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Inheritance Through Faith. 13 It was not through the law that the promise was made to Abraham and his descendants that he would inherit the world, but through the righteousness that comes from faith.(A) 14 For if those who adhere to the law are the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void.(B) 15 For the law produces wrath;(C) but where there is no law, neither is there violation.[a] 16 For this reason, it depends on faith, so that it may be a gift, and the promise may be guaranteed to all his descendants, not to those who only adhere to the law but to those who follow the faith of Abraham, who is the father of all of us,(D) 17 as it is written, “I have made you father of many nations.” He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into being what does not exist.(E) 18 He believed, hoping against hope,(F) that he would become “the father of many nations,” according to what was said, “Thus shall your descendants be.”

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Footnotes

  1. 4:15 Law has the negative function of bringing the deep-seated rebellion against God to the surface in specific sins; see note on Rom 1:18–32.

13 It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise(A) that he would be heir of the world,(B) but through the righteousness that comes by faith.(C) 14 For if those who depend on the law are heirs, faith means nothing and the promise is worthless,(D) 15 because the law brings wrath.(E) And where there is no law there is no transgression.(F)

16 Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace(G) and may be guaranteed(H) to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all.(I) 17 As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.”[a](J) He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life(K) to the dead and calls(L) into being things that were not.(M)

18 Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations,(N) just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”[b](O)

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 4:17 Gen. 17:5
  2. Romans 4:18 Gen. 15:5