Romans 4:13 kjv
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.
Romans 4:13 nkjv
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.
Romans 4:13 niv
It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith.
Romans 4:13 esv
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.
Romans 4:13 nlt
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.
Romans 4 13 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 12:3 | I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you. | Universal blessing through Abraham |
| Gen 15:5-6 | He took him outside and said, "Look toward the heaven... your offspring shall be." And Abram believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness. | Faith credited as righteousness |
| Gen 17:4-5 | "As for me, behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations." | Abraham, father of many nations |
| Exod 19:5-8 | If you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be to me a treasured possession... Israel responded together... | Law given to Israel, conditional covenant |
| Psa 2:8 | Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. | Messiah's universal dominion |
| Isa 49:6 | It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob... I will make you as a light for the nations. | God's servant (Christ) for universal salvation |
| Rom 3:20 | For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. | Law does not justify |
| Rom 3:28 | For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law. | Justification by faith alone |
| Rom 4:3 | For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness." | Reiteration of Abraham's faith |
| Rom 4:9 | Is this blessing only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised?... | Blessing for uncircumcised (Gentiles) |
| Rom 4:16 | That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace... | Promise based on grace and faith |
| Rom 9:30-32 | Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have obtained it... by faith; but Israel who pursued a law... did not arrive at it. | Gentiles obtain righteousness by faith |
| Rom 10:4 | For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. | Christ, the fulfillment of the Law |
| Rom 15:8-12 | Christ has become a servant to the circumcised to show God's truthfulness... and in Christ the Gentiles will hope. | Christ's work benefits Jews and Gentiles |
| Gal 3:6 | Just as Abraham "believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness." | Abraham's faith as paradigm |
| Gal 3:14 | so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith. | Abraham's blessing extends to Gentiles via Christ |
| Gal 3:17 | The law, which came 430 years afterward, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God... | Law does not nullify prior promise |
| Gal 3:18 | For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise. | Inheritance by promise, not law |
| Eph 3:6 | This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. | Gentiles are co-heirs |
| Heb 6:13-15 | For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself... Thus Abraham, having patiently waited, obtained the promise. | God's unchangeable promise |
| Heb 11:8-10 | By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called... looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. | Abraham's faith for future inheritance |
| Heb 11:39-40 | And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us... | Promise not fully received until Christ's coming |
| Jas 2:23 | And the Scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness"—and he was called a friend of God. | Faith and works (Rom 4 is about initial justification, Jas 2 about validated faith) |
Romans 4 verses
Romans 4 13 Meaning
Romans 4:13 clarifies that the divine promise made to Abraham, granting him the status of "heir of the world," was not contingent upon adherence to the Mosaic Law. Instead, this inheritance was established through the principle of faith, which God accounted to Abraham as righteousness. It asserts that God's covenant with Abraham predated the Law and was fulfilled by God's gracious provision, demonstrating a path to God's promises that transcends ethnic boundaries and legalistic observance.
Romans 4 13 Context
Romans chapter 4 is pivotal in Paul's theological argument for justification by faith, distinct from works of the Law. Having established in chapters 1-3 that both Jews and Gentiles are under sin and cannot be justified by works (Rom 3:20, 23, 28), Paul turns to Abraham, the patriarch revered by all Jews, as the prime example of how righteousness is truly obtained. Paul shows that Abraham's righteousness was credited to him before circumcision (Rom 4:10) and before the giving of the Mosaic Law. Verse 13 explicitly contrasts "through the law" with "through the righteousness of faith," thereby refuting the prevalent Jewish belief that covenant membership and divine blessings were secured by legalistic observance and lineage. This sets the stage for demonstrating that Abraham is the father of all who believe, Jew and Gentile alike, and that God's original promise was unconditional and gracious, fulfilled through Christ.
Romans 4 13 Word analysis
- For the promise: The Greek word is epangelia (ἐπαγγελία), referring to a divine declaration or assurance from God. This is distinct from a human promise and implies God's absolute commitment and faithfulness. It links directly to the Abrahamic Covenant (Gen 12:1-3, 15:5-6).
- that he should be the heir: The Greek is klēronomon (κληρονόμον), meaning 'inheritor' or 'recipient of an inheritance'. This concept often related to physical land in the Old Testament, but Paul expands its scope significantly.
- of the world: The Greek is tou kosmou (τοῦ κόσμου). This is a crucial expansion from the land of Canaan (Gen 13:14-15) to the entire kosmos, signifying a universal and global inheritance. This reinterpretation foreshadows the worldwide spread of the gospel and Christ's ultimate dominion, extending Abraham's promised blessing far beyond ethnic Israel. It also carries an eschatological dimension, hinting at the new heavens and new earth.
- was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law: The Greek phrase ou dia nomou (οὐ διὰ νόμου) literally means "not through law." Paul directly refutes the notion that Abraham's covenant standing or his heirs' inheritance derived from legal observance. The "law" here refers specifically to the Mosaic Law, which came hundreds of years after Abraham (Gal 3:17).
- but through the righteousness: The Greek is alla dia dikaiosynēs (ἀλλὰ διὰ δικαιοσύνης), which points to God's act of declaring one righteous. It's not human performance but a divine attribution.
- of faith: The Greek is pisteōs (πίστεως). This is the key component. It refers to trust and reliance upon God's promise. It is the condition for receiving God's gracious declaration of righteousness, as exemplified by Abraham in Gen 15:6.
Words-group analysis
- "the promise... was not... through the law, but through the righteousness of faith": This phrase directly contrasts two covenants/dispensations. It highlights that Abraham's relationship with God, and the promised blessings, were fundamentally established by divine promise and received by faith, not through any legal system or human obedience to a code. This is a core theological distinction in Paul's letters.
- "heir of the world": This bold statement transcends a purely national or ethnic understanding of God's covenant with Israel. It implies a cosmic scope for the Abrahamic promise, indicating that Abraham, and through him his spiritual offspring (believers in Christ), are heirs to a blessing that impacts the entire globe and is inherently linked to Christ's universal reign as King (Phil 2:9-11). It lays the groundwork for the inclusion of all nations in God's saving plan.
- "Abraham, or to his seed": The promise extended to Abraham and his "seed" (sperma). While this refers broadly to his descendants, Galatians 3:16 makes it clear that the ultimate "seed" in whom the promise finds its definitive fulfillment is Christ Himself, and through union with Christ, all believers become heirs (Gal 3:29). This links the patriarchal promise to the person of Jesus and His universal salvific work.
Romans 4 13 Bonus section
The "heir of the world" phrase also carries significant implications for understanding the future Kingdom of God. It points beyond a restoration of Israel's national borders to a New Creation, where believers, as co-heirs with Christ (Rom 8:17), will participate in His universal reign over the new heavens and new earth. This understanding aligns with Christ's Great Commission, calling believers to make disciples of "all nations" (Matt 28:19), bringing the Abrahamic blessing to the whole kosmos. The promise given unconditionally to Abraham highlights God's sovereignty and unchanging nature, ensuring the ultimate fulfillment of His plan despite human failure or legalistic attempts to earn what is freely given by grace.
Romans 4 13 Commentary
Romans 4:13 serves as a foundational declaration in Paul's argument that salvation is by grace through faith, echoing the theological truth established in Abraham's life. The verse refutes any notion that God's blessings and promises are tied to adherence to a legal code, demonstrating that the divine intention for mankind's redemption has always been rooted in faith. The promise to Abraham of becoming "heir of the world" represents an immense theological scope, expanding the specific land promises of the Old Testament to a global, indeed cosmic, inheritance. This universal vision inherently makes room for Gentiles, undermining Jewish claims of exclusive heirship based on lineage or Torah observance. Abraham's legacy is thus not one of strict legal adherence but of profound trust in God, making him the spiritual father of all, regardless of background, who similarly trust in Christ. This timeless principle establishes that righteousness, and access to God's promised blessings, comes not through human merit or effort, but solely through divine imputation in response to faith.