Came this blessedness then upon the circumcised or upon the uncircumcised? We say verily how that faith was reckoned to Abraham, for righteousness. How was it reckoned? in the time of circumcision? or in the time before he was circumcised? Not in time of circumcision: but when he was yet uncircumcised. And he received the sign of circumcision, as a seal of the righteousness which is by faith, which faith he had yet being uncircumcised, that he should be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also, And that he might be the father of the circumcised: not because they are circumcised only: but because they walk also in the steps of that faith, which was in our father Abraham before the time of circumcision.
For the promise that he should be heir of the world was not given to Abraham, or to his seed thorow the law: but thorow the righteousness which cometh of faith. For if they which are of the law be heirs, then is faith but vain, and the promise of none effect. Because the law causeth wrath. For where no law is, there is no transgression. Therefore by faith is the inheritance given, that it might come of favour: and that the promise might be sure to all the seed. Not to them only which are of the law: but also to them which are of the faith of Abraham, which is the father of us all. As it is written: I have ordained thee a father to many nations, before God whom thou hast believed, which quickeneth the dead and calleth those things which be not as though they were.
Which Abraham, contrary to hope, believed in hope, that he should be the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken: So shall thy seed be. And he fainted not in the faith, nor yet considered his own body, which was now dead, even when he was almost an hundred year old. Neither considered he the barrenness of Sara. He staggered not at the promise of God thorow unbelief: But was made strong in the faith, and gave honour to God and steadfastly believed, that he which had made the promised was able also to make it good. And therefore was it reckoned to him for righteousness.
It is not written for him only, that it was reckoned to him for righteousness: but also for us, to whom it shall be counted for righteousness so we believe on him that raised, up Iesus our lord from death. Which was delivered for our sins, and rose again for to justify us.
The .v. Chapter.
Because therefore that we are justified by faith we are at peace with God thorow our lord Iesus Christ: by whom we have a way in thorow faith unto this faveour wherein we stand and rejoice in hope of the praise that shall be given of God. Neither do we so only: but also we rejoice in tribulation: For we know that tribulation bringeth patience, patience bringeth feeling, feeling bringeth hope. and hope maketh not ashamed, because the love that God hath unto us, is shed abroad in our hearts, by the holy ghost, which is given unto us.
For when we were yet weak according to the time: Christ died for us which were ungodly. Yet scarce will any man die for a righteous man. Peradventure for a good man durst a man die. But God setteth out his love that he hath to us, Seeing that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then now (seeing we are justified in his blood) shall we be preserved from wrath thorow him.
For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his son: much more, seeing we are reconciled, we shall be preserved by his life. Not only so, but we also joy in God by the means of our lord Iesus Christ, by whom we have received this atonement.
Wherefore as by one man sin entered into the worlde, and death by the means of sin. And so death went over all men, insomuch that all men sinned. For even unto the time of the law was sin in the worlde: but sin was not regarded, as long as there was no law: nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them also that sinned not, with like transgression as did Adam: which is the similitude of him that was {is} to come.
But the gift is not like as the sin. For if thorow the sin of one, many be dead: much more plenteous upon many was the faveour of God and gift by faveour: which faveour was given by one man Iesus Christ.