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Yet he did not waver through disbelief in the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God,
Romans 4:20 · Berean Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB Yet, looking to the promise of God, he didn’t waver through unbelief, but grew strong through faith, giving glory to God,
  • KJV He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
  • NKJV He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God,
  • NASB yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God,
  • NLT Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to 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

Abraham did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God. Faith strengthens by focusing on God's promise.

Overview

Rather than doubting, Abraham 'grew strong through faith' and gave glory to God as he held to the divine promise. His confidence honored God's truthfulness and power. This shows that faith, far from being passive, actively glorifies God, and it points to the steadfast trust believers are to have in the gospel promises.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 19

  • Luke 1:45Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord’s word to her will be fulfilled.”
  • 1 Cor 16:13Be on the alert. Stand firm in the faith. Be men of courage. Be strong.
  • Dan 10:19“Do not be afraid, you who are highly precious,” he said. “Peace be with you! Be strong now; be very strong!” As he spoke with me, I was strengthened and said, “Speak, my lord, for you have strengthened me.”
  • 2 Cor 12:10That is why, for the sake of Christ, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
  • 2 Tim 2:1You therefore, my child, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
  • Isa 35:4Say to those with anxious hearts: “Be strong, do not fear! Behold, your God will come with vengeance. With divine retribution He will come to save you.”
  • Isa 7:9The head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is the son of Remaliah. If you do not stand firm in your faith, then you will not stand at all.’”
  • Zech 8:13As you have been a curse among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you, and you will be a blessing. Do not be afraid; let your hands be strong.”
  • Zech 8:9This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Let your hands be strong, you who now hear these words spoken by the prophets who were present when the foundations were laid to rebuild the temple, the house of the LORD of Hosts.
  • 2 Chr 20:15–20And he said, “Listen, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Listen, King Jehoshaphat! This is what the LORD says: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army, for the battle does not belong to you, but to God.
  • Hag 2:4But now be strong, O Zerubbabel, declares the LORD. Be strong, O Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. And be strong, all you people of the land, declares the LORD. Work! For I am with you, declares the LORD of Hosts.
  • 2 Kgs 7:19And the officer had answered the man of God, “Look, even if the LORD were to make windows in heaven, could this really happen?” So Elisha had replied, “You will see it with your own eyes, but you will not eat any of it!”
  • Jer 32:16–27After I had given the deed of purchase to Baruch son of Neriah, I prayed to the LORD:
  • Dan 11:32With flattery he will corrupt those who violate the covenant, but the people who know their God will firmly resist him.
  • Luke 1:18“How can I be sure of this?” Zechariah asked the angel. “I am an old man, and my wife is well along in years.”
  • Num 11:13–23Where can I get meat for all these people? For they keep crying out to me, ‘Give us meat to eat!’
  • 2 Kgs 7:2But the officer on whose arm the king leaned answered the man of God, “Look, even if the LORD were to make windows in heaven, could this really happen?” “You will see it with your own eyes,” replied Elisha, “but you will not eat any of it.”
  • Eph 6:10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.
  • Matt 9:8When the crowds saw this, they were filled with awe and glorified God, who had given such authority to men.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (10)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Romans videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Romans 4:20YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on RomansMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

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 4:20 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.