¿Qué diremos, entonces, que halló Abraham, nuestro padre¹ según la carne^a? 2 Porque si Abraham fue justificado por las obras, tiene de qué jactarse, pero no para con Dios^a. 3 Porque ¿qué dice la Escritura? Y CREYÓ ABRAHAM A DIOS, Y LE FUE CONTADO POR JUSTICIA^a. 4 Ahora bien, al que trabaja^a, el salario no se le cuenta como favor, sino como deuda; 5 mas al que no trabaja, pero cree en aquel que justifica al impío, su fe se le cuenta por justicia^a. 6 Como también David habla de la bendición que viene sobre el hombre a quien Dios atribuye justicia aparte de las obras:

9 ¿Es, pues, esta bendiciónsolo para¹ los circuncisos², o también para³ los incircuncisos^4a? Porque decimos: A ABRAHAM, LA FE LE FUE CONTADA POR JUSTICIA^b. 10 Entonces, ¿cómo le fue contada? ¿Siendo circunciso¹ o incircunciso²? No siendo circunciso³, sino siendo incircunciso⁴; 11 y recibió la señal de la circuncisión^a como sello de la justicia de la fe^b que tenía mientras aún era incircunciso¹, para que fuera padre de todos los que creen^c sin ser circuncidados, a fin de que la justicia también a ellos les fuera imputada; 12 y padre de la circuncisión para aquellos que no solamente son de la circuncisión, sino que también siguen en los pasos de la fe que tenía nuestro padre Abraham cuando era incircunciso¹.

13 Porque la promesa a Abraham o a su descendencia^1a de que él sería heredero del mundo, no fue hecha por medio de la ley, sino por medio de la justicia de la fe^b. 14 Porque si los que son de la ley son herederos, vana resulta la fe y anulada la promesa^a; 15 porque la ley produce ira, pero donde no hay ley, tampoco hay transgresión^a. 16 Por eso es por¹ fe, para que esté de acuerdo con la gracia^a, a fin de que la promesa sea firme para toda la posteridad², nosolo a los que son³ de la ley, sino también a los que son⁴ de la fe de Abraham, el cual es padre de todos nosotros^b 17 (como está escrito: TE HE HECHO PADRE DE MUCHAS NACIONES^a) delante de aquel en quien creyó, es decir Dios, que da vida a los muertos^b y llama^c a las cosas que no existen, como si existieran^d. 18 Él creyó en esperanza contra esperanza, a fin de llegar a ser padre de muchas naciones^a, conforme a lo que se le había dicho: ASÍ SERÁ TU DESCENDENCIA^1b. 19 Y sin debilitarse en la fe contempló su propio cuerpo, que ya estaba como muerto^a puesto que tenía como cien años^b, y la esterilidad¹ de la matriz de Sara^c; 20 sin embargo, respecto a la promesa de Dios, Abraham no titubeó con incredulidad, sino que se fortaleció en fe, dando gloria a Dios^a, 21 y estando plenamente convencido^a de que lo que Dios había prometido, poderoso era¹ también para cumplirlo^b. 22 Por lo cual también su fe LE FUE CONTADA POR JUSTICIA^a.

23 Y nosolo por él fue escrito^a que le fue contada, 24 sino también por nosotros, a quienes será contada: como los que creen en aquel que levantó de los muertos a Jesús nuestro Señor^a, 25 el cual fue entregado por causa de nuestras transgresiones^a y resucitado para nuestra justificación^b.

What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather ^1ahumanly speaking, has found? Has he obtained a favored standing? 2 For if Abraham was justified that is, acquitted from the guilt of his sins by works those things he did that were good, he has something to boast about, but ^anot before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “^aABRAHAM BELIEVED IN (trusted, relied on) GOD, AND IT WAS CREDITED TO HIS ACCOUNT AS RIGHTEOUSNESS (right living, right standing with God) .” Gen 15:6 4 Now to a ^alaborer, his wages are not credited as a favor or a gift, but as an obligation something owed to him. 5 But to the one who does not work that is, the one who does not try to earn his salvation by doing good, but ^abelieves and completely trusts in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is ¹credited to him as righteousness (right standing with God) . 6 And in this same way David speaks of the blessing on the one to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:

9 Is this blessing only for ^athe circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? For ^bwe say, “^cFAITH WAS CREDITED TO ABRAHAM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.” 10 How then was it credited to him? Was it after he had been circumcised, or before? Not after, but while he was uncircumcised. 11 He ^areceived the sign of circumcision, ^ba seal or confirmation of the righteousness which he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised—this was so that he would be ^cthe spiritual father of ^dall who believe without being circumcised—so that righteousness would be credited to them, 12 and that he would be the spiritual father of those circumcised who are not only circumcised, but who also walk in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham which he had before he was circumcised.

13 For ^athe promise to Abraham or to his descendants ^bthat he would be heir of the world was not through observing the requirements of the Law, but through the righteousness of faith. Gen 17:4-6; 22:16-18 14 ^aIf those who are followers of the Law are the true heirs of Abraham, then faith leading to salvation is of no effect and void, and the promise of God is nullified. 15 For ^athe Law results in God’s wrath against sin, but ^bwhere there is no law, there is no violation of it either.

16 Therefore, inheriting the promise depends entirely on faith that is, confident trust in the unseen God, in order that it may be given as an act of ^agrace His unmerited favor and mercy, so that the promise will be legally guaranteed to ^ball the descendants of Abraham—not only for ^cthose Jewish believers who keep the Law, but also for ^dthose Gentile believers who share the faith of Abraham, who is ^ethe spiritual father of us all— 17 (as it is written in Scripture, “^aI HAVE MADE YOU A FATHER OF MANY NATIONS”) in the sight of Him in whom he believed, that is, God ^1bwho gives life to the dead and ^ccalls into being ^dthat which does not exist. Gen 17:5 18 In hope against hope Abraham believed that he would become ^aa father of many nations, as he had been promised by God: “^bSO numberless SHALL YOUR DESCENDANTS BE.” Gen 15:5 19 Without becoming weak in faith he considered his own body, now ^aas good as dead for producing children since ^bhe was about a hundred years old, and he considered ^cthe deadness of Sarah’s womb. Gen 17:17; 18:11 20 But he did not doubt or waver in unbelief concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong and empowered by faith, ^agiving glory to God, 21 ^abeing fully convinced ^bthat God had the power to do what He had promised. 22 Therefore ^ahis faith WAS CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS (right standing with God) . Gen 15:6 23 Now ^anot for his sake alone was it written that it was credited to him, 24 but for our sake also—to whom righteousness will be credited, as those ^awho believe in Him who ^braised Jesus our Lord from the dead— 25 who was ^abetrayed and crucified because of our sins, and was ^braised from the dead because of our justification our acquittal—absolving us of all sin before God.

What then shall we say that Abraham, ¹our forefather ^aaccording to the flesh, has found? 2 For if Abraham was justified ¹by works, he has something to boast about; but ^anot ²before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “^aABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.” 4 Now to the one who ^aworks, the wages are not credited as a favor, but as what is due. 5 But to the one who does not work, but ^abelieves in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness, 6 just as David also speaks of the blessing of the person to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:

9 Is this blessing then on ^1athe circumcised, or on ²the uncircumcised also? For ^bwe say, “^cFAITH WAS CREDITED TO ABRAHAM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.” 10 How then was it credited? While he was ¹circumcised, or ²uncircumcised? Not while ³circumcised, but while ⁴uncircumcised; 11 and he ^areceived the sign of circumcision, ^ba seal of the righteousness of the faith which ¹he had while uncircumcised, so that he might be ^cthe father of ^dall who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be credited to them, 12 and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also follow in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham which ¹he had while uncircumcised.

13 For ^athe promise to Abraham or to his ¹descendants ^bthat he would be heir of the world was not ²through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For ^aif those who are ¹of the Law are heirs, then faith is made void and the promise is nullified; 15 for ^athe Law brings about wrath, but ^bwhere there is no law, there also is no violation.

16 For this reason it is ¹by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with ^agrace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to ^ball the ²descendants, not only to ³those who are of the Law, but also to ^4cthose who are of the faith of Abraham, who is ^dthe father of us all, 17 (as it is written: “I HAVE MADE YOU ^aA FATHER OF MANY NATIONS”) in the presence of Him whom he believed, that is, God, ^bwho gives life to the dead and ^ccalls into being ^dthings that do not exist. 18 In hope against hope he believed, so that he might become ^aa father of many nations according to that which had been spoken, “^bSO SHALL YOUR ¹DESCENDANTS BE.” 19 Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now ^aas good as dead since ^bhe was about a hundred years old, and ^cthe deadness of Sarah’s womb; 20 yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, ^agiving glory to God, 21 and ^abeing fully assured that ^bwhat God had promised, He was able also to perform. 22 Therefore ^aIT WAS ALSO CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS. 23 Now ^anot for his sake only was it written that it was credited to him, 24 but for our sake also, to whom it will be credited, to us ^awho believe in Him who ^braised Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25 He who was ^adelivered over because of our wrongdoings, and was ^braised because of our justification.