3. For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
4. Now to the one who works, the pay is not credited as a gift, but as what is due.
5. But to the one who does not work, but trusts in Him who justifies the ungodly, his trust is credited as righteousness—
6. just as David also speaks of the blessing on the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:
7. “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven and whose sins are covered.
8. Blessed is the man whose sin Adonai will never count against him.”
9. Is this blessing then only on the circumcised, or also on the uncircumcised? For we say, “trust was credited to Abraham as righteousness.”
10. In what state then was it credited? While circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised!
11. And he received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness of the trust he had while he was uncircumcised, so he might be the father of all who are trusting while uncircumcised—that righteousness might be credited to them as well.
12. Also he is the father of the circumcised, to those not only circumcised but also walking in the footsteps of the trust of our father Abraham before his circumcision.
13. For the promise to Abraham or to his seed—to become heir of the world—was not through law, but through the righteousness based on trust.
14. For if those who are of the Torah are heirs, trust has become empty and the promise is made ineffective.