For the gospel reveals the righteousness of God that comes by faith from start to finish, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”
Parallel translations
- WEB For in it is revealed God’s righteousness from faith to faith. As it is written, “But the righteous shall live by faith.”
- KJV For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
- NKJV For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”
- NASB For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written: “But the righteous one will live by faith.”
- NLT This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
In the gospel God's righteousness is revealed, received by faith from start to finish, as Habakkuk said: 'the righteous shall live by faith.' Justification is by faith, not works.
Overview
This is one of the most pivotal verses in Scripture, central to the Reformation. 'God's righteousness' refers both to God's own righteous character and to the righteous standing He gives to believers. 'From faith to faith' stresses that faith is the means throughout. Quoting Habakkuk 2:4, Paul shows that justification by faith is the consistent biblical pattern. Luther's recovery of this truth helped spark the Reformation.
Cross-references & the web
Quotation
- Hab 2:4Look at the proud one; his soul is not upright—but the righteous will live by faith—
Cross-references · 9
- Hab 2:4Look at the proud one; his soul is not upright—but the righteous will live by faith—
- Gal 3:11Now it is clear that no one is justified before God by the law, because, “The righteous will live by faith.”
- Heb 10:38But My righteous one will live by faith; and if he shrinks back, I will take no pleasure in him.”
- Phil 3:9and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God on the basis of faith.
- Heb 11:6–7And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who approaches Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.
- Rom 9:30What then will we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith;
- Rom 3:21But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed, as attested by the Law and the Prophets.
- Rom 3:3What if some did not have faith? Will their lack of faith nullify God’s faithfulness?
- John 3:36Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life. Whoever rejects the Son will not see life. Instead, the wrath of God remains on him.”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Paul unfolds the gospel in full: Christ our righteousness received by faith, the second Adam in whom many are made righteous, in whose death and resurrection we are buried and raised.
How Romans 1:17 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.