Romans 4:23

Romans 4:23

Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him;

a. NLT: And when God counted him as righteous, it wasn’t just for Abraham’s benefit. It was recorded

b. NIV: The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone,

c. YLT: And it was not written on his account alone, that it was reckoned to him,

d. Amplified Bible: But [they were written] for our sakes too. [Righteousness, standing acceptable to God] will be granted and credited to us also who believe in (trust in, adhere to, and rely on) God, Who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead,]

e. Worrell Translation: Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was reckoned to him;

1. “Now it was not written for his sake alone…”

a. Now [1161 * de] [Strong: a primary particle (adversative or continuative); but, and, etc.:--also, and, but, moreover, now (often unexpressed in English).]

b. it was…written [1125 * grapho] [Strong: a primary verb; to "grave", especially to write; figuratively, to describe:--describe, write(-ing, -ten).]

c. not [3756 * ou; also (before a vowel) ouk, and (before an aspirate) ouch] [Strong: a primary word; the absolute negative (compare 3361) adverb; no or not:--+ long, nay, neither, never, no (X man), none, (can-)not, + nothing, + special, un(-worthy), when, + without, + yet but.]

d. for…sake [1223 * dia] [Strong: a primary preposition denoting the channel of an act; through (in very wide applications, local, causal, or occasional):--after, always, among, at, to avoid, because of (that), briefly, by, for (cause) ... fore, from, in, by occasion of, of, by reason of, for sake, that, thereby, therefore, X though, through(-out), to, wherefore, with (-in). In composition it retains the same general importance.]

e. his [846 * autos] [Strong: from the particle au (perhaps akin to the base of 109 through the idea of a baffling wind) (backward); the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative 1438) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons:--her, it(-self), one, the other, (mine) own, said, (self-), the) same, ((him-, my-, thy- )self, (your-)selves, she, that, their(-s), them(-selves), there(-at, - by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with), they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which.]

f. alone [3440 * monon] [Strong: neuter of 3441 as adverb; merely:--alone, but, only.]

1). What was written of course was God making a Covenant with Abram.

a). Genesis 15:1-6 After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.

15:2 And Abram said, Lord God, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus?

15:3 And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir.

15:4 And, behold, the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir.

15:5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.

15:6 And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.

2). The events of what happened to saints and sinners in the Old and New Testaments were written to be examples for us, to give us wisdom and comfort.

a). Romans 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

b). 1 Corinthians 10:6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.

c). 1 Corinthians 10:11 Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

3). Some of the things written also serve as warnings to us.

a). Jude 7  Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

2. “…that it was imputed to him;”

a. The amount of time between the appearance of God to Abraham in Genesis 17 and the birth of Isaac in Genesis 21 is about a year. What happened outwardly to Abraham is reported in the pages of Genesis 17 through Genesis 21, but what happened to Abraham inwardly in his spirit is recorded in Romans 4:18-22.

1). Romans 4:18-22 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.

4:19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb:

4:20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;

4:21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

4:22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.