1. What then shall we say about the one who according to the basar (flesh) is Avraham Avinu? What did he find to be the case?
2. For if Avraham Avinu was accounted to be YITZDAK IM HASHEM and acquitted before Hashem on the basis of ma'asim tovim (Works), he has something to boast about. But not before Hashem!
3. For what does the Torah say? Avraham Avinu had emunah (faith) in Hashem V'YACHSHEVEH-HA LO TZEDAKAH ("and it was accounted, credited, reckoned imputed to him for righteousness" Gen 15:6.)
4. Now to him who works, the loin (wages, batzalon [remuneration]) is not credited to one's account as a favor or gift of chesed but as a choiv (debt).
5. But to the man who does not "work" but has emunah and bitachon in the One who takes the impious man lacking chasidus and accounts him to be YITZDAK IM HASHEM (justified with G-d), such a man who does not "work " but has emunah (faith), such emunah is credited to him for TZEDAKAH ("righteousness" BERESHIS 15:6).
6. As also Dovid HaMelech speaks of the me'ushar (blessedness) of the person whom Hashem reckons to be YITZDAK IM HASHEM (justified with G-d) without dependence on [zechusearning] ma'asim (works) [T.N. with merit (zechus) viewed as "pay" earned for "work" rendered--see Ro 4:4]:
7. "Ashrey (blessed, happy) are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven, and whose sins have been covered over;
8. ASHREY ADAM LO YAKHSHOV HASHEM LO AVON. Blessed, happy is the one whose sin Hashem will by no means count." (Ps 32:1-2).
9. This me'ushar (blessedness), then, does it come on those of the bris milah (the circumcised) or also on those without the bris milah (the uncircumcised)? For we say, emunah "was counted, reckoned, credited" to Avraham Avinu for TZEDAKAH ("righteousness" BERESHIS 15:6).
10. When then was it "reckoned"? When Avraham Avinu had the bris milah and was in the state of circumcision? Or when Avraham Avinu did not have the bris milah and was in the state of uncircumcision?
11. Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision! And he received the ot (sign or distinguishing mark) of the milah (circumcision) as a chotam (seal) of the Tzidkat HaEmunah (the Righteousness of Faith) which he had in his uncircumcision, in order that he might be father of all who believe through uncircumcision, that to be YITZDAK IM HASHEM might be reckoned, counted to them as well,
12. And in order that he might be Av (Father) to the Nimolim (Circumcised ones), to those who are not only HaNimolim but also who follow in the footsteps of the emunah of Avraham Avinu, which he had in [his] uncircumcision.