Epistula ad Romanos, 4

1. quid ergo dicemus invenisse Abraham patrem nostrum secundum carnem

1. What shall we say then that Abraham hath found, who is our father according to the flesh.

2. si enim Abraham ex operibus justificatus est habet gloriam sed non apud Deum

2. For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory, but not before God.

3. quid enim scriptura dicit credidit Abraham Deo et reputatum est illi ad justitiam

3. For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was reputed to him unto justice.

4. ei autem qui operatur merces non inputatur secundum gratiam sed secundum debitum

4. Now to him that worketh, the reward is not reckoned according to grace, but according to debt.

5. ei vero qui non operatur credenti autem in eum qui justificat impium reputatur fides ejus ad justitiam

5. But to him that worketh not, yet believeth in him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is reputed to justice, according to the purpose of the grace of God.

6. sicut et David dicit beatitudinem hominis cui Deus accepto fert justitiam sine operibus

6. As David also termeth the blessedness of a man, to whom God reputeth justice without works:

7. beati quorum remissæ sunt iniquitates et quorum tecta sunt peccata

7. Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.

8. beatus vir cui non inputabit Dominus peccatum

8. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord hath not imputed sin.

9. beatitudo ergo hæc in circumcisione an etiam in præputio dicimus enim quia reputata est Abrahæ fides ad justitiam

9. This blessedness then, doth it remain in the circumcision only, or in the uncircumcision also? For we say that unto Abraham faith was reputed to justice.

10. quomodo ergo reputata est in circumcisione an in præputio non in circumcisione sed in præputio

10. How then was it reputed? When he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.

11. et signum accepit circumcisionis signaculum justitiæ fidei quæ est in præputio ut sit pater omnium credentium per præputium ut reputetur et illis ad justitiam

11. And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the justice of the faith, which he had, being uncircumcised; that he might be the father of all them that believe, being uncircumcised, that unto them also it may be reputed to justice:

12. et sit pater circumcisionis non his tantum qui sunt ex circumcisione sed et his qui sectantur vestigia quæ est in præputio fidei patris nostri Abrahæ

12. And might be the father of circumcision; not to them only, that are of the circumcision, but to them also that follow the steps of the faithful, that is in the uncircumcision of our father Abraham.

13. non enim per legem promissio Abrahæ aut semini ejus ut heres esset mundi sed per justitiam fidei

13. For not through the law was the promise to Abraham, or to his seed, that he should be heir of the world; but through the justice of faith.

14. si enim qui ex lege heredes sunt exinanita est fides abolita est promissio

14. For if they who are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, the promise is made of no effect.

15. lex enim iram operatur ubi enim non est lex nec prævaricatio

15. For the law worketh wrath. For where there is no law, neither is there transgression.

16. ideo ex fide ut secundum gratiam ut firma sit promissio omni semini non ei qui ex lege est solum sed et ei qui ex fide est Abrahæ qui est pater omnium nostrum

16. Therefore is it of faith, that according to grace the promise might be firm to all the seed; 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,

17. sicut scriptum est quia patrem multarum gentium posui te ante Deum cui credidit qui vivificat mortuos et vocat quæ non sunt tamquam ea quæ sunt

17. (As it is written: I have made thee a father of many nations,) before God, whom he believed, who quickeneth the dead; and calleth those things that are not, as those that are.

18. qui contra spem in spem credidit ut fieret pater multarum gentium secundum quod dictum est sic erit semen tuum

18. Who against hope believed in hope; that he might be made the father of many nations, according to that which was said to him: So shall thy seed be.

19. et non infirmatus fide consideravit corpus suum emortuum cum fere centum annorum esset et emortuam vulvam Sarræ

19. And he was not weak in faith; neither did he consider his own body now dead, whereas he was almost an hundred years old, nor the dead womb of Sara.

20. in repromissione etiam Dei non hæsitavit diffidentia sed confortatus est fide dans gloriam Deo

20. In the promise also of God he staggered not by distrust; but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God:

21. plenissime sciens quia quæcumque promisit potens est et facere

21. Most fully knowing, that whatsoever he has promised, he is able also to perform.

22. ideo et reputatum est illi ad justitiam

22. And therefore it was reputed to him unto justice.

23. non est autem scriptum tantum propter ipsum quia reputatum est illi

23. Now it is not written only for him, that it was reputed to him unto justice,

24. sed et propter nos quibus reputabitur credentibus in eum qui suscitavit Jesum Dominum nostrum a mortuis

24. But also for us, to whom it shall be reputed, if we believe in him, that raised up Jesus Christ, our Lord, from the dead,

25. qui traditus est propter delicta nostra et resurrexit propter justificationem nostram

25. Who was delivered up for our sins, and rose again for our justification.