Abraham was, humanly speaking, the founder of our Jewish nation. What did he discover about being made right with God?
Parallel translations
- WEB What then will we say that Abraham, our forefather, has found according to the flesh?
- KJV What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?
- 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?
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 to Abraham your father, and to Sarah who bore you; for when he was but one I called him, and I blessed him, and made him many.
- Rom 4:16For this cause it is of faith, that it may be according to grace, to the end that the promise may be sure to all the offspring, 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. He saw it, and was glad.”
- 2 Cor 11:22Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the offspring of Abraham? So am I.
- Acts 13:26Brothers, children of the stock of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, the word of this salvation is sent out to you.
- Matt 3:9Don’t think to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father,’ for I tell you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.
- Rom 7:7What shall we say then? Is the law sin? May it never be! However, I wouldn’t have known sin, except through the law. For I wouldn’t have known coveting, unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.”
- Luke 3:8Therefore produce fruits worthy of repentance, and don’t begin to say among yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father;’ for I tell you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones!
- John 8:53Are you greater than our father, Abraham, who died? The prophets died. Who do you make yourself out to be?”
- Luke 16:29–31“But Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.’
- John 8:37–41I know that you are Abraham’s offspring, yet you seek to kill me, because my word finds no place in you.
- John 8:33They answered him, “We are Abraham’s offspring, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How do you say, ‘You will be made free’?”
- Luke 16:24–25He 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 in anguish in this flame.’
- Rom 8:31What then shall we say about these things? If God is 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 had the fathers of our flesh to chasten us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits, and live?
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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
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.