19, it is mentioned that Abraham was "about a hundred years old" (ἑκατονταετής που), which underscores the miraculous nature of God's promise.

Sarah (Σάρρα) is mentioned in verse 19 in connection with her womb being "dead" (νέκρωσις τῆς μήτρας). Together with Abraham's advanced age, this emphasizes the human impossibility of the promise of descendants, and thus the magnitude of Abraham's faith.

David (Δαυίδ) is introduced as a supporting witness from Psalm 32. By quoting David, Israel's most honored king, Paul strengthens his argument with another authority from Scripture. In Jewish tradition, David was also linked to messianic expectation, which made his testimony particularly relevant.

Jesus (Ἰησοῦς) is mentioned at the conclusion of the chapter (verses 24–25) as "our Lord" (τὸν κύριον ἡμῶν). He is described as the one who "was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification". This connects Abraham's story of faith to Christian saving faith and shows that the same justification by faith applies to all believers.

Events and Customs

Circumcision (περιτομή) was the central identity marker for Jewish men and dated back to the covenant with Abraham in Genesis 17. In Paul's time, circumcision was a hot-button issue in the early church, especially the question of whether Gentile Christians had to be circumcised. Paul's point that Abraham was justified before circumcision was theologically explosive—it challenged the common understanding of circumcision as the entryway into the covenant relationship with God.

Accounting terminology characterizes the chapter. The verb λογίζομαι (to credit, count) appears repeatedly throughout the entire chapter. This word was drawn from the commercial and accounting language of the Greco-Roman world, where it meant to enter something into an account, to credit, or to debit. Paul uses this familiar economic metaphor to explain how God "credits" righteousness to the one who believes.

Key Terms

Δικαιοσύνη (dikaiosyne – righteousness) is a key term with roots in the Hebrew tsedaqah. In a Jewish context, this described God's faithfulness to the covenant and humanity's right relationship with God and fellow humans. Paul argues that this righteousness is credited through faith, not achieved through works.

Προπάτωρ (propator – forefather) in verse 1 (in the accusative form προπάτορα) is a rare word that emphasizes Abraham's unique position. The expression "κατὰ σάρκα" (according to the flesh) points to physical kinship, but Paul wants to show that spiritual kinship through faith is what matters.

Σφραγίς (sfragis – seal) in verse 11 describes circumcision as a "seal" of the righteousness Abraham already possessed. In antiquity, seals were used to confirm and authenticate documents—circumcision thus confirmed something that was already established; it did not create it.

Ἐπαγγελία (epangelia – promise) occurs several times and is contrasted with νόμος (the law). Paul emphasizes that God's promise to Abraham came before the law was given, showing that the promise has priority and does not depend on law-keeping.

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