Romans 4:22 kjv
And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.
Romans 4:22 nkjv
And therefore "it was accounted to him for righteousness."
Romans 4:22 niv
This is why "it was credited to him as righteousness."
Romans 4:22 esv
That is why his faith was "counted to him as righteousness."
Romans 4:22 nlt
And because of Abraham's faith, God counted him as righteous.
Romans 4 22 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 15:6 | And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness. | Original basis of Abraham's justification. |
| Rom 3:28 | For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from works of the law. | Paul's core thesis on justification. |
| Rom 4:3 | For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness." | Direct preceding context; identical quote. |
| Gal 3:6 | just as Abraham "believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." | Paul reiterates Abraham's example. |
| Eph 2:8-9 | For by grace you have been saved through faith... not a result of works, so that no one may boast. | Salvation by grace through faith. |
| Php 3:9 | and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ… | Paul rejects law-righteousness for faith. |
| Jam 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. | Emphasizes faith evidenced by works. |
| Heb 11:8 | By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called... | Abraham as an example of faith's obedience. |
| Rom 5:1 | Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. | Result of justification by faith. |
| Rom 1:17 | For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, "The righteous shall live by faith." | Foundation: Righteousness by faith. |
| Hab 2:4 | Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, but the righteous shall live by his faith. | Old Testament root of living by faith. |
| Ps 32:1-2 | Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered... the Lord counts no iniquity against. | Imputation of non-guilt, linked to forgiveness. |
| 2 Co 5:21 | For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. | Imputed righteousness in Christ. |
| Tit 3:5 | he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy... | Salvation is not by our works. |
| Acts 13:39 | and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses. | Justification unattainable by law. |
| Jer 23:6 | In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The Lord Is Our Righteousness.’ | Prophetic foreshadowing of Christ. |
| Isa 53:11 | Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. | The Messiah makes many righteous. |
| Jn 3:16 | For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. | Faith in Christ brings salvation. |
| Rom 4:11 | He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. | Circumcision followed justification by faith. |
| Rom 4:13 | 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. | Promise tied to faith, not law. |
Romans 4 verses
Romans 4 22 Meaning
Romans 4:22 concludes Paul's argument regarding Abraham's justification, stating that his unwavering faith was accounted by God as righteousness. This verse underscores the divine act of reckoning or crediting righteousness to an individual based on their belief, demonstrating that a right standing before God is achieved through faith and not through any human effort or adherence to law. It sets Abraham as the preeminent example for both Jews and Gentiles, establishing faith as the singular pathway to justification for all.
Romans 4 22 Context
Romans chapter 4 is pivotal in Paul's systematic theological argument regarding justification by faith. Having introduced the concept of God's righteousness revealed through faith in Christ in Romans 3:21-31, Paul now turns to Abraham as the prime example. He carefully debunks the prevailing Jewish belief that Abraham was justified by works (specifically, obedience to the Law or circumcision), by emphasizing Abraham's state before these came into effect (Genesis 15:6 pre-dates the Mosaic Law and even circumcision).
Paul highlights that Abraham's faith (trusting God's promise against all odds regarding a future son, as detailed in Romans 4:18-21) was the basis upon which God declared him righteous. This deeply challenged the Judeo-centric focus on the Mosaic Law as the means to righteousness, establishing a universal principle that God credits righteousness to anyone who believes, whether Jew or Gentile, paralleling Abraham's experience. Verse 22 functions as a concluding affirmation of this key truth about Abraham's forensic justification.
Romans 4 22 Word analysis
Therefore (Διό - dio): This Greek conjunction acts as a logical conclusion or inference, drawing a summary from the preceding argument about Abraham's unwavering faith in God's promises despite the impossibility of his situation (Romans 4:18-21). It signals that the verse provides the outcome or reason for Abraham's declared righteousness.
it was credited (ἐλογίσθη - elogisthē): This is the aorist passive indicative form of the verb λογίζομαι (logizomai).
- Meaning: This crucial term means "to reckon," "to count," "to compute," "to impute," or "to consider." It is an accounting or legal term.
- Significance: It implies a declarative act on God's part, where He "puts something to someone's account" or "assigns" a status. It does not mean Abraham became inherently righteous by his own effort, but that righteousness was imputed or attributed to him by God. It emphasizes an external declaration, not an internal earning.
- Relevance: Paul repeats forms of
logizomainumerous times in Romans 4 (vv. 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 22, 23, 24), underscoring the central concept of "imputation" or "reckoning" of righteousness through faith, not works.
to him (αὐτῷ - autō): This dative pronoun points to Abraham as the direct recipient of this divine act of crediting. It specifies that this declaration was for his benefit and applicable to his person.
as (εἰς - eis): This preposition indicates direction toward something, or the result/purpose of something. In this context, it signifies "for," "into," or "resulting in."
righteousness (δικαιοσύνην - dikaiosynēn): This noun refers to a state of being righteous or just, in conformity with God's standards.
- Meaning: In a theological context, it refers to a right standing before God.
- Significance: It’s not human self-righteousness, but God's divine standard that is applied. When God credits faith "as righteousness," it means Abraham was declared "just" or "acquitted" in God's sight. This is a "forensic" (legal) declaration of acquittal and a right status before a holy God, apart from deserving it by merit. It's alien righteousness – from God, not from man.
Romans 4 22 Bonus section
The repetitive use of the term "credited" (λογίζομαι - logizomai) throughout Romans chapter 4 (in various forms in verses 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 22, 23, 24) is a deliberate rhetorical and theological choice by Paul. This consistent repetition strongly emphasizes the non-meritorious nature of Abraham's (and thus, a believer's) righteousness. It highlights that righteousness is a divine accounting transaction – God's declaration – rather than an earned status. This precision in terminology was vital for Paul to counter the Jewish emphasis on earned righteousness through law observance and ritual, establishing a clear polemic against a works-based system. Furthermore, Abraham’s faith was not passive intellectual assent, but an active, trusting reliance on God’s power and promise (Rom 4:18-21), demonstrating that genuine faith involves radical confidence in God's ability to accomplish what seems impossible. This understanding also clears the path for Gentiles to be included as spiritual descendants of Abraham through faith, shattering ethnocentric barriers to salvation.
Romans 4 22 Commentary
Romans 4:22 serves as a concluding emphatic declaration in Paul's argument that Abraham's justification was solely by faith. The repetitive use of the verb λογίζομαι (elogisthē - credited/reckoned) throughout the chapter, particularly here, is critical. It underscores that God did not transform Abraham internally to make him righteous at that moment, nor did Abraham earn his righteousness through obedience or performance. Rather, God declared Abraham righteous; He placed righteousness to Abraham’s account, solely on the basis of his active trust and belief in God’s character and word. This is the concept of "imputed righteousness," a forensic declaration where God, the righteous judge, considers Abraham righteous by attributing it to him, independent of his deeds. This fundamental principle applies to all who believe in Christ today, positioning Abraham as the spiritual father of all justified by faith, regardless of their ethnic or legal standing. The verse therefore dismantles any basis for human boasting or reliance on works, firmly rooting salvation in God’s gracious initiative and human faith.