Romans 4 14

Romans 4:14 kjv

For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:

Romans 4:14 nkjv

For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect,

Romans 4:14 niv

For if those who depend on the law are heirs, faith means nothing and the promise is worthless,

Romans 4:14 esv

For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void.

Romans 4:14 nlt

If God's promise is only for those who obey the law, then faith is not necessary and the promise is pointless.

Romans 4 verses

Romans 4 14 Meaning

Romans 4:14 states that if God's covenant heirs were determined by adherence to the Law, then faith would lose its purpose and the divine promise, freely given, would be rendered meaningless. This verse underscores the mutually exclusive nature of obtaining righteousness and an inheritance from God either through works of the Law or through faith in His unconditional promise. Paul asserts that only the path of faith upholds the integrity of God's prior promise.

Romans 4 14 Context

Romans 4:14 stands as a critical part of Paul's extended argument in Romans chapter 4, where he elaborates on justification by faith. Having established in the preceding chapters (Rom 1-3) that both Jews and Gentiles are under the power of sin and cannot be justified by works of the Law, Paul now uses Abraham, the patriarch of the Jewish nation, as a primary example.

Romans 4:13 asserts that God's promise to Abraham—that he would be heir of the world—came not through the Mosaic Law (which was given hundreds of years after Abraham) but through the righteousness that comes by faith. Verse 14 then logically reinforces this by presenting the contradictory consequence: if one becomes an heir by means of the Law, then faith, as the distinct principle for inheritance, becomes irrelevant and the unconditional nature of God's promise is voided. This statement serves as a polemic against Jewish legalism and the teachings of Judaisers who insisted that Gentiles needed to adhere to the Law (e.g., circumcision, food laws) to be truly righteous and heirs of God's covenant. The historical context reflects a tension in the early church regarding the inclusion of Gentiles and the role of the Mosaic Law for salvation. Paul emphatically teaches that God's method of saving and blessing through faith maintains His promise and grace.

Romans 4 14 Word analysis

• For (γάρ - gar): This conjunction signifies a causal or explanatory link, indicating that the following statement (verse 14) provides a reason or logical support for the preceding claim (verse 13) that the promise was by faith, not law.
• if (εἰ - ei): Introduces a condition, a premise for Paul's argument. It sets up a hypothetical situation to demonstrate a logical consequence.
• those who are of the law (οἱ ἐκ νόμου - hoi ek nomou): Literally "those out of law." This phrase refers to individuals whose identity, hope, or standing before God is derived from or based upon adherence to the Mosaic Law. It implicitly points to those Jewish people, or Judaisers, who sought to gain righteousness through meticulous observance of the Torah, emphasizing human effort.
• are heirs (κληρονόμοι - klēronomoi): From κληρονόμος (klēronomos), meaning one who receives an inheritance. In this context, it goes beyond material inheritance to refer to those who participate in God's spiritual blessings, covenant promises, and salvation. It denotes receiving a share in the Abrahamic blessings and ultimately, being co-heirs with Christ in God's kingdom.
• faith (πίστις - pistis): Refers to trust, belief, reliance on God. It is a fundamental concept in Paul's theology, representing the means by which humanity apprehends God's grace and righteousness, as opposed to self-effort through the Law.
• is null (κεκένωται - kekenōtai): Perfect passive indicative of κενόω (kenoō), "to empty, to make void, to render ineffective, to strip of power." This term is forceful, implying that faith would be stripped of its very essence and purpose if legal observance were the path to inheritance. It carries a similar semantic weight to the concept of Christ 'emptying himself' in Phil 2:7, indicating a complete abnegation of status or power.
• and the promise (ἡ ἐπαγγελία - hē epangelia): God's unconditioned, declarative word of assurance, specifically referring to the covenant promises made to Abraham regarding numerous descendants, blessings for all nations through his offspring, and inheritance of the world (Gen 12:1-3; 15:5; 17:4-8).
• is void (κατήργηται - katērgētai): Perfect passive indicative of καταργέω (katargeō), "to render inoperative, abolish, annul, make of no effect." This word further emphasizes the utter cancellation and cessation of function for the promise. It would mean the promise no longer holds its binding power or unconditional nature. Paul uses this word elsewhere to describe the temporary and ultimately superseded nature of aspects of the Old Covenant when contrasted with Christ (e.g., 2 Cor 3:11, Gal 3:17).

Words-Group Analysis:

• "For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is null": This phrase directly states the first logical consequence: If human effort and legal performance are the means to acquire inheritance from God, then the entire concept of a trust-based relationship with God, faith, becomes pointless. Faith would no longer be necessary or efficacious for salvation.
• "and the promise is void": This is the second and equally severe consequence. If inheritance depends on works of the Law, it fundamentally changes the nature of God's promise from an unconditional, gracious declaration to a conditional agreement based on human merit. This would invalidate the free nature of God's covenant with Abraham, making His own sworn word subject to human performance. It implies God's plan would be frustrated or contradicted.

Romans 4 14 Bonus section

This verse carries a significant polemical edge against Jewish particularism of the day that insisted salvation was only for those who followed the Mosaic Law, including circumcision. Paul's argument demonstrates that such a stance undermines the very basis of God's plan revealed even to Abraham. It highlights the universality of the Abrahamic promise being available through faith to both Jew and Gentile, not restricted by legal requirements.

The emphasis on "heirs" is crucial. Being an heir implies receiving something as a rightful possession or gift. If it must be earned through the law, it ceases to be an inheritance and becomes a wage or reward, thus undermining the concept of God's generous and unmerited favor that defines His covenant with Abraham. This principle remains vital, as many still instinctively feel they must earn God's favor or salvation through their good deeds. Paul clearly refutes this, affirming that genuine spirituality and eternal inheritance stem from a posture of trusting reliance on God's grace through faith, not human achievement.

Romans 4 14 Commentary

In Romans 4:14, Paul drives home the exclusive nature of salvation by faith, directly contrasting it with any system based on law. His argument is a reductio ad absurdum: if the path to becoming an heir of God's promises were through adherence to the Mosaic Law, it would logically negate the entire principle of faith and invalidate the unconditional promise God made to Abraham centuries before the Law was even given.

The core issue is the basis of our relationship with God and our inheritance. Paul argues that these two principles—Law and Promise—cannot both be the foundation for justification. The Law's purpose, as taught by Paul, is not to justify but to expose sin (Rom 3:20, 7:7-13) and to lead people to Christ (Gal 3:24). If justification and inheritance derived from obedience to the Law, then faith, which is reliance on God's unmerited favor, would be stripped of its significance, becoming empty or useless. Similarly, the "promise," which is God's unwavering and gracious commitment (particularly to Abraham), would be retroactively converted into a conditional reward dependent on human effort. This would make God's promise unreliable, as it would no longer depend on His faithfulness but on humanity's imperfect performance.

Paul’s strong language – "null" (kekenōtai) and "void" (katērgētai) – highlights the utter incompatibility. One cannot embrace justification by Law without simultaneously undermining the entire theological structure of grace, promise, and faith. This verse thus stands as a foundational assertion for the Christian doctrine that salvation and the Abrahamic inheritance are purely gifts, received by faith, safeguarding God's unmerited favor.