Romans 4:3 BSB — MannaFest

Romans 4:3

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

BSB

Parallel translations (2) ▾

ASV

For what saith the scripture? And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness.

KJV

For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.

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Commentary

5 voices

Irenaeus

Against Heresies Book IV (202)

And teaching this very thing, He said to the Jews: "Your father Abraham rejoiced that he should see my day; and he saw it, and was glad." What is intended? "Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness." In the first place, [he believed] that He was the maker of heaven and earth, the only God; and in the next place, that He would make his seed as the stars of heaven. This is what is meant by Paul, [when he says,] "as lights in the world."

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

John Gill

1697–1771

Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748)

For what saith the Scripture?.... This answers to דכתיב מאי, "what is that which is written" (c)? or what does the Scripture say? which is a way of speaking used by the Jews, when anything is proposed, which seems contrary to Scripture, as here justification by works does.

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament (1755)

Abraham believed God - That promise of God concerning the numerousness of his seed, Gen. xv, 5, 7; but especially the promise concerning Christ, Gen. xii, 3, through whom all nations should be blessed. And it was imputed to him for righteousness - God accepted him as if he had been altogether righteous.

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

Albert Barnes

1798–1870

Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)

For what saith the Scripture? - The inspired account of Abraham’s justification. This account was final, and was to settle the question. This account is found in Gen 15:6. Abraham believed God - In the Hebrew, “Abraham believed Yahweh.” The sense is substantially the same, as the argument turns on the act of believing. The faith which Abraham exercised was, that his posterity should be like the stars of heaven in number. This promise was made to him when he had no child, and of course when he had no prospect of such a posterity.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

Voices on this verse

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Original language & word study

15 tagged words

Original	Transliteration	Meaning	Word study
τί	ti	What	G5101 →
γὰρ	gar	for	G1063 →
ἡ	hē	the	G3588 →
γραφὴ	graphē	Scripture	G1124 →
λέγει;	legei	says?	G3004 →
ἐπίστευσεν	episteusen	Believed	G4100 →
δὲ	de	then	G1161 →
Ἀβραὰμ	Abraam	Abraham	G11 →
τῷ	tō	<the>	G3588 →
θεῷ,	theō	in God,	G2316 →
καὶ	kai	and	G2532 →
ἐλογίσθη	elogisthē	it was reckoned	G3049 →
αὐτῷ	autō	to him	G846 →
εἰς	eis	for	G1519 →
δικαιοσύνην.	dikaiosunēn	righteousness.	G1343 →

Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread: the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.

The walk

The walk8

Where the connections lead

Follow this verse’s cross-references two steps out. Each card is a verse this one points to, and beneath it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several different paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it. Every stop shows its own words, and every stop is a page.

Through
Genesis 15:6
Abram believed the LORD, and it was credited to him as righteousness.
leads to
- James 2:23
  And the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called a friend of God.
- Galatians 3:6–14
  So also, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
- Romans 4:9
  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.
- Romans 4:20–25
  Yet he did not waver through disbelief in the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God,
- Romans 4:3–6
  For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
Through
James 2:23
And the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called a friend of God.
leads to
- Genesis 15:6
  Abram believed the LORD, and it was credited to him as righteousness.
- Isaiah 41:8
  “But you, O Israel, My servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, descendant of Abraham My friend—
- 2 Chronicles 20:7
  Our God, did You not drive out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham Your friend?

Featured studies on this passage

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The Abrahamic Covenant: Genesis 12 · 15 · 17, MannaFest

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Put That on Mine Account: Imputation

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On Romans 4:3

Justification by Faith: the Verdict of the Cross | MannaFest

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On Romans 4:3

The Jerusalem Council — Acts 15

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Walks through Romans 4

The Covenants

Six covenants in succession, cumulative rather than replacing. Adamic, Noahic, Abrahamic, Mosaic, Davidic, New. Each narrowing the line of promise while widening the scope of fulfillment.

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Walks through Romans 4

The New Perspective on Paul

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About Romans

The Crucifixion — Gustave Doré (engraving, public domain)

Romans: the study guide →Read chapter 4 →The featured study →

PersonPatriarchsAbrahamCalled out of Ur, the father of all who believe, justified by faith, and the friend of God through whose seed all nations are bles…

Faith
Paul reads Genesis 15:6 as proof that righteousness was reckoned to Abraham by faith, before circumcision or l…

Continue: Romans 4 →

01Commentary

The record, by era

Voices on this verse

02Original language & word study

03The walk

Where the connections lead

04Related verses

05Featured studies on this passage

06About Romans

The record, by era

Where the connections lead

Commentary

Original language & word study

The walk

Related verses

Featured studies on this passage

About Romans