That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
The text doesn't just say Abraham's faith was counted as righteousness; it emphasizes that it was therefore counted. This "therefore" links his believing, especially in the face of impossible circumstances, directly to God's gracious declaration of him as righteous, highlighting that his faith was the very thing that honored God and met His requirement.
That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul has been arguing that Abraham was declared righteous not by following the Law, but by believing God's promises. He emphasizes Abraham's unwavering faith, even when facing impossible circumstances like his own old age and Sarah's barrenness. This verse serves as the conclusion to that argument, explaining the direct result of Abraham's profound trust.
We often think of righteousness as something we do, but in Abraham's case, it was something he believed. How can faith, which isn't a perfect action, be the very thing God counts as right?
The verse tells us Abraham's faith was 'counted to him as righteousness.' This is a HUGE concept! It wasn't Abraham's actions that made him righteous in God's eyes, but his faith in God's promises.
Think of it like this: Faith is the hand that reaches out and receives God's gift of righteousness. It's not the gift itself, but the way we grasp it. Abraham's faith was so solid, so focused on God's trustworthiness, that God credited it to him as if he had perfectly fulfilled every law. This faith wasn't about Abraham being sinless; it was about him believing God's character and promises, especially regarding a future descendant who would bless all nations.
This highlights that our standing with God isn't based on our own perfect performance, but on God's grace received through faith.
Abraham's faith wasn't just a blind leap; it was rooted in something incredibly solid. What specifically did he believe that made his faith so powerful?
The context leading up to this verse (Romans 4:18-21) shows that Abraham's faith was directed towards God's specific promise – that he would be the father of many nations, even when it seemed physically impossible. He didn't focus on his own aged body or Sarah's barrenness. Instead, he focused on God's power to bring life from death and to fulfill His word.
This is the bedrock of true faith: acknowledging God's ability to do what He promises, regardless of circumstances. Abraham 'considered not his own body now dead' because he fixed his gaze on the God who could make the impossible possible. His faith gave glory to God by trusting that God was indeed true and powerful enough to act on His word.
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This means our faith isn't just positive thinking; it's a confident reliance on God's character and His declared intentions, especially His promise of salvation through Christ.
Understand the original words
pistis · Greek Noun
An active trust, reliance, or confident commitment of the heart to God and His word. It is the instrument through which grace is received.
elogisthē · Greek Verb
A term often used in accounting or legal contexts, meaning to credit, impute, or reckon something to someone's account. In theology, it refers to God legally declaring a sinner righteous based on Christ's work.
dikaiosynēn · Greek Noun
The state of being right before God, legal standing free from condemnation, granted by grace through faith, not by works of the law.
This verse is rooted in the foundational story of Abraham, God's chosen patriarch. Abraham's unwavering trust in God's promise, even when it seemed impossible (like having a child in old age), is the crucial element Paul highlights. God declared Abraham righteous not because of his actions, but because of his profound faith in God's promises and power.
c. 2000 BC
Abraham receives God's promise
God promises Abraham numerous descendants and that through him all nations would be blessed, initiating a covenant relationship. This promise is central to Abraham's faith.
c. 1800 BC— this verse
Birth of Isaac
After years of waiting and facing seemingly impossible circumstances regarding his and Sarah's age, Abraham's son Isaac is miraculously born, a sign of God's faithfulness.
c. 1800 BC
God tests Abraham's faith
God commands Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, a supreme test of Abraham's trust and willingness to obey, even at immense personal cost. Abraham's obedience demonstrates the depth of his faith.
c. 1800 BC
God reaffirms His covenant
Following Abraham's obedience in the near-sacrifice of Isaac, God reiterates and secures His covenant promises, emphasizing its unconditional nature.
This is the foundational Old Testament passage where Abraham's faith is first declared to be 'counted to him as righteousness,' setting the stage for Paul's theological argument.
Galatians 3:6Paul directly quotes Genesis 15:6 again here, reinforcing that justification by faith, as seen in Abraham, is a theme that transcends specific covenants.
Hebrews 11:8This passage highlights Abraham's obedience as a result of his faith, showing how that 'faith' which was counted as righteousness led to trusting and obeying God even when the path was unclear.
Romans 3:22This verse provides the broader context for Romans 4, stating that 'the righteousness of God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe,' a principle that Abraham exemplified.
Philippians 3:9Paul explains that the righteousness he seeks is not his own, but that which comes 'through faith in Christ,' echoing the concept that righteousness is credited to us, not earned by our deeds, just as it was with Abraham.
meyerRomans 4:22: "And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness."
Romans 4:22 . Result of the whole disquisition, emphatically pointing back to Romans 4:3 ( ἑλογίσθη αὐτῷ εἰς δικαιοσύνην ). διὸ καί ] on which account also ( Romans 1:24 ), namely because Abraham believed so strongly as is described in Romans 4:18-21 . The subject of ἑλογίσθη ( it was reckoned) is self-evident, viz. the believing . Comp Nägelsbach, zur Ilias , p. 60, ed. 3.
henryRomans 4:13-22: "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."
4:13-22 The promise was made to Abraham long before the law. It points at Christ, and it refers to the promise, Ge 12:3. In Thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. The law worketh wrath, by showing that every transgressor is exposed to the Divine displeasure. As God intended to give men a title to the promised blessings…
The text doesn't just say Abraham's faith was counted as righteousness; it emphasizes that it was therefore counted. This "therefore" links his believing, especially in the face of impossible circumstances, directly to God's gracious declaration of him as righteous, highlighting that his faith was the very thing that honored God and met His requirement.
Paul has been arguing that Abraham was declared righteous not by following the Law, but by believing God's promises. He emphasizes Abraham's unwavering faith, even when facing impossible circumstances like his own old age and Sarah's barrenness. This verse serves as the conclusion to that argument, explaining the direct result of Abraham's profound trust.
Paul has been arguing that Abraham was declared righteous not by following the Law, but by believing God's promises. He emphasizes Abraham's unwavering faith, even when facing impossible circumstances like his own old age and Sarah's barrenness. This verse serves as the conclusion to that argument, explaining the direct result of Abraham's profound trust.
"That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.”" — The text doesn't just say Abraham's faith was counted as righteousness; it emphasizes that it was therefore counted. This "therefore" links his believing, especially in the face of impossible circu…
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Last reviewed October 2026