Romans 4 5

Romans 4:5 kjv

But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

Romans 4:5 nkjv

But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness,

Romans 4:5 niv

However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness.

Romans 4:5 esv

And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness,

Romans 4:5 nlt

But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners.

Romans 4 verses

Romans 4 5 Meaning

Romans 4:5 declares a foundational truth of salvation: a person who ceases from attempting to earn God's favor through their own works, but instead places their faith in God who declares the unrighteous as righteous, has their faith credited to them as righteousness. This verse emphasizes that salvation is not attained by human effort or merit, but by grace alone through faith, applied even to those who are inherently impious.

Romans 4 5 Context

Romans chapter 4 is pivotal in Paul's theological argument for justification by faith, distinct from works of the Law. After establishing in chapter 3 that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Rom 3:23) and that God's righteousness is revealed "apart from the law" through faith in Jesus Christ (Rom 3:21), Paul uses Abraham and David as primary Old Testament examples to substantiate this teaching. Romans 4:5, particularly, addresses the case of Abraham (mentioned immediately before in Rom 4:3-4, quoting Gen 15:6). Paul counters the prevailing Jewish understanding that one could earn merit with God through obedience to the Mosaic Law or specific righteous acts. This verse serves as a direct polemic against any notion of salvation or righteousness earned through human effort or merit, emphasizing God's prerogative to justify the inherently "ungodly" purely by faith.

Romans 4 5 Word analysis

• But (δὲ, de): A conjunction introducing a strong contrast. It signifies a shift from the discussion of earning wages for work (Rom 4:4) to receiving righteousness as a gift through faith.
• to him that worketh not (τῷ δὲ μὴ ἐργαζομένῳ, tō de mē ergazomenō):
  • worketh not: Refers to someone who is not seeking to establish a claim to salvation or merit before God based on their deeds or observance of the Law. It highlights a renunciation of self-effort for salvation. This is distinct from good works as a result of faith (Eph 2:10), but emphasizes works as a means of earning righteousness.
• but believeth (πιστεύοντι δὲ, pisteuonti de):
  • believeth: Points to a trust or reliance, a confident expectation. This is not mere intellectual assent but a profound personal reliance on God. It stands in direct opposition to "worketh not" as the active principle by which one connects with God for salvation.
• on him that justify (ἐπὶ τὸν δικαιοῦντα, epi ton dikaiounta):
  • him that justify: Refers to God, the active agent who declares someone righteous. The Greek dikaioō (δικαιόω) means "to declare righteous," "to acquit," "to justify." It's a forensic, legal declaration, not an infusion of inherent goodness at this stage, but a changed status before God.
• the ungodly (τὸν ἀσεβῆ, ton asebē):
  • ungodly: This is profoundly significant. Asebēs means impious, irreverent, unholy, wicked, or lacking proper reverence for God. It stresses that God justifies sinners, not merely those who have achieved a level of inherent godliness. This radical grace reveals God's character and the desperate state of humanity without Him. It means justification is a transformative divine act upon those who are inherently undeserving.
• his faith (ἡ πίστις αὐτοῦ, hē pistis autou):
  • his faith: Emphasizes that it is the act of believing, the trust and reliance, that is the human prerequisite, not any prior merit.
• is counted (λογίζεται, logizetai):
  • is counted: From logizomai, a key accounting or reckoning term. It means to reckon, to put to one's account, to impute, to credit. This is the same word used in Gen 15:6 regarding Abraham. It signifies a declaration of status, where something (faith) is put down as something else (righteousness) in God's ledger. It highlights an alien righteousness—not one earned or inherent, but one legally assigned.
• for righteousness (εἰς δικαιοσύνην, eis dikaiosynēn):
  • for righteousness: Indicates the purpose or result. The faith of the ungodly is reckoned as the basis for their right standing before God. This righteousness is not self-generated but is God's own perfect righteousness credited to the believer, providing a true basis for acceptance.

Word Group Analysis:

• "to him that worketh not, but believeth": This phrase encapsulates the central antithesis of Paul's gospel. It defines the recipient of God's justification as someone who actively stops trying to earn their way and instead starts to trust God. This is not passivity, but an active turning from self-reliance to God-reliance.
• "him that justify the ungodly": This specific description of God is revolutionary. Instead of a God who justifies the already-righteous (as human religions often propose), Paul reveals a God who has the power and mercy to declare the wicked righteous. This profoundly underscores the gratuitous nature of grace.
• "his faith is counted for righteousness": This phrase summarizes the forensic nature of justification. Faith is the means, righteousness is the divine outcome (a new legal standing). It is an imputation, a divine act of crediting perfect righteousness to the imperfect believer, allowing them to be reconciled to a holy God.

Romans 4 5 Bonus section

The concept of "counted for righteousness" (λογίζεται εἰς δικαιοσύνην) is pivotal. It underscores the legal nature of justification, distinct from moral transformation. It signifies that God legally declares a sinner righteous based on faith. This declaration does not mean the individual instantly becomes morally perfect, but their standing before God is changed. The ongoing process of becoming more like Christ is sanctification, which is a subsequent work of the Spirit after justification.

This verse effectively deconstructs any theology built on human merit. The very inclusion of "the ungodly" in the equation eliminates any ground for boasting (Rom 3:27). It sets apart Christian justification from all other religious attempts at self-salvation. For Paul, the Abraham narrative (Rom 4:1-5) proves that salvation has always been by faith, predating and independent of the Mosaic Law. Abraham believed before circumcision and before the Law, yet his faith was "counted" for righteousness. This pre-Mosaic example ensures that justification by faith is a universal principle, not exclusive to a specific covenant or era.

Romans 4 5 Commentary

Romans 4:5 is a distilled essence of the gospel message regarding justification. It presents a stark contrast between two approaches to standing before God: relying on one's own works versus relying on God's grace through faith. Paul states that righteousness is not achieved by performing righteous deeds ("worketh not"), which would imply earning a wage (as discussed in Rom 4:4), but rather it is imputed to the one who "believeth."

The most shocking and glorious aspect of this verse is that God justifies "the ungodly" (ton asebē). This term describes someone who is actively impious, disrespectful towards God, or even wicked. This defies human logic, which suggests God would only declare the godly or the already righteous as righteous. Instead, God acts contrary to human merit systems, highlighting the radical, unilateral nature of His grace. It implies that before justification, all humans are in the category of the "ungodly," incapable of earning God's favor.

When one believes, their faith is "counted" or "reckoned" (logizetai) as righteousness. This is a forensic term, like an entry in a ledger. It's not that faith becomes righteousness in an inherent sense, or that faith is a work earning righteousness, but rather faith is the instrument through which God credits Christ's perfect righteousness to the believer's account. This divine imputation solves the problem of how a holy God can accept sinful people; He does so by attributing to them a righteousness not their own—the righteousness of Christ (2 Cor 5:21). This establishes a proper standing with God, paving the way for progressive sanctification and transformation, which flows from justification, not as its prerequisite.

Practical Usage:

• It assures those struggling with guilt and unworthiness that their past sins do not disqualify them from God's favor if they genuinely turn in faith to Christ.
• It serves as a humility check, reminding believers that salvation is always a gift, never a right earned by good behavior, discouraging self-righteousness or legalism.
• It reorients one's focus from personal performance as a basis for acceptance to complete reliance on God's justifying act through Christ.