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PARALLEL BIBLE - Romans 4:5


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King James Bible - Romans 4:5

But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

World English Bible

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

Douay-Rheims - Romans 4:5

But to him that worketh not, yet believeth in him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is reputed to justice, according to the purpose of the grace of God.

Webster's Bible Translation

But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

Greek Textus Receptus


τω 3588 T-DSM δε 1161 CONJ μη 3361 PRT-N εργαζομενω 2038 5740 V-PNP-DSM πιστευοντι 4100 5723 V-PAP-DSM δε 1161 CONJ επι 1909 PREP τον 3588 T-ASM δικαιουντα 1344 5723 V-PAP-ASM τον 3588 T-ASM ασεβη 765 A-ASM λογιζεται 3049 5736 V-PNI-3S η 3588 T-NSF πιστις 4102 N-NSF αυτου 846 P-GSM εις 1519 PREP δικαιοσυνην 1343 N-ASF

Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge

VERSE (5) - :24,25; 3:22; 5:1,2; 10:3,9,10 Ac 13:38,39 Ga 2:16,17; 3:9-14 Php 3:9

SEV Biblia, Chapter 4:5

Mas al que no obra, sino cree en aquel que justifica al impío, la fe le es contada por justicia.

Clarke's Bible Commentary - Romans 4:5

Verse 5. But to him that worketh not] Which was the case with Abraham, for he was called when he was ungodly, i.e. an idolater; and, on his believing, was freely justified: and, as all men have sinned, none can be justified by works; and, therefore, justification, if it take place at all, must take place in behalf of the ungodly, forasmuch as all mankind are such.

Now, as Abraham's state and mode in which he was justified, are the plan and rule according to which God purposes to save men; and as his state was ungodly, and the mode of his justification was by faith in the goodness and mercy of God; and this is precisely the state of Jews and Gentiles at present; there can be no other mode of justification than by faith in that Christ who is Abraham's seed, and in whom, according to the promise, all the nations of the earth are to be blessed.

It is necessary to observe here, in order to prevent confusion and misapprehension, that although the verb dikaiow has a variety of senses in the New Testament, yet here it is to be taken as implying the pardon of sin; receiving a person into the favour of God. See these different acceptations cited in the note on chap. i. 17, and particularly under No.

7. It is also necessary to observe, that our translators render the verb logizomai differently in different parts of this chapter. It is rendered counted, ver. 3, 5; reckoned, ver. 4, 9, 10; imputed, ver. 6, 8, 11, 22-24. Reckoned is probably the best sense in all these places.

John Gill's Bible Commentary

Ver. 5. But to him that worketh not , etc..] Not that the believer does not work at all, but not from such principles, and with such views as the other; he does not work in order to obtain life and salvation; he does not seek for justification by his doings: but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly : or that ungodly one: particular reference is had to Abraham, who in his state of unregeneracy was an ungodly person; as all God's elect are in a state of nature, and are such when God justifies them, being without a righteousness of their own; wherefore he imputes the righteousness of another, even that of his own Son, unto them: and though he justifies the ungodly, he does not justify their ungodliness, but them from it; nor will he, nor does he leave them to live and die in it; now to him that worketh not, that is perfect righteousness; or has no opportunity of working at all; or what he does, he does not do, that he might be justified by it; but exercises faith on God as justifying persons, who, like himself, are sinners, ungodly and destitute of a righteousness: his faith is counted for righteousness ; not the act, but the object of it; which was Abraham's case, and therefore was not justified by works. The Vulgate Latin version here adds, according to the purpose of the grace of God.

Matthew Henry Commentary

Verses 1-12 - To meet the views of the Jews, the apostle first refers to the exampl of Abraham, in whom the Jews gloried as their most renowned forefather However exalted in various respects, he had nothing to boast in the presence of God, being saved by grace, through faith, even as others Without noticing the years which passed before his call, and the failures at times in his obedience, and even in his faith, it wa expressly stated in Scripture that "he believed God, and it was counte to him for righteousness," Ge 15:6. From this example it is observed that if any man could work the full measure required by the law, the reward must be reckoned as a debt, which evidently was not the cas even of Abraham, seeing faith was reckoned to him for righteousness When believers are justified by faith, "their faith being counted for righteousness," their faith does not justify them as a part, small of great, of their righteousness; but as the appointed means of unitin them to Him who has chosen as the name whereby he shall be called, "the Lord our Righteousness." Pardoned people are the only blessed people It clearly appears from the Scripture, that Abraham was justifie several years before his circumcision. It is, therefore, plain tha this rite was not necessary in order to justification. It was a sign of the original corruption of human nature. And it was such a sign as wa also an outward seal, appointed not only to confirm God's promises to him and to his seed, and their obligation to be the Lord's, but likewise to assure him of his being already a real partaker of the righteousness of faith. Thus Abraham was the spiritual forefather of all believers, who walked after the example of his obedient faith. The seal of the Holy Spirit in our sanctification, making us new creatures is the inward evidence of the righteousness of faith.

Greek Textus Receptus


τω 3588 T-DSM δε 1161 CONJ μη 3361 PRT-N εργαζομενω 2038 5740 V-PNP-DSM πιστευοντι 4100 5723 V-PAP-DSM δε 1161 CONJ επι 1909 PREP τον 3588 T-ASM δικαιουντα 1344 5723 V-PAP-ASM τον 3588 T-ASM ασεβη 765 A-ASM λογιζεται 3049 5736 V-PNI-3S η 3588 T-NSF πιστις 4102 N-NSF αυτου 846 P-GSM εις 1519 PREP δικαιοσυνην 1343 N-ASF

Vincent's NT Word Studies

5. Believeth on Him (pisteuonti epi ton). The verb pisteuw to believe is used in the New Testament as follows:

1. Transitively, with the accusative and dative: to entrust something to one, Luke xvi. 11; John ii. 24. In the passive, to be entrusted with something, Rom. iii. 2; 1 Cor. ix. 17; Gal. ii. 7. With the simple accusative, to believe a thing, John xi. 26; 1 John iv. 16.

2. With the infinitive, Acts xv. 11.

3. With oti that, Matt. ix. 28; Mark xi. 24; Jas. ii. 19. Especially frequent in John: iv. 21; xi. 27, 42; xiii. 19; xiv. 10, 11; xvi. 27, 30, etc.

4. With the simple dative, meaning to believe a person or thing, that they are true or speak the truth, John ii. 22; iv. 21; v. 46. See on John i. 12; ii. 22, 23; viii. 31; x. 37.

5. With the preposition ejn in. Not frequent, and questioned in some of the passages cited for illustration. In John iii. 15, ejn aujtw in Him, is probably to be construed with have eternal life. The formula occurs nowhere else in John. In Mark i. 15 we find pisteuete ejn tw eujaggeliw believe in the gospel. The kindred noun pistiv faith, occurs in this combination. Thus Gal. iii. 26, though some join in Christ Jesus with sons. See also Eph. i. 15; Col. i. 4; 1 Tim. iii. 13; 2 Tim. iii. 15; Romans iii. 25. This preposition indicates the sphere in which faith moves, rather than the object to which it is directed, though instances occur in the Septuagint where it plainly indicates the direction of faith, Psalm lxxvii. 22; Jer. xii. 6.

6. With the preposition ejpi upon, on to, unto.

a. With the accusative, Rom. iv. 5; Acts ix. 42; xi. 17; xvi. 31; xxii. 19. The preposition carries the idea of mental direction with a view to resting upon, which latter idea is conveyed by the same preposition.

b. With the dative, 1 Tim. i. 16; Luke xxiv. 25; compare Romans ix. 33; x. 11; 1 Pet. ii. 6. The dative expresses absolute superposition. Christ as the object of faith, is the basis on which faith rests.

7. With the preposition eijv into, Matt. xviii. 6; John ii. 11; Acts xix. 4; Rom. x. 14; Gal. ii. 16; Philip. i. 29, etc. The preposition conveys the idea of the absolute transference of trust from one's self to another. Literally the phrase means to believe into. See on John i. 12; ii. 23; ix. 35; xii. 44.

Is counted for righteousness (logizetai eiv dikaiosunhn). Rev., is reckoned. See on ver. 3. The preposition eijv has the force of as, not the telic meaning with a view to, or in order that he may be (righteous); nor strictly, in the place of righteousness. Faith is not a substitute for righteousness, since righteousness is involved in faith. When a man is reckoned righteous through faith, it is not a legal fiction. He is not indeed a perfect man, but God does not reckon something which has no real existence. Faith is the germ of righteousness, of life in God. God recognizes no true life apart from holiness, and "he that believeth on the Son hath life." He is not merely regarded in the law's eye as living. God accepts the germ, not in place of the fruit, but as containing the fruit. "Abraham believed God.... No soul comes into such a relation of trust without having God's investment upon it; and whatever there may be in God's righteousness - love, truth, sacrifice - will be rightfully imputed or counted to be in it, because, being united to Him, it will have them coming over derivatively from Him" (Bushnell). The idea of logical sequence is inherent in logizetai is reckoned - the sequence of character upon faith. Where there is faith there is, logically, righteousness, and the righteousness is from faith unto faith (ch. i. 17). Nevertheless, in the highest development of the righteousness of faith, it will remain true that the man is justified, not by the works of righteousness, which are the fruit of faith, but by the faith which, in making him a partaker of the life and righteousness of God, generates and inspires the works.

Observe that the believer's own faith is reckoned as righteousness. "In no passage in Paul's writings or in other parts of the New Testament, where the phrase to reckon for or the verb to reckon alone is used, is there a declaration that anything belonging to one person is imputed, accounted, or reckoned to another, or a formal statement that Christ's righteousness is imputed to believers" (President Dwight, "Notes on Meyer").

Robertson's NT Word Studies

4:5 {That justifieth the ungodly} (ton dikaiounta ton asebe). The impious, irreverent man. See #1:25. A forensic figure (Shedd). The man is taken as he is and pardoned. "The whole Pauline gospel could be summed up in this one word-- God who justifies the ungodly" (Denney).

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