What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?
Parallel translations
- WEB What then will we say that Abraham, our forefather, has found according to the flesh?
- BSB What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather, has discovered?
- NKJV What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh?
- NASB What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found?
- NLT Abraham was, humanly speaking, the founder of our Jewish nation. What did he discover about being made right with God?
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
Paul appeals to Abraham as a test case for justification. What Abraham discovered will settle the question of how anyone is made right with God.
Overview
Turning to Israel's revered forefather, Paul asks what Abraham gained 'according to the flesh,' that is, by human effort. Abraham is the decisive example because if even he was not justified by works, no one is. This opening question launches a chapter showing that Abraham was justified by faith, long before the law was given.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 16
- Isa 51:2Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him.
- Rom 4:16Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; 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,
- John 8:56Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.
- 2 Cor 11:22Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I.
- Acts 13:26Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent.
- Matt 3:9And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
- Rom 7:7What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
- Luke 3:8Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
- John 8:53Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself?
- Luke 16:29–31Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
- John 8:37–41I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.
- John 8:33They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?
- Luke 16:24–25And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
- Rom 8:31What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
- Rom 6:1What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
- Heb 12:9Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
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 4:1 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
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