Romans 4:3

Romans 4:3

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

a. NLT: For the Scriptures tell us, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.”

b. NIV: What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”

c. YLT: for what doth the writing say? 'And Abraham did believe God, and it was reckoned to him -- to righteousness;'

d. Amplified Bible Classic: For what does the Scripture say? Abraham believed in (trusted in) God, and it was credited to his account as righteousness (right living and right standing with God).

e. Worrell Translation: For what does the Scripture say? “For Abraham believed God and it was reckoned to him for righteousness.

1. For what saith the scripture?

a. For [1063 * gar] [Strong: a primary particle; properly, assigning a reason (used in argument, explanation or intensification; often with other particles):--and, as, because (that), but, even, for, indeed, no doubt, seeing, then, therefore, verily, what, why, yet.]

b. what [5101 * tis] [Strong: probably emphatic of 5100; an interrogative pronoun, who, which or what (in direct or indirect questions):--every man, how (much), + no(-ne, thing), what (manner, thing), where (-by, -fore, -of, -unto, - with, -withal), whether, which, who(-m, -se), why.]

c. saith [3004 * lego] [Strong:  a primary verb; properly, to "lay" forth, i.e. (figuratively) relate (in words (usually of systematic or set discourse; whereas 2036 and 5346 generally refer to an individual expression or speech respectively; while 4483 is properly to break silence merely, and 2980 means an extended or random harangue)); by implication, to mean:--ask, bid, boast, call, describe, give out, name, put forth, say(-ing, on), shew, speak, tell, utter.]

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

e. Scripture [1124 * graphe] [Strong: a document, i.e. holy Writ (or its contents or a statement in it):--scripture.]

1). Here Paul is appealing to the Old Testament for authority. He of course did this more than once. But I want to cite what Jesus said about the Old Testament.

2). Jesus believed and cited passages of Scripture which might seem particularly difficult for the natural man to believe. He quoted the supposedly contradictory accounts [liberal and apostate viewpoint] of man’s creation in the same passage.

a). Matthew 19:4-6 And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,

19:5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?

19:6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

3). He believed and quoted about Noah’s flood.

a). Luke 17:26, 27 And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.

17:27 They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.

b). Matthew 24:37-39 But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

24:38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,

24:39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

4). He believed and quoted passages about the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.

a). Luke 17:28, 29 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;

17:29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.

5). Jonah and the whale.

a). Matthew 12:39-41  But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:

12:40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

12:41The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.

6). Jesus believed Moses to be the author of the Pentateuch.

a). Luke 24:27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

b). John 5:46, 47 For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me; for he wrote of me.

5:47 But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?

7). Jesus accepted the writings of Moses and referred to some of the miracles.

a). The burning bush.

(1)  Luke 20:37 Now that the dead are raised, even Moses shewed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.

b). The giving of manna.

(1) John 6:31, 32 Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.

6:32 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.

c). The brazen serpent.

(1) John 3:14, 15 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

3:15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

2. “…Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.”

a. Abraham [11 * Abraam] [Strong: of Hebrew origin (85); Abraham, the Hebrew patriarch:--Abraham.]

b. believed [4100 * pisteuo] [Strong: from 4102; to have faith (in, upon, or with respect to, a person or thing), i.e. credit; by implication, to entrust (especially one's spiritual well-being to Christ):--believe(-r), commit (to trust), put in trust with.]

c. God [2316 * theos] [Strong: of uncertain affinity; a deity, especially (with 3588) the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very:--X exceeding, God, god(-ly, -ward).]

d. and [2532 * kai] [Strong: apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

e. it was counted [3049 * ligizomai] [Strong: middle voice from 3056; to take an inventory, i.e. estimate (literally or figuratively):--conclude, (ac-)count (of), + despise, esteem, impute, lay, number, reason, reckon, suppose, think (on).]

f. unto him [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.]

g. for [1519 * eis] [Strong: a primary preposition; to or into (indicating the point reached or entered), of place, time, or (figuratively) purpose (result, etc.); also in adverbial phrases:--(abundant-)ly, against, among, as, at, (back-)ward, before, by, concerning, + continual, + far more exceeding, for (intent, purpose), fore, + forth, in (among, at, unto, -so much that, -to), to the intent that, + of one mind, + never, of, (up-)on, + perish, + set at one again, (so) that, therefore(-unto), throughout, til, to (be, the end, -ward), (here-)until(-to), ...ward, (where-)fore, with. Often used in composition with the same general import, but only with verbs (etc.) expressing motion (literally or figuratively).]

h. righteousness [1343 * dikaiosune] [Strong: from 1342; equity (of character or act); specially (Christian) justification:--righteousness.]

1). Genesis 15:6 And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.

2). As will be shown by Paul by the inspiriation of the Holy Ghost, Paul’s believing God previous to him being circumcised, is the spiritual precedent for God justifying uncircumcised Gentiles.