Romans 4 18

Romans 4:18 kjv

Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.

Romans 4:18 nkjv

who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, "So shall your descendants be."

Romans 4:18 niv

Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, "So shall your offspring be."

Romans 4:18 esv

In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, "So shall your offspring be."

Romans 4:18 nlt

Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping ? believing that he would become the father of many nations. For God had said to him, "That's how many descendants you will have!"

Romans 4 verses

Romans 4 18 Meaning

Romans 4:18 profoundly illustrates the nature of Abraham's faith: despite seemingly insurmountable natural odds—his and Sarah's advanced age and Sarah's barrenness, rendering biological fatherhood "against all hope"—he believed in God's promise that he would become the "father of many nations." His belief was not a naive optimism, but a steadfast reliance "in hope" upon the unfailing power and word of God, who promised him an uncountable lineage. This verse emphasizes that true faith involves trusting God's word even when all human circumstances contradict it, allowing divine promise to define reality over perceived impossibilities.

Romans 4 18 Context

Romans chapter 4 is pivotal in Paul's argument for justification by faith, distinct from adherence to the Mosaic Law or the practice of circumcision. Paul presents Abraham, revered as the patriarch of Israel and a figure prior to the Mosaic Law, as the prime example. In Rom 4:1-8, Paul shows that Abraham's faith, as recounted in Gen 15:6, was "credited to him as righteousness" before circumcision. This directly refutes Jewish contemporaries who sought justification through works of the law or ritual practices like circumcision, emphasizing that faith alone was always the means of God's blessing. Verses 9-12 further demonstrate that Abraham received righteousness before circumcision, making him the father of both believing circumcised (Jews) and uncircumcised (Gentiles). Rom 4:13-15 contrasts reliance on the Law (which brings wrath) with reliance on promise. Romans 4:18 then climaxes this argument by portraying Abraham's faith not merely as intellectual assent, but as a tenacious trust in God's ability to do the naturally impossible, thereby providing the foundation for how both Jews and Gentiles become his spiritual children through a similar faith. It confronts the human tendency to limit God's power by natural or legal constraints.

Romans 4 18 Word analysis

• Who against hope: (Ὃς παρ᾽ ἐλπίδα, Hos par elpida)
  • Ὃς (Hos): "Who," refers to Abraham, linking back to the previous discussion about him.
  • παρ᾽ (par): A preposition meaning "beside," "beyond," "contrary to," or "against." Here, it signifies opposition to normal human expectation or basis for hope.
  • ἐλπίδα (elpida): "Hope," in the normal human sense—based on empirical evidence, observable conditions, or natural probability. This highlights the complete absence of human reason for hope concerning biological procreation for Abraham and Sarah. It underlines the desperate, physically impossible situation.
• believed in hope, (ἐπ᾽ ἐλπίδι ἐπίστευσεν, ep elpidi episteusen)
  • ἐπ᾽ (ep): A preposition meaning "on," "upon," "in," "resting on." This preposition indicates the ground or foundation of the hope and faith.
  • ἐλπίδι (elpídi): "Hope," but here referring to a different kind of hope—not based on human possibility but on divine promise. It's an active, trustful anticipation of God's declared purpose. It suggests a paradox: no human hope, yet unwavering divine hope.
  • ἐπίστευσεν (episteusen): "He believed." This is an aorist active indicative verb, denoting a decisive, singular act of faith by Abraham. It’s a complete and unshakeable trust placed in God's character and word, not in circumstances. This faith directly follows the declaration "according to what was said."
• that he might become the father of many nations, (εἰς τὸ γενέσθαι αὐτὸν πατέρα πολλῶν ἐθνῶν, eis to genesthai auton patera pollon ethnon)
  • εἰς τὸ γενέσθαι (eis to genesthai): A purpose clause ("so that he might become," or "with a view to becoming"). Abraham's belief was for the purpose of fulfilling this promise, indicating his faith had a definite object and a clear goal rooted in God's Word.
  • πατέρα πολλῶν ἐθνῶν (patera pollon ethnon): "Father of many nations." This is a direct quote/allusion from Gen 17:5, where God Himself changes Abram's name to Abraham ("father of a multitude"). This refers to both his biological descendants who would become nations (e.g., Israel, Edom) and, more importantly in the New Testament context, his spiritual descendants from all ethnic groups who share his faith (Jew and Gentile alike).
• according to what was spoken: (κατὰ τὸ εἰρημένον, kata to eirēmenon)
  • κατὰ (kata): "According to," indicating that Abraham's belief and the outcome were strictly in conformity with, and based upon, God's divine utterance.
  • τὸ εἰρημένον (to eirēmenon): "What had been spoken." This phrase emphasizes the divine origin and authoritative nature of the promise given to Abraham, primarily from Gen 15:5 and Gen 17:5. It anchors the hope not in wishful thinking but in the revealed will of God.
• “So shall your offspring be.” (Οὕτως ἔσται τὸ σπέρμα σου.)
  • Οὕτως ἔσται (Houtōs estai): "So shall it be" or "Thus will be." This is a definitive future tense, confirming the certainty of the promise from God's perspective.
  • τὸ σπέρμα σου (to sperma sou): "Your seed/offspring." A quotation from Gen 15:5. The term sperma (seed) can be singular (referring to Christ in Gal 3:16) or collective (referring to a multitude of descendants). Here, it denotes the vast number of descendants, echoing God's comparison to the stars. In Romans, it ultimately includes all who have Abraham's kind of faith, whether Jewish or Gentile, making Christ the singular true "seed" through whom the promise of manifold "offspring" comes to fruition.

• Words-Group Analysis:
• "Against hope, in hope believed" (παρ᾽ ἐλπίδα, ἐπ᾽ ἐλπίδι ἐπίστευσεν): This phrase presents a striking paradox. The first "hope" (elpida) signifies all human, natural basis for expectation, which was utterly absent for Abraham's biological progeny. The second "hope" (elpidi) refers to the divinely given, God-grounded expectation. Abraham believed, not because of hope in circumstances, but because of hope in God. This highlights the supernatural nature of genuine faith, which transcends natural limitations and trusts solely in God's power (Rom 4:17). It contrasts human impossibility with divine possibility.
• "became the father of many nations according to what was said": This links the outcome (Abraham's multi-national fatherhood) directly to the divine declaration. It signifies that God's word is not just a prediction but a powerful, creative force that brings into being what it declares, irrespective of human ability or natural constraints. Abraham's faith was the responsive act that allowed God's promise to unfold in his life and lineage. The "many nations" points forward to the inclusion of the Gentiles, a key theme in Romans.

Romans 4 18 Bonus section

This verse implies a direct polemic against reliance on human strength, merit, or established religious norms for salvation. In the context of the Jewish legalists Paul was addressing, it challenged their belief that ethnic descent, adherence to the Law, or circumcision alone guaranteed divine favor. Abraham, the ultimate patriarch, was declared righteous before circumcision and without the Law, simply by his faith. This highlights that God's salvific plan has always been through faith, making it accessible to all who believe, regardless of their background. The paradoxical phrasing "against all hope, in hope believed" also serves as a model for how believers are to approach challenges; not denying reality but allowing the ultimate reality of God's promise to overshadow all perceived limitations. This also teaches us about the dynamic of "divine-human cooperation," where God provides the promise and the power, and humans respond with active, trusting belief, rather than passive waiting or striving. The fulfillment of the "offspring" promise through Christ extends Abraham's spiritual fatherhood universally.

Romans 4 18 Commentary

Romans 4:18 encapsulates the radical nature of faith as modeled by Abraham, a faith that trusts God beyond human reason and natural impossibility. Abraham’s situation was dire: at ninety-nine and Sarah at ninety, with Sarah barren her whole life, the promise of descendants was naturally inconceivable. Yet, Abraham's belief was not mere optimism but an active hope anchored in God's character and omnipotence. He saw beyond the "deadness" of his body and Sarah's womb (Rom 4:19) to the God "who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not" (Rom 4:17). His faith, therefore, was a surrender to the divine word and a confident expectation that God would fulfill His promise simply because He said so. This example underscores that saving faith is not a matter of works or inherent merit but a response of profound trust in a sovereign, promise-keeping God. Abraham's faith made him the "father of many nations"—a spiritual lineage comprising all who believe God as he did, whether Jew or Gentile, thereby bridging Old Testament prophecy with the New Covenant's expansive grace. This verse offers an eternal principle: where human hope ends, divine hope, fueled by God’s unshakeable word, begins, allowing the miraculous to unfold.