He believed in The LORD, who credited it to him for righteousness.

1. What then will we say that ABRAHAM, our forefather, has found according to the flesh?

2. For if ABRAHAM was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not toward God.

3. For what does the Scripture say? "ABRAHAM believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness."Genesis 15:6

4. Now to him who works, the reward is not counted as grace, but as something owed.

5. But to him who doesn't work, but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness.

6. Even as David also pronounces blessing on the man to whom God counts righteousness apart from works,

7. "Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven,whose sins are covered.

8. Blessed is the man whom the Lord will by no means charge with sin."Psalm 32:1-2

9. Is this blessing then pronounced on the circumcised, or on the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to ABRAHAM for righteousness.

10. How then was it counted? When he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.

11. He received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while he was in uncircumcision, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they might be in uncircumcision, that righteousness might also be accounted to them.

12. He is the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father ABRAHAM, which he had in uncircumcision.

13. For the promise to ABRAHAM and to his offspring that he should be heir of the world wasn't through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.

14. For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void, and the promise is made of no effect.

15. For the law produces wrath, for where there is no law, neither is there disobedience.

16. For this cause it is of faith, that it may be according to grace, to the end that the promise may be sure to all the offspring, not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of ABRAHAM, who is the father of us all.

17. As it is written, "I have made you a father of many nations." This is in the presence of him whom he believed: God, who gives life to the dead, and calls the things that are not, as though they were.Genesis 17:5

18. Besides hope, ABRAHAM in hope believed, to the end that he might become a father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, "So will your offspring be."Genesis 15:5

19. Without being weakened in faith, he didn't consider his own body, already having been worn out, (he being about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's womb.

20. Yet, looking to the promise of God, he didn't waver through unbelief, but grew strong through faith, giving glory to God,

21. and being fully assured that what he had promised, he was also able to perform.

22. Therefore it also was "credited to him for righteousness."Genesis 15:6

6. Even as ABRAHAM "believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness."

7. Know therefore that those who are of faith, the same are children of ABRAHAM.

8. The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the Good News beforehand to ABRAHAM, saying, "In you all the nations will be blessed."Genesis 12:3; 18:18; 22:18

9. So then, those who are of faith are blessed with the faithful ABRAHAM.

8. By faith, ABRAHAM, when he was called, obeyed to go out to the place which he was to receive for an inheritance. He went out, not knowing where he went.

9. By faith, he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a land not his own, dwelling in tents, with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise.

10. For he looked for the city which has the foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

11. By faith, even Sarah herself received power to conceive, and she bore a child when she was past age, since she counted him faithful who had promised.

12. Therefore as many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as innumerable as the sand which is by the sea shore, were fathered by one man, and him as good as dead.

13. These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them and embraced them from afar, and having confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

14. For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own.

15. If indeed they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had enough time to return.

16. But now they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

17. By faith, ABRAHAM, being tested, offered up Isaac. Yes, he who had gladly received the promises was offering up his one and only son,

18. to whom it was said, "your offspring will be accounted as from Isaac";Genesis 21:12

19. concluding that God is able to raise up even from the dead. Figuratively speaking, he also did receive him back from the dead.