MODERN LITERAL VERSION

4:1 Then* what will we say, that Abraham, our father, has found according to the flesh?
4:2 For* if Abraham was justified out of works, he has grounds for boasting, but not toward God.
4:3 For* what does the Scripture say? ‘And Abraham believed God and it was counted to him *for righteousness.' {Gen 15:6}
4:4 Now to him who is working, the reward is not counted according to grace, but according to debt.
4:5 But to him who is not working, but believes on him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted *for righteousness.
4:6 Just-as David also says concerning the good-fortune upon the man to whom God counts righteousness separate from works,
4:7 saying, ‘Fortunate are those whose lawlessnesses are forgiven and whose sins are covered.
4:8 The man to whom the Lord may never* count sin, is fortunate.' {Ps. 32:1,2}
4:9 Then* is this good-fortune placed upon the circumcision or also upon the uncircumcision? For* we say that his faith was counted to Abraham *for righteousness.
4:10 Then* how was it counted? When he was in circumcision or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.
4:11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while he was in uncircumcision, *that* he might be the father of all those who believe, even while in uncircumcision, *that* righteousness might also be counted to them;
4:12 and the father of circumcision, to those who are not only from the circumcision, but who also are marching in the footprints of that faith of our father Abraham which he had in uncircumcision.

4:13 For* the promise was to Abraham, or to his seed, for him to be heir of the world, but not through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
4:14 For* if those who are from the law are heirs, the faith is made void and the promise is done-away-with.
4:15 For* the law is working wrath; for* where there is no law, neither is there transgression.
4:16 Because of this, it is out of faith, that* it may be according to grace; *that* the promise may be steadfast to all the seed; not to what is only from the law, but also to what is out of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all,
4:17 (as it has been written, ‘I have made you a father of many nations' {Gen. 17:5} ), before him whom he believed– God, who is giving-life to the dead and is calling the things that are not, as though they were.
4:18 Abraham who contrary to hope believed upon hope, *that* he might become a father of many nations, according to what had been spoken, So your seed will be. {Gen. 15:5}

4:19 And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already sterile, (being* nearly a hundred years), and the deadness of Sarah's womb.
4:20 Yet, looking toward the promise of God, he did not doubt through unbelief, but became empowered through faith, giving glory to God,
4:21 and being fully assured that what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
4:22 Hence it was also counted to him *for righteousness.
4:23 Now it was not written, ‘It was counted to him,' because of him only;
4:24 but also, because of us to whom it is about to be counted, who believe on him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead,
4:25 who was given up because of our trespasses and was raised up because of our justification.