Romans 4:16-17
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The verse highlights that the promise's security rests on faith precisely so it can be an act of grace. This means the promise isn't just guaranteed to those who follow rules, but to anyone who shares Abraham's faith, because the foundation is God's free gift, not human performance.
That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul is arguing that salvation comes through faith, not adherence to the Law, using Abraham as the prime example. He has just shown how the Law actually brings condemnation, making it impossible to earn God's promise through it. This verse concludes this part of the argument by explaining why faith is the key: it ensures the promise rests on God's grace and is thus secure for everyone.
How can a promise be guaranteed if it's also freely given? Paul unpacks this incredible paradox, showing how faith and grace aren't in conflict, but in perfect harmony.
Paul explains that the promise of God's blessing and inheritance isn't based on our rule-following. If it were, it would be something we'd earn, not something freely given.
The Problem with Law
The Law, while holy, reveals our sin and brings God's judgment (as Paul established in Romans 3). It can't be the basis for a promise we receive.
The Solution: Faith
Instead, the promise rests on faith. This isn't about the strength of our belief, but about who we believe in – God, who is full of grace. Because it's received through faith, it highlights that the promise is a gift of God's grace.
Think of it like this: if you earned a gift by doing a task, it wouldn't really be a gift, would it? It would be a payment. By making the promise depend on faith, God ensures it's a pure gift of grace, not something we could ever deserve.
Abraham's story wasn't just about him or his descendants. Paul reveals how this ancient promise expands to include everyone, regardless of their background.
Paul clarifies who God's promise is for. It's not limited to just those who follow the Jewish Law.
Ask a follow-up
Two Kinds of 'Seed'
Abraham: Father of All Believers
Paul emphasizes that Abraham is the 'father of us all.' This isn't about biological lineage but spiritual connection. Just as Abraham believed God when his situation seemed impossible (lack of offspring), all who believe God's promises, even in challenging circumstances, are counted as his spiritual children.
This universality is key: the promise isn't exclusive; it's inclusive, embracing all who put their faith in God.
Understand the original words
pistis · Greek Noun
The confident trust, reliance, and commitment of the human heart to God and His promises, which is the instrument through which justification is received. It is not merely intellectual assent but a transformative conviction that relies entirely on God's character and word.
charis · Greek Noun
God's unmerited favor and divine enabling power bestowed upon the undeserving. It is the foundation of salvation, whereby God acts to reconcile humanity to Himself apart from human works or merit.
epangelia · Greek Noun
A declaration or commitment made by God to His people, rooted in His covenant faithfulness. It is an assurance of future blessing that is certain because it rests upon the integrity and power of the God who gives it.
sperma · Greek Noun
The spiritual descendants or heirs of Abraham who share in the same righteousness by faith. In the New Testament, this refers to all who believe in Jesus Christ, whether Jew or Gentile.
nomos · Greek Noun
A theological term referring to the Mosaic Law or the body of instructions given by God to Israel. In this context, it represents a system of works that cannot justify, as opposed to the righteousness that comes through faith.
kaleō · Greek Verb
The primary attribute of God as the Creator and Sustainer who sovereignly brings reality into being by His word. This reflects His omnipotence and His ability to accomplish what is humanly impossible.
This passage echoes Romans 4:16 by emphasizing that those who have faith, regardless of their background, are the true descendants of Abraham and thus heirs of God's promises.
Galatians 3:29It expands on the idea of Abraham's spiritual offspring, stating that if believers belong to Christ, they are Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise, reinforcing the universal nature of the inheritance.
Genesis 15:6This is the foundational Old Testament account where Abraham's faith was credited to him as righteousness, providing the historical basis for Paul's argument about faith being the key to the promise.
Romans 3:22This verse sets the stage by declaring that God's righteousness is revealed through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe, establishing the principle that faith, not adherence to law, is the way to righteousness and the promise.
Romans 9:8This verse clarifies that the 'children of God' are not merely physical descendants but are counted as offspring through the promise, directly supporting the argument in Romans 4:16 that the promise rests on faith and grace for all.
meyerRomans 4:16: "Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure 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,"
Romans 4:16 f. Διὰ τοῦτο ] Inference from Romans 4:15 , consequently from the wrath-operating nature of the law, on account of which it is so utterly incapable of being the condition of the κληρονομία , that the latter must on the contrary result from the opp…
bensonRomans 4:16: "Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure 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,"
Romans 4:16 . Therefore it — The blessing; is of faith, that it might be by grace — That it might appear to flow from the free love of God; that God might magnify the riches of his grace, in proposing justification and eternal life to us, in a way that might,…
The verse highlights that the promise's security rests on faith precisely so it can be an act of grace. This means the promise isn't just guaranteed to those who follow rules, but to anyone who shares Abraham's faith, because the foundation is God's free gift, not human performance.
Paul is arguing that salvation comes through faith, not adherence to the Law, using Abraham as the prime example. He has just shown how the Law actually brings condemnation, making it impossible to earn God's promise through it. This verse concludes this part of the argument by explaining why faith is the key: it ensures the promise rests on God's grace and is thus secure for everyone.
Paul is arguing that salvation comes through faith, not adherence to the Law, using Abraham as the prime example. He has just shown how the Law actually brings condemnation, making it impossible to earn God's promise through it. This verse concludes this part of the argument by explaining why faith is the key: it ensures the promise rests on God's grace and is thus secure for everyone.
"That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, as it…" — The verse highlights that the promise's security rests on faith precisely so it can be an act of grace. This means the promise isn't just guaranteed to those who follow rules, but to anyone who sha…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026
