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{You Jews might say,} {“If what you have said is true,} then surely our physical ancestor Abraham found out {about it}. 2 {This must be true} because if Abraham became righteous based on doing the things {that God commanded in his laws}, then he could brag {about it}.” On the contrary, {I would say that} {Abraham could} not possibly {boast about it} to God! 3 {I say this} because, {Moses} surely tells {us} in the Scriptures, ”Abraham trusted in God, and God considered Abraham to be righteous because he trusted in him." 4 Indeed, when a person works, he does not consider the wage {he earns} to be a gracious gift. On the contrary, {that person considers the wage he earns} to be what his employer owes him. 5 By contrast, when a person does not obey {the laws God gave through Moses}, but trusts in the God who can make unrighteous people righteous, God considers him to be righteous because he trusted in him. 6 This is also the same thing that King David wrote {in the Scriptures} about how blessed people are when God considers them to be righteous, even though they do not do those things {that God commanded}. {David wrote:} 7 “People are so happy when God forgives their lawless acts! People are so happy when God no longer acknowledges their sinful acts! 8 Any person whom the Lord never again considers to be sinful is so happy!”
9 Therefore, these happy people are not only circumcised {Jews} but even uncircumcised people {who are not Jews}! {This must be true} because we {Jews} quote {the scripture that states,} “God considers Abraham to be righteous because he trusted {in him}.” 10 So then, {you surely know} when Abraham trusted in God and God considered {him to be righteous}! {You surely know whether this happened} before he was circumcised or afterward! {Indeed,} it was not while Abraham was circumcised, but while he was still uncircumcised {that God considered him to be righteous}. 11 Abraham was circumcised as a mark {in his body} to prove that God had made him righteous because Abraham trusted {in him} before he was circumcised. {This happened} in order for him to become the {spiritual} ancestor for every non-Jew who trusts in God in order that God would consider them to be righteous {because they trust in him}. 12 {This} also {happened in order for Abraham to become} the {spiritual} ancestor of those people who are circumcised, that is, those circumcised {Jews} {who are not only circumcised in their bodies}, but who also trust in God the same way that our ancestor Abraham did before he was circumcised.
13 {This is true} because {when} God promised Abraham and those who descend from him that the {whole} world would belong to him, {God did not promise this} because {Abraham obeyed} the laws {God gave through Moses}. Rather, {God promised this} because God had made {Abraham} righteous because Abraham trusted {in him}. 14 {This is true} because, if people could inherit {what God promised Abraham} by obeying the laws {he gave through Moses}, {then} trusting {in God} would become useless! What God promised would also become invalid. 15 {This is} because the laws {God gave through Moses} are intended to punish {those who disobey them}. However, where God’s laws do not exist, no one can disobey {them}. 16 This is why what God promised comes by trusting in him in order to show how kind he is. {God was so kind} in order that he could secure what he promised to everyone who has {spiritually} descended {from Abraham}. {Those who have spiritually descended from Abraham} are not only those {Jews} who obey the laws {God gave through Moses}, but also those who trust {in God} like Abraham did. Abraham is the {spiritual} ancestor of all of us {who trust in God}. 17 (This is exactly what {God} said in the Scriptures {about Abraham}: ”I have chosen you to be a {spiritual} ancestor for numerous people groups.”) God considers {Abraham to be our spiritual ancestor}. Abraham trusted God. {He is the one} who causes dead people to become alive {again}. He also commands things that do not exist {to exist}, then they exist. 18 Abraham trusted {in God} by hoping {in God}, despite what seemed hopeless. As a result, he became the {spiritual} ancestor for numerous people groups. {This happened} just as God had promised {him} {in the Scriptures}: ”The people who descend from you will become as numerous {as the stars in the sky}.” 19 Abraham thought that his body was too old to produce children. (He was almost 100 years old!) {He also thought} that {his wife} Sarah was unable become pregnant {because she never could do so before}. {Nevertheless,} Abraham kept on trusting {God}. 20 Indeed, Abraham did not faithlessly doubt what God had promised. On the contrary, God empowered Abraham to continue trusting {in him} while glorifying God. 21 God also totally assured Abraham that he is able to do what he had promised {to do}. 22 And this is why, "God considered Abraham to be righteous because he trusted in him."
23 Yet, when {Moses} wrote {in the Scriptures}, ”God considered how Abraham trusted {him},” {these words} not only refer to Abraham. 24 On the contrary, {these words} also refer to us {who trust in Jesus}. God is going to consider how we {believers} trust {him}. {We are} the people who trust him. {He is} the one who caused our Lord Jesus to become alive again after he had died. 25 God allowed people to kill Jesus because we sinned {against God}. {God} also caused Jesus to become alive again in order to make us righteous.