7. “Blessed are they whose lawless deeds have been forgiven, and whose sins are covered over.
8. Blessed is the person against whom the Lord will never count sin.”
9. Therefore, is this blessing for those who are circumcised, or also for those who are uncircumcised? For we say, “Faith was credited to Abraham for righteousness.”
10. How then was it credited? While he was circumcised or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised but while uncircumcised!
11. And he received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness by faith which he had while uncircumcised, so that he could be the father of all who believe although they are uncircumcised, so that righteousness could be credited to them,
12. and the father of those who are circumcised to those who are not only from the circumcision, but who also follow in the footsteps of the faith of our father Abraham which he had while uncircumcised.
13. For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants, that he would be heir of the world, was not through the law, but through the righteousness by faith.
14. For if those of the law are heirs, faith is rendered void and the promise is nullified.
15. For the law produces wrath, but where there is no law, neither is there transgression.
16. Because of this, it is by faith, in order that it may be according to grace, so that the promise may be secure to all the descendants, not only to those of the law, but also to those of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all
17. (just as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”) before God, in whom he believed, the one who makes the dead alive and who calls the things that are not as though they are,
18. who against hope believed in hope, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was said, “so will your descendants be.”