Abraham Justified by Faith (Genesis 15:1–7; Psalm 32:1–11; Hebrews 11:8–19)
1 CPDV So then, what shall we say that Abraham had achieved, who is our father according to the flesh? BSB BSB: What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has discovered?
2 CPDV For if Abraham was justified by works, he would have glory, but not with God. BSB BSB: If Abraham was indeed justified by works, he had something to boast about, but not before God.
4 CPDV But for he who works, wages are not accounted according to grace, but according to debt. BSB BSB: Now the wages of the worker are not credited as a gift, but as an obligation.
5 CPDV Yet truly, for he who does not work, but who believes in him who justifies the impious, his faith is reputed unto justice, according to the purpose of the grace of God. BSB BSB: However, to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness.
6 CPDV Similarly, David also declares the blessedness of a man, to whom God brings justice without works: BSB BSB: And David speaks likewise of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:
7 CPDV “Blessed are they whose iniquities have been forgiven and whose sins have been covered. BSB BSB: “Blessed are they whose lawless acts are forgiven, whose sins are covered.
8 CPDV Blessed is the man to whom the Lord has not imputed sin.” BSB BSB: Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him.”
9 CPDV Does this blessedness, then, remain only in the circumcised, or is it even in the uncircumcised? For we say that faith was reputed to Abraham unto justice. BSB BSB: Is this blessing only on the circumcised, or also on the uncircumcised? We have been saying that Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness.
10 CPDV But then how was it reputed? In circumcision or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. BSB BSB: In what context was it credited? Was it after his circumcision, or before? It was not after, but before.
11 CPDV For he received the sign of circumcision as a symbol of the justice of that faith which exists apart from circumcision, so that he might be the father of all those who believe while uncircumcised, so that it might also be reputed to them unto justice, BSB BSB: 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, in order that righteousness might be credited to them.
12 CPDV and he might be the father of circumcision, not only for those who are of circumcision, but even for those who follow the footsteps of that faith which is in the uncircumcision of our father Abraham. BSB BSB: And he is also the father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised, but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.
Abraham Receives the Promise (Genesis 15:8–21)
13 CPDV For the Promise to Abraham, and to his posterity, that he would inherit the world, was not through the law, but through the justice of faith. BSB BSB: For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world was not given through the law, but through the righteousness that comes by faith.
14 CPDV For if those who are of the law are the heirs, then faith becomes empty and the Promise is abolished. BSB BSB: For if those who live by the law are heirs, faith is useless and the promise is worthless,
15 CPDV For the law works unto wrath. And where there is no law, there is no law-breaking. BSB BSB: because the law brings wrath. And where there is no law, there is no transgression.
16 CPDV Because of this, it is from faith according to grace that the Promise is ensured for all posterity, not only for those who are of the law, but also for those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all before God, BSB BSB: Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may rest on grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all.
17 CPDV in whom he believed, who revives the dead and who calls those things that do not exist into existence. For it is written: “I have established you as the father of many nations.” BSB BSB: As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the presence of God, in whom he believed, the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being what does not yet exist.
18 CPDV And he believed, with a hope beyond hope, so that he might become the father of many nations, according to what was said to him: “So shall your posterity be.” BSB BSB: Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.”
19 CPDV And he was not weakened in faith, nor did he consider his own body to be dead (though he was then almost one hundred years old), nor the womb of Sarah to be dead. BSB BSB: Without weakening in his faith, he acknowledged the decrepitness of his body (since he was about a hundred years old) and the lifelessness of Sarah’s womb.
20 CPDV And then, in the Promise of God, he did not hesitate out of distrust, but instead he was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, BSB BSB: Yet he did not waver through disbelief in the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God,
21 CPDV knowing most fully that whatever God has promised, he is also able to accomplish. BSB BSB: being fully persuaded that God was able to do what He had promised.
22 CPDV And for this reason, it was reputed to him unto justice. BSB BSB: This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.”
23 CPDV Now this has been written, that it was reputed to him unto justice, not only for his sake, BSB BSB: Now the words “it was credited to him” were written not only for Abraham,
24 CPDV but also for our sake. For the same shall be reputed to us, if we believe in him who raised up our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead, BSB BSB: but also for us, to whom righteousness will be credited—for us who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.
25 CPDV who was handed over because of our offenses, and who rose again for our justification. BSB BSB: He was delivered over to death for our trespasses and was raised to life for our justification.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.