Romans 4 is the fourth chapter of the Epistle to the Romans in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. It is authored by Paul the Apostle, while he was in Corinth in the mid-50s AD, with the help of an amanuensis (secretary), Tertius, who adds his own greeting in .[1] The focus of this chapter is on Abraham, whose faith "was accounted (or imputed) to him for righteousness" (Romans 4:3). The Geneva Bible's chapter summary states that "ten times in the chapter [Paul] beateth upon this word, Imputation.[2]
The original text was written in Koine Greek. This chapter is divided into 25 verses.
Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter are:
Heinrich Meyer explains that the citation from Genesis 15:6[5] ("he believed in the ; and He counted it to him for righteousness") is quoted according to the Septuagint (LXX), which renders the active וְיַּחְשְׁבֶהָ|{{Strong-number|wa-yaḥ-shə-ḇe-hā|H|2803[6] [7] by the passive Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: και ελογισθη|{{Strong-number|kai|G|2532.[8] Paul quotes the same verse in the same way in . Meyer also disputes the charge from theologian that Paul "made an unwarrantable use of the passage for his purpose",[9] because here Paul definitely understood Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: δικαιοσύνη|{{Strong-number|dikaiosynēn|G|1343[10] "in the dogmatic sense", justifiable in doing so, since "the imputation of faith as צְדָקָה|{{Strong-number|tsə-ḏā-qāh|H|6666,[7] was essentially the same judicial act which takes place at the justification of Christians".[8]
Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations; according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.[11] Hope in nature (as far as nature could give hope) is contrasted with hope in God (that God could do what nature could not). The hope that Abraham might become the father of many nations is "most properly taken" as expressing the divine purpose in regard to Abraham and his destiny.[12]
. Alexander Kirkpatrick. The Book of Psalms: with Introduction and Notes . The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges . Book IV and V: Psalms XC-CL . Cambridge . At the University Press . 1901 . 838 . February 28, 2019.