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1. So what can we say about Abraham, the father of our people? What did he learn about faith?
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1. What G5101 shall we say G2046 then G3767 that Abraham G11 our G2257 father G3962 , as pertaining G2596 to the flesh G4561 , hath found G2147 ?
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2. If Abraham was made right by the things he did, he had a reason to boast about himself. But God knew different.
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2. For G1063 if G1487 Abraham G11 were justified G1344 by G1537 works G2041 , he hath G2192 whereof to glory G2745 ; but G235 not G3756 before G4314 God G2316 .
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3. That's why the Scriptures say, "Abraham believed God, and because of this faith he was accepted as one who is right with God."
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3. For G1063 what G5101 saith G3004 the G3588 Scripture G1124 G1161 ? Abraham G11 believed G4100 God G2316 , and G2532 it was counted G3049 unto him G846 for G1519 righteousness G1343 .
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4. When people work, their pay is not given to them as a gift. They earn the pay they get.
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4. Now G1161 to him that worketh G2038 is the G3588 reward G3408 not G3756 reckoned G3049 of G2596 grace G5485 , but G235 of G2596 debt G3783 .
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5. But people cannot do any work that will make them right with God. So they must trust in him. Then he accepts their faith, and that makes them right with him. He is the one who makes even evil people right.
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5. But G1161 to him that worketh G2038 not G3361 , but G1161 believeth G4100 on G1909 him that justifieth G1344 the G3588 ungodly G765 , his G848 faith G4102 is counted G3049 for G1519 righteousness G1343 .
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6. David said the same thing when he was talking about the blessing people have when God accepts them as good without looking at what they have done:
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6. Even as G2509 David G1138 also G2532 describeth G3004 the G3588 blessedness G3108 of the G3588 man G444 , unto whom G3739 God G2316 imputeth G3049 righteousness G1343 without G5565 works G2041 ,
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7. "What a blessing it is when people are forgiven for the wrongs they have done, when their sins are erased!
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7. Saying, Blessed G3107 are they whose G3739 iniquities G458 are forgiven G863 , and G2532 whose G3739 sins G266 are covered G1943 .
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8. What a blessing it is when the Lord accepts people as if they are without sin!"
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8. Blessed G3107 is the man G435 to whom G3739 the Lord G2962 will not G3364 impute G3049 sin G266 .
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9. Is this blessing only for those who are circumcised? Or is it also for those who are not circumcised? We have already said that it was because of Abraham's faith that he was accepted as one who is right with God.
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9. Cometh this G3778 blessedness G3108 then G3767 upon G1909 the G3588 circumcision G4061 only, or G2228 upon G1909 the G3588 uncircumcision G203 also G2532 ? for G1063 we say G3004 that G3754 faith G4102 was reckoned G3049 to Abraham G11 for G1519 righteousness G1343 .
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10. So how did this happen? Did God accept Abraham before or after he was circumcised? God accepted him before his circumcision.
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10. How G4459 was it then G3767 reckoned G3049 ? when he was G5607 in G1722 circumcision G4061 , or G2228 in G1722 uncircumcision G203 ? Not G3756 in G1722 circumcision G4061 , but G235 in G1722 uncircumcision G203 .
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11. Abraham was circumcised later to show that God accepted him. His circumcision was proof that he was right with God through faith before he was circumcised. So Abraham is the father of all those who believe but are not circumcised. They believe and are accepted as people who are right with God.
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11. And G2532 he received G2983 the sign G4592 of circumcision G4061 , a seal G4973 of the G3588 righteousness G1343 of the G3588 faith G4102 which G3588 he had yet being uncircumcised: that G1722 G203 he G846 might be G1511 the father G3962 of all G3956 them that believe G4100 , though they be not circumcised G1223 G203 ; that righteousness G1343 might be imputed G3049 unto them G846 also G2532 :
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12. And Abraham is also the father of those who have been circumcised. But it is not their circumcision that makes him their father. He is their father only if they live following the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.
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12. And G2532 the father G3962 of circumcision G4061 to them G3588 who are not G3756 of G1537 the circumcision G4061 only G3440 , but G235 who also walk G4748 G2532 in the G3588 steps G2487 of that faith G4102 of our G2257 father G3962 Abraham G11 , which he had being yet uncircumcised G1722 G203 .
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13. Abraham and his descendants received the promise that they would get the whole world. But Abraham did not receive that promise because he followed the law. He received that promise because he was right with God through his faith.
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13. For G1063 the G3588 promise G1860 , that he G846 should be G1511 the G3588 heir G2818 of the G3588 world G2889 , was not G3756 to Abraham G11 , or G2228 to his G848 seed G4690 , through G1223 the law G3551 , but G235 through G1223 the righteousness G1343 of faith G4102 .
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14. If people could get God's promise by following the law, then faith is worthless. And God's promise to Abraham is worthless,
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14. For G1063 if G1487 they G3588 which are of G1537 the law G3551 be heirs G2818 , faith G4102 is made void G2758 , and G2532 the G3588 promise G1860 made of none effect G2673 :
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15. because the law can only bring God's anger on those who disobey it. But if there is no law, then there is nothing to disobey.
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15. Because G1063 the G3588 law G3551 worketh G2716 wrath G3709 : for G1063 where G3757 no G3756 law G3551 is G2076 , there is no G3761 transgression G3847 .
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16. So people get what God promised by having faith. This happens so that the promise can be a free gift. And if the promise is a free gift, then all of Abraham's people will get that promise. The promise is not just for those who live under the Law of Moses. It is for all who live with faith as Abraham did. He is the father of us all.
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16. Therefore G1223 G5124 it is of G1537 faith G4102 , that G2443 it might be by G2596 grace G5485 ; to the end the G3588 promise G1860 might be G1511 sure G949 to all G3956 the G3588 seed G4690 ; not G3756 to that G3588 only G3440 which is of G1537 the G3588 law G3551 , but G235 to that G3588 also G2532 which is of G1537 the faith G4102 of Abraham G11 ; who G3739 is G2076 the father G3962 of us G2257 all G3956 ,
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17. As the Scriptures say, "I have made you a father of many nations." This is true before God, the one Abraham believed� the God who gives life to the dead and speaks of things that don't yet exist as if they are real.
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17. ( As G2531 it is written G1125 , I have made G5087 thee G4571 a father G3962 of many G4183 nations G1484 ,) before G2713 him whom G3739 he believed G4100 , even God G2316 , who quickeneth G2227 the G3588 dead G3498 , and G2532 calleth G2564 those things which be G5607 not G3361 as though G5613 they were G5607 .
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18. There was no hope that Abraham would have children, but Abraham believed God and continued to hope. And that is why he became the father of many nations. As God told him, "You will have many descendants."
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18. Who G3739 against G3844 hope G1680 believed G4100 in G1909 hope G1680 , that he G846 might become G1096 the father G3962 of many G4183 nations G1484 , according G2596 to that which was spoken G2046 , So G3779 shall thy G4675 seed G4690 be G2071 .
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19. Abraham was almost a hundred years old, so he was past the age for having children. Also, Sarah could not have children. Abraham was well aware of this, but his faith in God never became weak.
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19. And G2532 being not weak G770 G3361 in faith G4102 , he considered G2657 not G3756 his own G1438 body G4983 now G2235 dead G3499 , when he was G5225 about G4225 a hundred years old G1541 , neither G2532 yet the G3588 deadness G3500 of Sarah G4564 's womb G3388 :
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20. He never doubted that God would do what he promised. He never stopped believing. In fact, he grew stronger in his faith and just praised God.
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20. He G1161 staggered G1252 not G3756 at G1519 the G3588 promise G1860 of God G2316 through unbelief G570 ; but G235 was strong G1743 in faith G4102 , giving G1325 glory G1391 to God G2316 ;
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21. Abraham felt sure that God was able to do what he promised.
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21. And G2532 being fully persuaded G4135 that G3754 , what G3739 he had promised G1861 , he was G2076 able G1415 also G2532 to perform G4160 .
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22. So that's why "he was accepted as one who is right with God."
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22. And G2532 therefore G1352 it was imputed G3049 to him G846 for G1519 righteousness G1343 .
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23. These words ("he was accepted") were written not only for Abraham.
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23. Now G1161 it was not G3756 written G1125 for his sake G1223 G846 alone G3440 , that G3754 it was imputed G3049 to him G846 ;
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24. They were also written for us. God will also accept us because we believe. We believe in the one who raised Jesus our Lord from death.
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24. But G235 for G1223 us G2248 also G2532 , to whom G3739 it shall G3195 be imputed G3049 , if we G3588 believe G4100 on G1909 him that raised up G1453 Jesus G2424 our G2257 Lord G2962 from G1537 the dead G3498 ;
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25. Jesus was handed over to die for our sins, and he was raised from death to make us right with God.
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25. Who G3739 was delivered G3860 for G1223 our G2257 offenses G3900 , and G2532 was raised again G1453 for G1223 our G2257 justification G1347 .
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