Romans 4:13-24

¹³God's promise to Abraham and his descendants that the world would belong to him was not based on his keeping of the law, but because he was made right through his trust in God.

¹⁴For if the promised inheritance is based on keeping the law, then the issue of trusting God is not necessary, and the promise is pointless.

¹⁵For the law results in punishment—but if there's no law then it cannot be broken.

¹⁶So the promise is based on trusting God. It is provided as a free gift, guaranteed to all the children of Abraham—not merely to those who follow the law, but also to those who trust like Abraham, the father of us all.

¹⁷As Scripture says, “I've made you the father of many nations.” For in the presence of God, Abraham trusted in the God who makes the dead alive and speaks into existence what didn't previously exist.

¹⁸Against all hope Abraham in hope trusted God, so he could become the father of many peoples, just as God had promised him: “This is how many descendants you'll have!”

¹⁹His trust in God didn't weaken even though he thought his body was practically dead (he was around a hundred years old), and knew that Sarah was too old to have children.

²⁰He held on to God's promise—he didn't doubt it. Instead his trust in God grew stronger, and he gave glory to God.

²¹He was totally convinced that what God had promised he had the power to deliver.

²²That's why Abraham was considered right by God.

²³The words “Abraham was considered right” weren't just written down for his benefit.

²⁴They were for us too, those of us who will be considered as right, since we trust in God who raised our Lord Jesus from the dead.