For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
Parallel translations
- WEB For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”
- BSB For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
- NKJV For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”
- NASB For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
- NLT For the Scriptures tell us, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.”
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
Scripture says Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness. Righteousness comes by believing, not achieving.
Overview
Quoting Genesis 15:6, Paul gives the decisive evidence: Abraham's faith, not his works, was 'accounted to him for righteousness.' The word 'accounted' (or credited) is the language of justification, righteousness reckoned to one's account as a gift. This verse anchors the whole doctrine that we are justified by faith as Abraham was.
Cross-references & the web
Quotation
- Gen 15:6And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
Cross-references · 15
- Gen 15:6And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
- Jas 2:23And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
- Gal 3:6–8Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
- Rom 4:9Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.
- Rom 4:22–25And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.
- Rom 4:5But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
- Ps 106:31And that was counted unto him for righteousness unto all generations for evermore.
- Rom 4:11And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:
- Rom 11:2God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying,
- Rom 10:11For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
- Rom 9:17For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.
- 2 Pet 1:20–21Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
- Mark 12:10And have ye not read this scripture; The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner:
- Isa 8:20To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.
- Jas 4:5Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
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 4:3 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.