the Week of Proper 20 / Ordinary 25
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King James Version
Romans 4:13
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God's promise to give the whole world to Abraham's line was not based on how well rules were followed, but on a right relationship with God through faith and trust.
For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would be heir of the world was not through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith.
For the promise to Abraham or to his seed that he would be heir of the world was not through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith.
For God's word, that the earth would be his heritage, was given to Abraham, not through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
For [it was] not by law that the promise was to Abraham, or to his seed, that he should be heir of [the] world, but by righteousness of faith.
For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would inherit the world was not through the law, but through the righteousness that comes by faith.
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 righteousness of faith.
For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham or to his seed by the law, but by the righteousness of faith.
Again, the promise that he should inherit the world did not come to Abraham or his posterity conditioned by Law, but by faith-righteousness.
For the promise that he should be the heire of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed through the Lawe, but through the righteousnesse of faith.
For the promise was not through Law to Abraham, or to his seed, for him to be the heir of the world, but through a righteousness of faith.
For the promes (that he shulde be ye heyre of the worlde) was not made vnto Abraham or to his sede thorow the lawe, but thorow the righteousnes of faith.
Besides, the promise that he should possess the world, was not made to Abraham, or to his posterity in consideration of the law, but with regard to the righteousness by faith.
That famous promise God gave Abraham—that he and his children would possess the earth—was not given because of something Abraham did or would do. It was based on God's decision to put everything together for him, which Abraham then entered when he believed. If those who get what God gives them only get it by doing everything they are told to do and filling out all the right forms properly signed, that eliminates personal trust completely and turns the promise into an ironclad contract! That's not a holy promise; that's a business deal. A contract drawn up by a hard-nosed lawyer and with plenty of fine print only makes sure that you will never be able to collect. But if there is no contract in the first place, simply a promise—and God's promise at that—you can't break it.
For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would be heir of the world was not through [observing the requirements of] the Law, but through the righteousness of faith.
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 righteousness of faith.
The promise to Abraham and his descendants, that they should inherit the world, did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith.
For the promes that he shuld be the heyre of the worlde was not geven to Abraha or to his seed thorow the lawe: but thorow ye rightewesnes which cometh of fayth.
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 righteousness of faith.
For the promise that he should be the heir of the world [was] not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
For not through law [is] the promise to Abraham, or to his seed, of his being heir of the world, but through the righteousness of faith;
Abraham and his descendants received the promise that they would get the whole world. He did not receive that promise through the law, but through being right with God by his faith.
For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would inherit the world was not fulfilled through the law, but through the righteousness that comes by faith.
For it was not through the law that Abraham and his descendants were promised that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith.
God promised Abraham and his descendants that he would give them the world. This promise wasn't made because Abraham had obeyed a law, but because his faith in God made him acceptable.
For the promise to Avraham and his seed that he would inherit the world did not come through legalism but through the righteousness that trust produces.
For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith.
For the promise that he should be the heire of the worlde, was not giuen to Abraham, or to his seede, through the Lawe, but through the righteousnesse of faith.
For the promise to Abraham and his seed that he should inherit the world was not made through the law, but through the righteousness of his faith.
For not through the law was the promise to Avraham or to his seed that he should be heir of the world, but through the righteousness of faith.
For the promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law, but through the righteousness produced by faith.Genesis 17:4; Galatians 3:29;">[xr]
FOR not through the law was the promise unto Abraham and to his seed that he should be the heir of the world, but through the righteousness of faith.
For the promise to Abraham and to his seed, that he should become the heir of the world, was not by the law, but by the righteousness of his faith.
Clearly, God's promise to give the whole earth to Abraham and his descendants was based not on his obedience to God's law, but on a right relationship with God that comes by faith.
God promised to give the world to him and to all his family after him. He did not make this promise because Abraham obeyed the Law. He promised to give the world to Abraham because he put his trust in God. This made him right with God.
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 righteousness of faith.
For the promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law but through the righteousness of faith.
For, not through means of law, doth the promise belong unto Abraham or unto his seed, - that he should be heir of thee world; but, through a righteousness by faith.
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.
For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants, that he would be heir of the world, was not through the law, but through the righteousness by faith.
For the promise that he shoulde be the heyre of the worlde, [was] not to Abraham or to his seede through the lawe, but through the ryghteousnes of fayth.
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.
For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would be heir of the world was not through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith.
When God promised Abraham and his descendants that the world would belong to him, he did so, not because Abraham obeyed the Law, but because he believed and was accepted as righteous by God.
For not bi the lawe is biheest to Abraham, or to his seed, that he schulde be eir of the world, but bi the riytwisnesse of feith.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
For the: Genesis 12:3, Genesis 17:4, Genesis 17:5, Genesis 17:16, Genesis 22:17, Genesis 22:18, Genesis 28:14, Genesis 49:10, Psalms 2:8, Psalms 72:11
through the: Galatians 3:16-18, Galatians 3:29
but through: Romans 4:11
Reciprocal: Genesis 15:7 - to give Genesis 22:16 - General Isaiah 41:8 - the seed Matthew 1:1 - the son of Abraham Matthew 5:5 - they Acts 3:25 - And in Acts 13:32 - how Romans 3:20 - Therefore Romans 5:21 - through Romans 9:30 - even the righteousness Romans 10:6 - righteousness 1 Corinthians 3:21 - For 2 Corinthians 11:22 - the seed Galatians 2:16 - that Galatians 3:17 - that it Galatians 3:18 - if Galatians 4:28 - General Philippians 3:9 - which is of the 1 Timothy 1:9 - the law Hebrews 7:6 - had Hebrews 11:7 - righteousness
Cross-References
He believeth not that he shall return out of darkness, and he is waited for of the sword.
And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.
And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.
And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
For the promise that he should be heir of the world,.... This promise is thought by some to refer to that of his being "the father of many nations", Genesis 17:4; by whom the Gentiles are particularly meant, who are sometimes called "the world", and "the whole world", or the elect of God, the believing part of the world; whether among Jews or Gentiles, who sometimes go by the name of "the world" in Scripture: but to this it may be objected, that the promise here spoken of is made to Abraham's seed, as well as to himself; by which is meant not the Messiah, who is indeed heir of the world, and all things in it, but all believers, whether Jews or Gentiles; as appears from Romans 4:16; and therefore cannot be both heirs and inheritance too. Others think the land of Canaan is designed, and by a synecdoche, a part of the world is put for the whole world; but that land is never so called, and, besides, the promise of it belonged to those of the law, and to them only, contrary to what the apostle argues, Romans 4:14. Others therefore consider Canaan as a type of heaven, which Abraham and his spiritual seed are heirs of by promise. But rather, by "the world" here, is meant, both this world and that which is to come; Abraham and all believers are the "heirs" of this world, and of all things in it; "all things" are theirs, and, among the rest, the world, Christ being theirs, and they being Christ's; he is heir of all things, and they are joint heirs with him; and how little soever they may enjoy of it now, the time is coming, when they, by virtue of their right, "shall inherit the earth"; see
Psalms 37:9; and now they have as much of it as is necessary, and with a blessing, and which the Jews call their "world". It is a saying in their Talmud o, עולמך תראה בחייך, "thou shall see thy world" in thy lifetime; which the gloss explains, "thou shalt find", or enjoy all thy necessities, or what is needful for thee; and of Abraham they say p, that
"he was the foundation of the world, and that for his sake the world was created;''
and introduce God saying of him thus q
"as I am the only one in my world, so he is the only one,
בעולמו, "in his world".''
And as he and all the saints are heirs of this world, so of the world to come, the future salvation, the inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, never fading, and reserved in the heavens; for they are heirs of God himself, and shall inherit all things: now this large and comprehensive promise, which takes in the things of time and eternity,
[was] not to Abraham, or to his seed through the law: not through the law of circumcision, or on the score of their obedience to that, for this promise was made before that was enjoined; see Genesis 12:2; nor through the law of Moses, which was not as yet given; nor through the law of nature, nor by any righteousness of the law;
but through the righteousness of faith: by virtue of which they have "all things that pertain to life and godliness", 2 Peter 1:3; and have "the promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come", 1 Timothy 4:8; enjoy with a blessing what they now have, and have a right and title to the heavenly glory.
o T. Bab. Beracot, fol. 17. 1. p Caphtor, fol. 99. 2. q T. Bab. Pesachim, fol. 118. 1.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
For the promise ... - To show that the faith of Abraham, on which his justification depended, was not by the Law, the apostle proceeds to show that the promise concerning which his faith was so remarkably evinced was before the Law was given. If this was so, then it was an additional important consideration in opposition to the Jew, showing that acceptance with God depended on faith, and not on works.
That he should be heir of the world - An heir is one who succeeds, or is to succeed to an estate. In this passage, the world, or the entire earth, is regarded as the estate to which reference is made, and the promise is that the posterity of Abraham should succeed to that, or should possess it as their inheritance. The precise expression used here, “heir of the world,” is not found in the promises made to Abraham Those promises were that God would make of him a great nation Genesis 12:2; that in him all the families of the earth should be blessed Genesis 12:3; that his posterity should be as the stars for multitude Genesis 15:5; and that he should be a father of many nations Genesis 17:5. As this latter promise is one to which the apostle particularly refers (see Romans 4:17), it is probable that he had this in his eye. This promise had, at first, respect to his numerous natural descendants, and to their possessing the land of Canaan. But it is also regarded in the New Testament as extending to the Messiah Galatians 3:16 as his descendant, and to all his followers as the spiritual seed of the father of the faithful. When the apostle calls him “the heir of the world,” he sums up in this comprehensive expression all the promises made to Abraham, intimating that his spiritual descendants, that is, those who possess his faith, shall yet be so numerous as to possess all lands.
Or to his seed - To his posterity, or descendants.
Through the law - By the observance of the Law; or made in consequence of observing the Law; or depending on the condition that he should observe the Law. The covenant was made before the law of circumcision was given; and long before the Law of Moses (compare Galatians 3:16-18), and was independent of both.
But through ... - In consequence of or in connection with the strong confidence which he showed in the promises of God, Genesis 15:6.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Romans 4:13. For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world — This promise intimated that he should be the medium through whom the mercy of God should be communicated to the world, to both Jews and Gentiles; and the manner in which he was justified, be the rule and manner according to which all men should expect this blessing. Abraham is here represented as having all the world given to him as his inheritance; because in him all nations of the earth are blessed: this must therefore relate to their being all interested in the Abrahamic covenant; and every person, now that the covenant is fully explained, has the privilege of claiming justification through faith, by the blood of the Lamb, in virtue of this original grant.
