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PARALLEL BIBLE - Romans 4:17


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King James Bible - Romans 4:17

(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.

World English Bible

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.

Douay-Rheims - Romans 4:17

(As it is written: I have made thee a father of many nations,) before God, whom he believed, who quickeneth the dead; and calleth those things that are not, as those that are.

Webster's Bible Translation

(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations) before him whom he believed, even God, who reviveth the dead, and calleth those things which are not, as though they were.

Greek Textus Receptus


καθως 2531 ADV γεγραπται 1125 5769 V-RPI-3S οτι 3754 CONJ πατερα 3962 N-ASM πολλων 4183 A-GPN εθνων 1484 N-GPN τεθεικα 5087 5758 V-RAI-1S σε 4571 P-2AS κατεναντι 2713 ADV ου 3739 R-GSM επιστευσεν 4100 5656 V-AAI-3S θεου 2316 N-GSM του 3588 T-GSM ζωοποιουντος 2227 5723 V-PAP-GSM τους 3588 T-APM νεκρους 3498 A-APM και 2532 CONJ καλουντος 2564 5723 V-PAP-GSM τα 3588 T-APN μη 3361 PRT-N οντα 5607 5752 V-PXP-APN ως 5613 ADV οντα 5607 5752 V-PXP-APN

Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge

VERSE (17) - Ge 17:4,5,16,20; 25:1-34; 28:3 Heb 11:12

SEV Biblia, Chapter 4:17

¶ Como est escrito: Que por padre de muchos gentiles te he puesto delante de Dios, al cual crey; el cual da vida a los muertos, y llama las cosas que no son, como las que son.

Clarke's Bible Commentary - Romans 4:17

Verse 17. As it is written, I have made thee a father] That Abraham's being a father of many nations has relation to the covenant of God made with him, may be seen, Gen. xvii. 4, 5: Behold my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations: neither shall thy name any more be called Abram; but thy name shall be Abraham, for a father of many nations have I made thee, i.e. he was constituted the head of many nations, the Gentile world, by virtue of the covenant, which God made then with him.

God, who quickeneth the dead, &c.] God is the most proper object of trust and dependence; for being almighty, eternal, and unchangeable, he can even raise the dead to life, and call those things which be not as though they were. He is the Creator, he gave being when there was none; he can as infallibly assure the existence of those things which are not, as if they were already actually in being. And, on this account, he can never fail of accomplishing whatsoever he has promised.

John Gill's Bible Commentary

Ver. 17. As it is written I have made thee a father of many nations , etc..] The passage referred to, is in ( Genesis 17:4,5); which proves him to be a father not of the Jews only, since they cannot be called many nations, but of the Gentiles also; and which must be understood in a spiritual sense, for Abraham was the father of them, before him whom he believed, [even] God ; that is, he was so, either in the sight of God, who sees not as man sees; in his account, he was the father of many nations, long before he really in fact was; or over against or like unto him, as the word may signify: as God was the Father of many nations, so was Abraham, though not in such a sense as he is; and as God is the Father of us all that believe, so was Abraham; there is some little likeness and resemblance in this between them, though not sameness. The object of his faith is described as he, who quickeneth the dead : meaning either the dead body of Abraham and Sarah's womb; or Isaac, who was given up for dead; or the Gentiles, who were dead in trespasses and sins; or rather the dead bodies of men at the last day, a work which none but the almighty God can effect; the consideration of which is sufficient to engage faith in the promises of God, and a dependence on him for the fulfilment or them: and who stands further described as he, who calleth those things which be not, as though they were ; so he called Abraham the father of many nations, when he was not in fact, as if he really was; and the Gentiles his seed and offspring, before they were; and when he comes effectually to call them by his grace, they are represented as things which are not, whom he called, to bring to nought things that are, ( 1 Corinthians 1:28); they were not his people, nor his children, and he called them so, and by his grace made them so, and made them appear to be so; for as in creation so in regeneration, God calls and brings that into being which before was not: and the phrase seems to be an allusion to the creation of all things out of nothing; and it is a Rabbinical one, for so the Jews speaking of the creation say f65 ya la arwq , he calls to that which is not, and it is excluded; (i.e. all things are excluded out of it, as a chicken out of an egg;) and to that which is, and it is established, and to the world, and it is stretched out.

Matthew Henry Commentary

Verses 13-22 - The promise was made to Abraham long before the law. It points a Christ, and it refers to the promise, Ge 12:3. In Thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. The law worketh wrath, by showin that every transgressor is exposed to the Divine displeasure. As God intended to give men a title to the promised blessings, so he appointe it to be by faith, that it might be wholly of grace, to make it sure to all who were of the like precious faith with Abraham, whether Jews of Gentiles, in all ages. The justification and salvation of sinners, the taking to himself the Gentiles who had not been a people, were gracious calling of things which are not, as though they were; and thi giving a being to things that were not, proves the almighty power of God. The nature and power of Abraham's faith are shown. He believe God's testimony, and looked for the performance of his promise, firml hoping when the case seemed hopeless. It is weakness of faith, tha makes a man lie poring on the difficulties in the way of a promise Abraham took it not for a point that would admit of argument or debate Unbelief is at the bottom of all our staggerings at God's promises. The strength of faith appeared in its victory over fears. God honour faith; and great faith honours God. It was imputed to him for righteousness. Faith is a grace that of all others gives glory to God Faith clearly is the instrument by which we receive the righteousnes of God, the redemption which is by Christ; and that which is the instrument whereby we take or receive it, cannot be the thing itself nor can it be the gift thereby taken and received. Abraham's faith di not justify him by its own merit or value, but as giving him a part in Christ.

Greek Textus Receptus


καθως 2531 ADV γεγραπται 1125 5769 V-RPI-3S οτι 3754 CONJ πατερα 3962 N-ASM πολλων 4183 A-GPN εθνων 1484 N-GPN τεθεικα 5087 5758 V-RAI-1S σε 4571 P-2AS κατεναντι 2713 ADV ου 3739 R-GSM επιστευσεν 4100 5656 V-AAI-3S θεου 2316 N-GSM του 3588 T-GSM ζωοποιουντος 2227 5723 V-PAP-GSM τους 3588 T-APM νεκρους 3498 A-APM και 2532 CONJ καλουντος 2564 5723 V-PAP-GSM τα 3588 T-APN μη 3361 PRT-N οντα 5607 5752 V-PXP-APN ως 5613 ADV οντα 5607 5752 V-PXP-APN

Vincent's NT Word Studies

17. A father of many nations. See Gen. xvii. 5. Originally his name was Abram, exalted father; afterward Abraham, father of a multitude.

Have I made (teqeika). Appointed or constituted. For a similar sense see Matt. xxiv. 51; John xv. 16, and note; Acts xiii. 47; 1 Tim. ii. 7. The verb shows that the paternity was the result of a special arrangement. It would not be used to denote the mere physical connection between father and son.

Who quickeneth the dead. This attribute of God is selected with special reference to the circumstances of Abraham as described in vers. 18, 21. As a formal attribute of God it occurs 1 Sam. ii. 6; John v. 21; 2 Corinthians i. 9; 1 Tim. vi. 13.

Calleth (kalountov). The verb is used in the following senses:

1 To give a name, with onoma name, Matt. i. 21, 22, 25; Luke i. 13, 31; without onoma Luke i. 59, 60. To salute by a name, Matt. xxiii. 9; xxii. 43, 45.

2. Passive. To bear a name or title among men, Luke i. 35; xxii. 25; 1 Corinthians xv. 9. To be acknowledged or to pass as, Matt. v. 9, 19; Jas. ii. 23.

3. To invite, Matt. xxii. 3, 9; John ii. 2; 1 Cor. x. 27. To summon, Matt. iv. 21; Acts iv. 18; xxiv. 2. To call out from, Matt. ii. 15; Heb. xi. 8; 1 Pet. ii. 9.

4. To appoint. Select for an office, Gal. i. 15; Heb. v. 4; to salvation, Rom. ix. 11; viii. 30.

5. Of God's creative decree. To call forth from nothing, Isa. xli. 4; 2 Kings viii. 1.

In this last sense some explain the word here; but it can scarcely be said that God creates things that are not as actually existing. Others explain, God's disposing decree. He disposes of things that are not as though existing. 31 The simplest explanation appears to be to give kalein the sense of nameth, speaketh of. Compare ch. ix. 7; Acts vii. 5. The seed of Abraham "which were at present in the category of things which were not, and the nations which should spring physically or spiritually from him, God spoke of as having an existence, which word Abraham believed" (Alford). In this case there may properly be added the idea of the summons to the high destiny ordained for Abraham's seed.

Robertson's NT Word Studies

4:17 {A father of many nations} (patera pollwn eqnwn). Quotation from #Ge 17:5. Only true in the sense of spiritual children as already explained, father of believers in God. {Before him whom he believed even God} (katenanti hou episteusen qeou). Incorporation of antecedent into the relative clause and attraction of the relative hwi into hou. See #Mr 11:2 for katenanti, "right in front of." {Calleth the things that are not as though they were} (kalountos ta m onta h"s onta). "Summons the non-existing as existing." Abraham's body was old and decrepit. God rejuvenated him and Sarah (#Heb 11:19).

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