Romans, Part 21

Against hope (ἐλπίδα, a form of ἐλπίς) Abraham believed (ἐπίστευσεν, a form of πιστεύω) in hope (ἐλπίδι, another form of ἐλπίς),1 Paul continued.  At ninety-nine-years old Abraham had plenty of empirical proof that his wife Sarah could not have a child.  He had no reason to hope in any natural sense of the word (i.e., against hope).  But Paul had this to say about hope in the next chapter (Romans 5:3, 4 NET):

Not only this, but we also rejoice in sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance (ὑπομονὴν, a form of ὑπομονή), and endurance (ὑπομονὴ), character, and character, hope (ἐλπίδα, a form of ἐλπίς).  And hope (ἐλπὶς) does not disappoint, because the love (ἀγάπη) of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Now suffering in and of itself does not necessarily produce endurance in a person, and endurance in and of itself does not necessarily produce godly character.  The reason suffering produces endurance and endurance, godly character and godly character, hope is God’s love poured out in the heart of a man or woman.  This is the love that bears all things, believes (πιστεύει, another form of πιστεύω) all things, hopes (ἐλπίζει, a form of ἐλπίζω) all things, endures (ὑπομένει, a form of ὑπομένω) all things.2  And so Abraham believed in God in hope, rather than believing in hope itself.  This is clearer in verse 21, He was fully convinced that what God promised (ἐπήγγελται, a form of ἐπαγγέλλω) he was also able to do (ποιῆσαι, a form of ποιέω).3

The result for Abraham of believing God in hope against hope was that he became the father of many nations according to the pronouncement,so will your descendants be.”4  What follows is a special revelation: Without being weak in faith (πίστει, a form of πίστις), he considered his own body as dead (because he was about one hundred years old) and the deadness of Sarah’s womb [Table].  He did not waver in unbelief (ἀπιστία) about the promise (ἐπαγγελίαν, a form of ἐπαγγελία) of God but was strengthened (ἐνεδυναμώθη, a form of ἐνδυναμόω) in faith (πίστει, a form of πίστις), giving glory to God.5

From the time God confirmed that Abraham would have a son by Sarah in Genesis 17:19-22 until Isaac was born in Genesis 21:1-5 there is nothing in the narrative that helps me see that this faith Paul revealed in Romans 4:19 and 20 was working together with Abraham’s works.6  In fact, I’m not even able to imagine what works Abraham could have done to indicate that he was fully convinced that what God promised he was also able to do7 in reference to Sarah having a son.

This particular aspect of Abraham’s faith is a good object lesson for Paul’s declaration to the Corinthians: So then, do not judge anything before the time.  Wait until the Lord comes.  He will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the motives of hearts.  Then each will receive recognition from God.8  Apart from the Lord’s revelation of Abraham’s heart through Paul I would not know this particular aspect of Abraham’s faith from reading Genesis alone.  There is, however, a story where I can see the outworking of Abraham’s credited righteousness, and his faith working together with his works, as James highlighted in his letter.9  In the letter to the Hebrews more of Abraham’s heart was revealed (Hebrews 11:17-19 NET).

By faith (Πίστει, a form of πίστις) Abraham, when he was tested (πειραζόμενος, a form of πειράζω), offered up Isaac.  He had received the promises (ἐπαγγελίας, another form of ἐπαγγελία), yet he was ready to offer up his only son.  God had told him, “Through Isaac descendants will carry on your name,” and he reasoned (λογισάμενος, a form of λογίζομαι) that God could even raise him from the dead, and in a sense he received him back from there.

God said to Abraham, Take your son – your only son, whom you love, Isaac – and go to the land of Moriah!  Offer him up there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains which I will indicate to you.10  The first work I see working together with Abraham’s revealed faith that God could even raise Isaac from the dead is more Zen than Hebrew, a not-work, if you will.  There are no George C. Scott histrionics from the John Huston film The Bible, an aesthetic choice presumably to make Abraham more believable to unbelievers.  Early in the morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey.  He took two of his young servants with him, along with his son Isaac.  When he had cut the wood for the burnt offering, he started out for the place God had spoken to him about.11

The next work I see working together with Abraham’s revealed faith that God could even raise Isaac from the dead is Abraham’s answer to Isaac’s question, where is the lamb?  “God will provide for himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son,” Abraham replied.  The two of them continued on together.12  And the final work is that mentioned by James (Genesis 22:9, 10 NET):

When they came to the place God had told him about, Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood on it.  Next he tied up his son Isaac and placed him on the altar on top of the wood.  Then Abraham reached out his hand, took the knife, and prepared to slaughter his son.

But the Lord’s angel called to him from heaven…“Do not harm the boy!…Do not do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God because you did not withhold your son, your only son, from me.13  Then Abraham’s prophetic word to Isaac was fulfilled.  Abraham looked up and saw behind him a ram caught in the bushes by its horns.  So he went over and got the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son.14

Abraham was fully convinced that what God promised (ἐπήγγελται, a form of ἐπαγγέλλω) he was also able to do (ποιῆσαι, a form of ποιέω), Paul wrote the Romans.  So indeed it was credited (ἐλογίσθη, another form of λογίζομαι) to Abraham as righteousness (δικαιοσύνην, a form of δικαιοσύνη).15  Paul’s interest was not merely historical, the statement it was credited (ἐλογίσθη, another form of λογίζομαι) to him was not written only for Abraham’s sake, but also for our sake, to whom it will be credited (λογίζεσθαι, another form of λογίζομαι), those who believe in the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.  He was given over (παρεδόθη, a form of παραδίδωμι) because of our transgressions (παραπτώματα, a form of παράπτωμα) and was raised for the sake of our justification (δικαίωσιν, a form of δικαίωσις).16

I think it is important to remember who Paul referred to when he said our sake, our transgressions and our justification.  …it is by faith (πίστεως, another form of πίστις) so that it may be by grace (χάριν, a form of χάρις), with the result that the promise (ἐπαγγελίαν, a form of ἐπαγγελία) may be certain to all the descendants – not only to those who are under the law (νόμου, a form of νόμος), but also to those who have the faith (πίστεως, another form of πίστις) of Abraham, who is the father of us all17

 

Addendum: February 29, 2024
According to a note (33) in the NET Paul quoted from Genesis 17:5 in Romans 4:18a. A table comparing the Greek of Paul’s quotation with that of the Septuagint follows.

Romans 4:18a (NET Parallel Greek)

Genesis 17:5b (Septuagint BLB) Table

Genesis 17:5b (Septuagint Elpenor)

πατέρα πολλῶν ἐθνῶν πατέρα πολλῶν ἐθνῶν πατέρα πολλῶν ἐθνῶν

Romans 4:18a (NET)

Genesis 17:5b (NETS)

Genesis 17:5b (English Elpenor)

the father of many nations an ancestor of many nations a father of many nations

According to a note (35) in the NET Paul quoted from Genesis 15:5 in Romans 4:18b. A table comparing the Greek of Paul’s quotation with that of the Septuagint follows.

Romans 4:18b (NET Parallel Greek)

Genesis 15:5b (Septuagint BLB) Table

Genesis 15:5b (Septuagint Elpenor)

οὕτως ἔσται τὸ σπέρμα σου οὕτως ἔσται τὸ σπέρμα σου οὕτως ἔσται τὸ σπέρμα σου

Romans 4:18b (NET)

Genesis 15:5b (NETS)

Genesis 15:5b (English Elpenor)

so will your descendants be So shall your offspring be. Thus shall thy seed be.

According to a note (22) in the NET the author of Hebrews quoted from Genesis 21:12 in Hebrews 11:18b. A table comparing the Greek of that quotation with that of the Septuagint follows.

Hebrews 11:18b (NET Parallel Greek)

Genesis 21:12b (Septuagint BLB) Table

Genesis 21:12b (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἐν Ἰσαὰκ κληθήσεται σοι σπέρμα ἐν Ισαακ κληθήσεταί σοι σπέρμα ἐν ᾿Ισαὰκ κληθήσεταί σοι σπέρμα

Hebrews 11:18b (NET)

Genesis 21:12b (NETS)

Genesis 21:12b (English Elpenor)

Through Isaac descendants will carry on your name in Isaak offspring shall be named for you in Isaac shall thy seed be called

According to a note (42) in the NET Paul quoted from Genesis 15:6 in Romans 4:23. A table comparing the Greek of Paul’s quotation with that of the Septuagint follows.

Romans 4:23b (NET Parallel Greek)

Genesis 15:6b (Septuagint BLB) Table

Genesis 15:6b (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ

Romans 4:23b (NET)

Genesis 15:6b (NETS)

Genesis 15:6b (English Elpenor)

it was credited to him it was reckoned to him it was counted to him

Tables comparing Genesis 22:3; 22:8; 22:11; 22:12 and 22:13 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing the Greek of Genesis 22:3; 22:8; 22:11; 22:12 and 22:13 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow.

Genesis 22:3 (Tanakh)

Genesis 22:3 (KJV)

Genesis 22:3 (NET)

And Abraham rose early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he cleaved the wood for the burnt-offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which G-d had told him. And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him. Early in the morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey. He took two of his young servants with him, along with his son Isaac. When he had cut the wood for the burnt offering, he started out for the place God had spoken to him about.

Genesis 22:3, 4a (BLB Septuagint)

Genesis 22:3 (Elpenor Septuagint)

ἀναστὰς δὲ Αβρααμ τὸ πρωὶ ἐπέσαξεν τὴν ὄνον αὐτοῦ παρέλαβεν δὲ μεθ᾽ ἑαυτοῦ δύο παῖδας καὶ Ισαακ τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ καὶ σχίσας ξύλα εἰς ὁλοκάρπωσιν ἀναστὰς ἐπορεύθη καὶ ἦλθεν ἐπὶ τὸν τόπον ὃν εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὁ θεός (4) τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ τρίτῃ ἀναστὰς δὲ ῾Αβραὰμ τὸ πρωῒ ἐπέσαξε τὴν ὄνον αὐτοῦ· παρέλαβε δὲ μεθ᾿ ἑαυτοῦ δύο παῖδας καὶ ᾿Ισαὰκ τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ καὶ σχίσας ξύλα εἰς ὁλοκάρπωσιν, ἀναστὰς ἐπορεύθη καὶ ἦλθεν ἐπὶ τὸν τόπον, ὃν εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὁ Θεός, τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ τρίτῃ

Genesis 22:3, 4a (NETS)

Genesis 22:3, 4a (English Elpenor)

And when Abraam had risen in the morning, he saddled his donkey. Now he took along with himself two servants and his son Isaak, and after he had split wood for a whole burnt offering and risen, he went and came to the place that God had mentioned to him, (4) on the third day And Abraam rose up in the morning and saddled his ass, and he took with him two servants, and Isaac his son, and having split wood for a whole-burnt-offering, he arose and departed, and came to the place of which God spoke to him, (4) on the third day;

Genesis 22:8 (Tanakh)

Genesis 22:8 (KJV)

Genesis 22:8 (NET)

And Abraham said: ‘G-d will provide Himself the lamb for a burnt-offering, my son.’ So they went both of them together. And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together. “God will provide for himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son,” Abraham replied. The two of them continued on together.

Genesis 22:8 (BLB Septuagint)

Genesis 22:8 (Elpenor Septuagint)

εἶπεν δὲ Αβρααμ ὁ θεὸς ὄψεται ἑαυτῷ πρόβατον εἰς ὁλοκάρπωσιν τέκνον πορευθέντες δὲ ἀμφότεροι ἅμα εἶπε δὲ ῾Αβραάμ· ὁ Θεὸς ὄψεται ἑαυτῷ πρόβατον εἰς ὁλοκάρπωσιν, τέκνον. πορευθέντες δὲ ἀμφότεροι ἅμα

Genesis 22:8 (NETS)

Genesis 22:8 (English Elpenor)

And Abraam said, “God will see to a sheep as a whole burnt offering for himself, child.” And as both walked on together And Abraam said, God will provide himself a sheep for a whole-burnt-offering, [my] son. And both having gone together,

Genesis 22:11 (Tanakh)

Genesis 22:11 (KJV)

Genesis 22:11 (NET)

And the angel of HaShem called unto him out of heaven, and said: ‘Abraham, Abraham.’ And he said: ‘Here am I.’ And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Here I am!” he answered.

Genesis 22:11 (BLB Septuagint)

Genesis 22:11 (Elpenor Septuagint)

καὶ ἐκάλεσεν αὐτὸν ἄγγελος κυρίου ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Αβρααμ Αβρααμ ὁ δὲ εἶπεν ἰδοὺ ἐγώ καὶ ἐκάλεσεν αὐτὸν ἄγγελος Κυρίου ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ εἶπεν· ῾Αβραάμ, ῾Αβραάμ. ὁ δὲ εἶπεν· ἰδοὺ ἐγώ

Genesis 22:11 (NETS)

Genesis 22:11 (English Elpenor)

And the Lord’s angel him from the sky and said to him, “Abraam, Abraam!” And he said, “Here I am.” And an angel of the Lord called him out of heaven, and said, Abraam, Abraam. And he said, Behold, I [am here].

Genesis 22:12 (Tanakh)

Genesis 22:12 (KJV)

Genesis 22:12 (NET)

And he said: ‘Lay not thy hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him; for now I know that thou art a G-d-fearing man, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, from Me.’ And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me. “Do not harm the boy!” the angel said. “Do not do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God because you did not withhold your son, your only son, from me.”

Genesis 22:12 (BLB Septuagint)

Genesis 22:12 (Elpenor Septuagint)

καὶ εἶπεν μὴ ἐπιβάλῃς τὴν χεῖρά σου ἐπὶ τὸ παιδάριον μηδὲ ποιήσῃς αὐτῷ μηδέν νῦν γὰρ ἔγνων ὅτι φοβῇ τὸν θεὸν σὺ καὶ οὐκ ἐφείσω τοῦ υἱοῦ σου τοῦ ἀγαπητοῦ δι᾽ ἐμέ καὶ εἶπε· μὴ ἐπιβάλῃς τὴν χεῖρά σου ἐπὶ τὸ παιδάριον μηδὲ ποιήσῃς αὐτῷ μηδέν· νῦν γὰρ ἔγνων, ὅτι φοβῇ σὺ τὸν Θεὸν καὶ οὐκ ἐφείσω τοῦ υἱοῦ σου τοῦ ἀγαπητοῦ δι᾿ ἐμέ

Genesis 22:12 (NETS)

Genesis 22:12 (English Elpenor)

And he said, “Do not lay your hand on the youngster nor do anything to him. For now I know that you do fear God, and for my sake you have not spared your beloved son.” And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the child, neither do anything to him, for now I know that thou fearest God, and for my sake thou hast not spared thy beloved son.

Genesis 22:13 (Tanakh)

Genesis 22:13 (KJV)

Genesis 22:13 (NET)

And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in the thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt-offering in the stead of his son. And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. Abraham looked up and saw behind him a ram caught in the bushes by its horns. So he went over and got the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son.

Genesis 22:13 (BLB Septuagint)

Genesis 22:13 (Elpenor Septuagint)

καὶ ἀναβλέψας Αβρααμ τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς αὐτοῦ εἶδεν καὶ ἰδοὺ κριὸς εἷς κατεχόμενος ἐν φυτῷ σαβεκ τῶν κεράτων καὶ ἐπορεύθη Αβρααμ καὶ ἔλαβεν τὸν κριὸν καὶ ἀνήνεγκεν αὐτὸν εἰς ὁλοκάρπωσιν ἀντὶ Ισαακ τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀναβλέψας ῾Αβραὰμ τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς αὐτοῦ εἶδε, καὶ ἰδοὺ κριὸς εἷς κατεχόμενος ἐν φυτῷ Σαβὲκ τῶν κεράτων· καὶ ἐπορεύθη ῾Αβραὰμ καὶ ἔλαβε τὸν κριὸν καὶ ἀνήνεγκεν αὐτὸν εἰς ὁλοκάρπωσιν ἀντὶ ᾿Ισαὰκ τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ

Genesis 22:13 (NETS)

Genesis 22:13 (English Elpenor)

And as Abraam looked up with his eyes he saw, and see, a ram held fast in a sabek plant by the horns. And Abraam went and took the ram and offered it up as a whole burnt offering instead of his son Isaak. And Abraam lifted up his eyes and beheld, and lo! a ram caught by his horns in a plant of Sabec; and Abraam went and took the ram, and offered him up for a whole-burnt-offering in the place of Isaac his son.

1 Romans 4:18a (NET)

2 1 Corinthians 13:7 (NET)

3 Romans 4:21 (NET)

4 Romans 4:18b (NET)

5 Romans 4:19, 20 (NET)

7 Romans 4:21 (NET)

8 1 Corinthians 4:5 (NET)

10 Genesis 22:2 (NET) Table

11 Genesis 22:3 (NET)

12 Genesis 22:8 (NET)

13 Genesis 22:11, 12 (NET)

14 Genesis 22:13 (NET)

15 Romans 4:21, 22 (NET)

16 Romans 4:23-25 (NET)

17 Romans 4:16 (NET)

Romans, Part 20

For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants [See Addendum below] that he would inherit the world1 was not fulfilled through the law,2 Paul continued.  In one sense this was absurdly obvious.  God’s law didn’t even exist yet.  The law that came four hundred thirty years later, Paul wrote the Galatians about the promise to Abraham, does not cancel a covenant previously ratified by God,3 so as to invalidate the promise.4  But there is another sense to consider (Genesis 16:1, 2 NET).

Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had not given birth to any children, but she had an Egyptian servant named Hagar.  So Sarai said to Abram, “Since the Lord has prevented me from having children, have sexual relations with my servant.  Perhaps I can have a family by her.”  Abram did what Sarai told him.

I don’t intend to guess at Sarai’s motives, but she was acting according to law.  It may have been a legal requirement according to the Nuzi tablets.5  In the law of Hammurabi 144:  “If a man take a wife and this woman give her husband a maid-servant, and she bear him children, but this man wishes to take another wife, this shall not be permitted to him; he shall not take a second wife.”6  There is some question of the dating of Hammurabi relative to Abram, but if Sarai predated Hammurabi’s law it seems evident that she was aware of that which became his law.

Sarai complained to Abram when Hagar became pregnant and despised her, You have brought this wrong on me!  I allowed my servant to have sexual relations with you, but when she realized that she was pregnant, she despised me.  May the Lord judge between you and me!7 This complaint makes a bit more sense in light of Hammurabi’s law 146: “If a man take a wife and she give this man a maid-servant as wife and she bear him children, and then this maid assume equality with the wife: because she has borne him children her master shall not sell her for money, but he may keep her as a slave, reckoning her among the maid-servants.”8  It also illuminates the sagacity of Abram’s decision not to exert authority over Sarai’s slave, Since your servant is under your authority, do to her whatever you think best.9

Sarai treated Hagar harshly.  Hagar ran away.  Then the Lord’s angel counseled her (Genesis 16:9-12 NET):

Return to your mistress and submit to her authority.  I will greatly multiply your descendants…so that they will be too numerous to count…You are now pregnant and are about to give birth to a son.  You are to name him Ishmael,10 for the Lord has heard your painful groans.  He will be a wild donkey of a man.  He will be hostile to everyone, and everyone will be hostile to him.  He will live away from his brothers.

Abram seemed perfectly content to accept Ishmael as the heir God promised, the son born to him by the law of Hammurabi (or the law that preceded the law of Hammurabi).  When Abram was ninety-nine-years-old God changed his name to Abraham, meaning “father of a multitude.”  As for your wife, He said, you must no longer call her Sarai; Sarah will be her name.  I will bless her and will give you a son through her.  I will bless her and she will become a mother of nations.  Kings of countries will come from her!11

Then Abraham bowed down with his face to the ground,12 but he laughed at God.  Sarah was ninety-years-old.  O that Ishmael might live before you!13 he said.  God said (Genesis 17:19-21 NET):

No, Sarah your wife is going to bear you a son, and you will name him Isaac [he laughs].  I will confirm my covenant with him as a perpetual covenant for his descendants after him.  As for Ishmael, I have heard you.  I will indeed bless him, make him fruitful, and give him a multitude of descendants.  He will become the father of twelve princes; I will make him into a great nation.  But I will establish my covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this set time next year.

This was the context Paul considered as he wrote, For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would inherit the world was not fulfilled through the law (νόμου, a form of νόμος), not the Nuzi tablets nor the law code of Hammurabi, but through the righteousness (δικαιοσύνης, a form of δικαιοσύνη) that comes by faith (πίστεως, a form of πίστις),14 God’s credited righteousness.  I have missed this many times before but πίστεως (faith) at the end of Romans 4:13 (NET) is the same as πίστεως (faithfulness) in Romans 3:26 (NET).  It was God’s faithfulness that made the difference, not Abraham’s faith.

Romans 3:26 (NET) Table

Romans 4:13 (NET)

This was also to demonstrate his righteousness in the present time, so that he would be just and the justifier of the one who lives because of Jesus’ faithfulness (πίστεως). For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would inherit the world was not fulfilled through the law, but through the righteousness that comes by faith (πίστεως).

The Lord had full confidence in his own credited righteousness to change Abraham, I have chosen him so that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just.15  While Abraham’s own faith at the time still relied on his initial strategy to preserve his life by claiming his beautiful wife was his sister, Because I thought, “Surely no one fears God in this place.  They will kill me because of my wife.”16  When God made me wander from my father’s house, I told her, “This is what you can do to show your loyalty to me: Every place we go, say about me, ‘He is my brother.’”17

For if they become heirs by the law (νόμου, a form of νόμος), Paul continued, by their own efforts to keep laws, faith (πίστις) is empty (κεκένωται, a form of κενόω) and the promise (ἐπαγγελία) is nullified (κατήργηται, a form of καταργέω).18  It was the boy David who defeated Goliath19 by the power of God.  God would not allow Gideon to go to battle with 32,000 soldiers: You have too many men for me to hand Midian over to you.  Israel might brag, “Our own strength has delivered us.”20  God chose what is low and despised in the world, what is regarded as nothing, to set aside (καταργήσῃ, another form of καταργέω) what is regarded as something, so that no one can boast in his presence,21 Paul wrote the Corinthians.

For the law brings wrath, Paul continued in Romans, because where there is no law there is no transgression either.22  God didn’t punish Abraham for pretending that Sarah was his sister.  There was no law against that.  On the contrary, the Lord struck Pharaoh and his household with severe diseases because of Sarai, Abram’s wife.23  God threatened Abimelech in a dream before he had the opportunity to take her, You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken, for she is someone else’s wife.24  Abraham made out like a pimp: and [Pharaoh] did treat Abram well on account of her.  Abram received sheep and cattle, male donkeys, male servants, female servants, female donkeys, and camels.25  And, Abimelech gave sheep, cattle, and male and female servants to Abraham.  He also gave his wife Sarah back to him.  Then Abimelech said, “Look, my land is before you; live wherever you please.”  To Sarah he said, “Look, I have given a thousand pieces of silver to your ‘brother.’  This is compensation for you so that you will stand vindicated before all who are with you.”26

Obviously in these instances with Pharaoh and Abimelech none of this was due to Abraham’s righteousness or his faith, but rather God’s faithfulness to Abraham (Romans 4:16, 17 NET).

For this reason it is by faith (πίστεως, a form of πίστις) so that it may be by grace (χάριν, a form of χάρις), with the result that the promise (ἐπαγγελίαν, a form of ἐπαγγελία) may be certain to all the descendants – not only to those who are under the law (νόμου, a form of νόμος), but also to those who have the faith (πίστεως, a form of πίστις) of Abraham, who is the father of us all (as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations[See Addendum below]).  He is our father in the presence of God whom he believed (ἐπίστευσεν, a form of πιστεύω)– the God who makes the dead alive and summons the things that do not yet exist as though they already do.

Perhaps Paul said all of this more succinctly in his letter to the young preacher Timothy, I know whom I have believed (πεπίστευκα, another form of πιστεύω) and am persuaded (πέπεισμαι, a form of πείθω) that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.27  The emphasis is on Him who is believed rather than the faith of the believer.

 

Addendum: July 11, 2021
The Greek word translated descendants in Romans 4:13 (NET) was σπέρματι.

According to a note (27) in the NET Paul quoted from Genesis 17:5 in Romans 4:17.  A table comparing the Greek of Paul’s quotation with that of the Septuagint follows:

Romans 4:17a (NET Parallel Greek)

Genesis 17:5c (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 17:5c (Septuagint Elpenor)

ὅτι πατέρα πολλῶν ἐθνῶν τέθεικα σε ὅτι πατέρα πολλῶν ἐθνῶν τέθεικά σε ὅτι πατέρα πολλῶν ἐθνῶν τέθεικά σε

Romans 4:17a (NET)

Genesis 17:5c (NETS)

Genesis 17:5c (English Elpenor)

I have made you the father of many nations for I have made you an ancestor of many nations for I have made thee a father of many nations

Tables comparing Genesis 16:1; 16:2; 16:5; 16:6; 16:9; 16:10; 16:11; 16:12; 17:15; 17:16; 17:17; 17:18; 17:19; 17:20; 17:21; 18:19; 20:11; 20:13; Judges 7:2; Genesis 12:17; 20:3; 12:16; 20:14; 20:15; 20:16 and 17:5 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing the Greek of Genesis 16:1; 16:2; 16:5; 16:6; 16:9; 16:10; 16:11; 16:12; 17:15; 17:16; 17:17; 17:18; 17:19; 17:20; 17:21; 18:19; 20:11; 20:13; Judges 7:2; Genesis 12:17; 20:3; 12:16; 20:14; 20:15; 20:16 and 17:5 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and a table comparing Romans 4:13 in the NET and KJV follow.

Genesis 16:1 (Tanakh)

Genesis 16:1 (KJV)

Genesis 16:1 (NET)

Now Sarai Abram’s wife bore him no children; and she had a handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar. Now Sarai Abram’s wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar. Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had not given birth to any children, but she had an Egyptian servant named Hagar.

Genesis 16:1 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 16:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)

Σαρα δὲ ἡ γυνὴ Αβραμ οὐκ ἔτικτεν αὐτῷ ἦν δὲ αὐτῇ παιδίσκη Αἰγυπτία ᾗ ὄνομα Αγαρ ΣΑΡΑ δὲ γυνὴ ῞Αβραμ οὐκ ἔτικτεν αὐτῷ. ἦν δὲ αὐτῇ παιδίσκη Αἰγυπτία, ᾗ ὄνομα ῎Αγαρ

Genesis 16:1 (NETS)

Genesis 16:1 (English Elpenor)

Now Sara, Abram’s wife, was not giving birth for him.  She, however, had an Egyptian slave-girl whose name was Hagar. AND Sara the wife of Abram bore him no children; and she had an Egyptian maid, whose name was Agar.

Genesis 16:2 (Tanakh)

Genesis 16:2 (KJV)

Genesis 16:2 (NET)

And Sarai said unto Abram: ‘Behold now, HaShem hath restrained me from bearing; go in, I pray thee, unto my handmaid; it may be that I shall be builded up through her.’  And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai. And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her.  And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai. So Sarai said to Abram, “Since the Lord has prevented me from having children, please sleep with my servant. Perhaps I can have a family by her.”  Abram did what Sarai told him.

Genesis 16:2 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 16:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)

εἶπεν δὲ Σαρα πρὸς Αβραμ ἰδοὺ συνέκλεισέν με κύριος τοῦ μὴ τίκτειν εἴσελθε οὖν πρὸς τὴν παιδίσκην μου ἵνα τεκνοποιήσῃς ἐξ αὐτῆς ὑπήκουσεν δὲ Αβραμ τῆς φωνῆς Σαρας εἶπε δὲ Σάρα πρὸς ῞Αβραμ· ἰδοὺ συνέκλεισέ με Κύριος τοῦ μὴ τίκτειν· εἴσελθε οὖν πρὸς τὴν παιδίσκην μου, ἵνα τεκνοποιήσωμαι ἐξ αὐτῆς. ὑπήκουσε δὲ ῞Αβραμ τῆς φωνῆς Σάρας

Genesis 16:2 (NETS)

Genesis 16:2 (English Elpenor)

And Sara said to Abram, “See, the Lord has shut me off from giving birth; so go in to my slave-girl in order that you may beget children by her.”  And Abram listened to the voice of Sara. And Sara said to Abram, Behold, the Lord has restrained me from bearing, go therefore in to my maid, that I may get children for myself through her.  And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sara.

Genesis 16:5 (Tanakh)

Genesis 16:5 (KJV)

Genesis 16:5 (NET)

And Sarai said unto Abram: ‘My wrong be upon thee: I gave my handmaid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: HaShem judge between me and thee.’ And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the LORD judge between me and thee. Then Sarai said to Abram, “You have brought this wrong on me!  I gave my servant into your embrace, but when she realized that she was pregnant, she despised me.  May the Lord judge between you and me!”

Genesis 16:5 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 16:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)

εἶπεν δὲ Σαρα πρὸς Αβραμ ἀδικοῦμαι ἐκ σοῦ ἐγὼ δέδωκα τὴν παιδίσκην μου εἰς τὸν κόλπον σου ἰδοῦσα δὲ ὅτι ἐν γαστρὶ ἔχει ἠτιμάσθην ἐναντίον αὐτῆς κρίναι ὁ θεὸς ἀνὰ μέσον ἐμοῦ καὶ σοῦ εἶπε δὲ Σάρα πρὸς ῞Αβραμ· ἀδικοῦμαι ἐκ σοῦ· ἐγὼ δέδωκα τὴν παιδίσκην μου εἰς τὸν κόλπον σου, ἰδοῦσα δὲ ὅτι ἐν γαστρὶ ἔχει, ἠτιμάσθην ἐναντίον αὐτῆς· κρίναι ὁ Θεὸς ἀνὰ μέσον ἐμοῦ καὶ σοῦ.

Genesis 16:5 (NETS)

Genesis 16:5 (English Elpenor)

Then Sara said to Abram, “I am being wronged due to you!  I have given my slave-girl into your bosom, but when she saw that she was pregnant, I was dishonored before her.  May God judge between you and me!” And Sara said to Abram, I am injured by thee; I gave my handmaid into thy bosom, and when I saw that she was with child, I was dishonoured before her.  The Lord judge between me and thee.

Genesis 16:6 (Tanakh)

Genesis 16:6 (KJV)

Genesis 16:6 (NET)

But Abram said unto Sarai: ‘Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to her that which is good in thine eyes.’  And Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she fled from her face. But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee.  And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face. Abram said to Sarai, “Since your servant is under your authority, do to her whatever you think best.”  Then Sarai treated Hagar harshly, so she ran away from Sarai.

Genesis 16:6 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 16:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)

εἶπεν δὲ Αβραμ πρὸς Σαραν ἰδοὺ ἡ παιδίσκη σου ἐν ταῗς χερσίν σου χρῶ αὐτῇ ὡς ἄν σοι ἀρεστὸν ᾖ καὶ ἐκάκωσεν αὐτὴν Σαρα καὶ ἀπέδρα ἀπὸ προσώπου αὐτῆς εἶπε δὲ ῞Αβραμ πρὸς Σάραν· ἰδοὺ ἡ παιδίσκη σου ἐν ταῖς χερσί σου· χρῶ αὐτῇ ὡς ἄν σοι ἀρεστὸν ᾖ. καὶ ἐκάκωσεν αὐτὴν Σάρα, καὶ ἀπέδρα ἀπὸ προσώπου αὐτῆς

Genesis 16:6 (NETS)

Genesis 16:6 (English Elpenor)

But Abram said to Sara, “See, see your slave-girl is in your hands; treat her as it may please you.”  And Sara maltreated her, and she ran away from her presence. And Abram said to Sara, Behold thy handmaid is in thy hands, use her as it may seem good to thee.  And Sara afflicted her, and she fled from her face.

Genesis 16:9 (Tanakh)

Genesis 16:9 (KJV)

Genesis 16:9 (NET)

And the angel of HaShem said unto her: ‘Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands.’ And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands. Then the angel of the Lord said to her, “Return to your mistress and submit to her authority.

Genesis 16:9 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 16:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)

εἶπεν δὲ αὐτῇ ὁ ἄγγελος κυρίου ἀποστράφητι πρὸς τὴν κυρίαν σου καὶ ταπεινώθητι ὑπὸ τὰς χεῗρας αὐτῆς εἶπε δὲ αὐτῇ ὁ ἄγγελος Κυρίου· ἀποστράφηθι πρὸς τὴν κυρίαν σου καὶ ταπεινώθητι ὑπὸ τὰς χεῖρας αὐτῆς

Genesis 16:9 (NETS)

Genesis 16:9 (English Elpenor)

But the angel of the Lord said to her, “Return to your mistress, and humble yourself under her hands.” And the angel of the Lord said to her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands.

Genesis 16:10 (Tanakh)

Genesis 16:10 (KJV)

Genesis 16:10 (NET)

And the angel of HaShem said unto her: ‘I will greatly multiply thy seed, that it shall not be numbered for multitude. And the angel of the LORD said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude. I will greatly multiply your descendants,” the angel of the Lord added, “so that they will be too numerous to count.”

Genesis 16:10 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 16:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ ὁ ἄγγελος κυρίου πληθύνων πληθυνῶ τὸ σπέρμα σου καὶ οὐκ ἀριθμηθήσεται ἀπὸ τοῦ πλήθους καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ ὁ ἄγγελος Κυρίου· πληθύνων πληθυνῶ τὸ σπέρμα σου, καὶ οὐκ ἀριθμηθήσεται ὑπὸ τοῦ πλήθους

Genesis 16:10 (NETS)

Genesis 16:10 (English Elpenor)

The angel of the Lord also said to her, “I will multitudinously multiply your offspring, and it will not be counted for multitude.” And the angel of the Lord said to her, I will surely multiply thy seed, and it shall not be numbered for multitude.

Genesis 16:11 (Tanakh)

Genesis 16:11 (KJV)

Genesis 16:11 (NET)

And the angel of HaShem said unto her: ‘Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son; and thou shalt call his name Ishmael, because HaShem hath heard thy affliction. And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the LORD hath heard thy affliction. Then the angel of the Lord said to her, “You are now pregnant and are about to give birth to a son.  You are to name him Ishmael, for the Lord has heard your painful groans.

Genesis 16:11 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 16:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ ὁ ἄγγελος κυρίου ἰδοὺ σὺ ἐν γαστρὶ ἔχεις καὶ τέξῃ υἱὸν καὶ καλέσεις τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Ισμαηλ ὅτι ἐπήκουσεν κύριος τῇ ταπεινώσει σου καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ ὁ ἄγγελος Κυρίου· ἰδού, σὺ ἐν γαστρί ἔχεις καὶ τέξῃ υἱὸν καὶ καλέσεις τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ ᾿Ισμαήλ, ὅτι ἐπήκουσε Κύριος τῇ ταπεινώσει σου.

Genesis 16:11 (NETS)

Genesis 16:11 (English Elpenor)

And the angel of the Lord said to her, “See, you are pregnant and shall bear a son and shall call his name Ismael.  For the Lord has given heed to your humiliation. And the angel of the Lord said to her, Behold thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ismael, for the Lord hath hearkened to thy humiliation.

Genesis 16:12 (Tanakh)

Genesis 16:12 (KJV)

Genesis 16:12 (NET)

And he shall be a wild ass of a man: his hand shall be against every man, and every man’s hand against him; and he shall dwell in the face of all his brethren.’ And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man’s hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren. He will be a wild donkey of a man.  He will be hostile to everyone, and everyone will be hostile to him.  He will live away from his brothers.”

Genesis 16:12 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 16:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)

οὗτος ἔσται ἄγροικος ἄνθρωπος αἱ χεῗρες αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ πάντας καὶ αἱ χεῗρες πάντων ἐπ᾽ αὐτόν καὶ κατὰ πρόσωπον πάντων τῶν ἀδελφῶν αὐτοῦ κατοικήσει οὗτος ἔσται ἄγροικος ἄνθρωπος αἱ χεῖρες αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ πάντας, καὶ αἱ χεῖρες πάντων ἐπ᾿ αὐτόν, καὶ κατὰ πρόσωπον πάντων τῶν ἀδελφῶν αὐτοῦ κατοικήσει

Genesis 16:12 (NETS)

Genesis 16:12 (English Elpenor)

He shall be a rustic man; his hands shall be against all, and the hands of all against him, and he shall live facing all his kinfolk.” He shall be a wild man, his hands against all, and the hands of all against him, and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.

Genesis 17:15 (Tanakh)

Genesis 17:15 (KJV)

Genesis 17:15 (NET)

And G-d said unto Abraham: ‘As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be. And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be. Then God said to Abraham, “As for your wife, you must no longer call her Sarai; Sarah will be her name.

Genesis 17:15 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 17:15 (Septuagint Elpenor)

εἶπεν δὲ ὁ θεὸς τῷ Αβρααμ Σαρα ἡ γυνή σου οὐ κληθήσεται τὸ ὄνομα αὐτῆς Σαρα ἀλλὰ Σαρρα ἔσται τὸ ὄνομα αὐτῆς Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ Θεὸς τῷ ῾Αβραάμ· Σάρα ἡ γυνή σου οὐ κληθήσεται τὸ ὄνομα αὐτῆς Σάρα, ἀλλὰ Σάρρα ἔσται τὸ ὄνομα αὐτῆς

Genesis 17:15 (NETS)

Genesis 17:15 (English Elpenor)

And God said to Abraham, “As for Sara your wife, her name shall not be called Sara, but Sarra shall be her name. And God said to Abraam, Sara thy wife– her name shall not be called Sara, Sarrha shall be her name.

Genesis 17:16 (Tanakh)

Genesis 17:16 (KJV)

Genesis 17:16 (NET)

And I will bless her, and moreover I will give thee a son of her; yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples shall be of her.’ And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her. I will bless her and will give you a son through her.  I will bless her and she will become a mother of nations.  Kings of countries will come from her!”

Genesis 17:16 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 17:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)

εὐλογήσω δὲ αὐτὴν καὶ δώσω σοι ἐξ αὐτῆς τέκνον καὶ εὐλογήσω αὐτόν καὶ ἔσται εἰς ἔθνη καὶ βασιλεῗς ἐθνῶν ἐξ αὐτοῦ ἔσονται εὐλογήσω δὲ αὐτήν, καὶ δώσω σοι ἐξ αὐτῆς τέκνον· καὶ εὐλογήσω αὐτό, καὶ ἔσται εἰς ἔθνη, καὶ βασιλεῖς ἐθνῶν ἐξ αὐτοῦ ἔσονται

Genesis 17:16 (NETS)

Genesis 17:16 (English Elpenor)

And I will bless her, and I will give you a child by her.  And I will bless her, and she shall become nations, and kings of nations shall be from her.” And I will bless her, and give thee a son of her, and I will bless him, and he shall become nations, and kings of nations shall be of him.

Genesis 17:17 (Tanakh)

Genesis 17:17 (KJV)

Genesis 17:17 (NET)

Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart: ‘Shall a child be born unto him that is a hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?’ Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear? Then Abraham bowed down with his face to the ground and laughed as he said to himself, “Can a son be born to a man who is a hundred years old?  Can Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?”

Genesis 17:17 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 17:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ ἔπεσεν Αβρααμ ἐπὶ πρόσωπον καὶ ἐγέλασεν καὶ εἶπεν ἐν τῇ διανοίᾳ αὐτοῦ λέγων εἰ τῷ ἑκατονταετεῗ γενήσεται καὶ εἰ Σαρρα ἐνενήκοντα ἐτῶν οὖσα τέξεται καὶ ἔπεσεν ῾Αβραὰμ ἐπὶ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐγέλασε καὶ εἶπεν ἐν τῇ διανοίᾳ αὐτοῦ λέγων· εἰ τῷ ἑκατονταετεῖ γενήσεται υἱός; καὶ εἰ Σάρρα ἐνενήκοντα ἐτῶν τέξεται

Genesis 17:17 (NETS)

Genesis 17:17 (English Elpenor)

And Abraam fell face down and laughed and spoke in his mind, saying, “Shall a son be born to a hundred-year-old, and shall Sarra who is ninety years of age give birth?” And Abraam fell upon his face, and laughed; and spoke in his heart, saying, Shall there be a child to one who is a hundred years old, and shall Sarrha who is ninety years old, bear?

Genesis 17:18 (Tanakh)

Genesis 17:18 (KJV)

Genesis 17:18 (NET)

And Abraham said unto G-d: ‘Oh that Ishmael might live before Thee!’ And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee! Abraham said to God, “O that Ishmael might live before you!”

Genesis 17:18 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 17:18 (Septuagint Elpenor)

εἶπεν δὲ Αβρααμ πρὸς τὸν θεόν Ισμαηλ οὗτος ζήτω ἐναντίον σου εἶπε δὲ ῾Αβραὰμ πρὸς τὸν Θεόν· ᾿Ισμαὴλ οὗτος ζήτω ἐναντίον σου

Genesis 17:18 (NETS)

Genesis 17:18 (English Elpenor)

And Abraam said to God, “As for Ismael, let him live before you!” And Abraam said to God, Let this Ismael live before thee.

Genesis 17:19 (Tanakh)

Genesis 17:19 (KJV)

Genesis 17:19 (NET)

And G-d said: ”Nay, but Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son; and thou shalt call his name Isaac; and I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant for his seed after him. And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him. God said, “No, Sarah your wife is going to bear you a son, and you will name him Isaac.  I will confirm my covenant with him as a perpetual covenant for his descendants after him.

Genesis 17:19 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 17:19 (Septuagint Elpenor)

εἶπεν δὲ ὁ θεὸς τῷ Αβρααμ ναί ἰδοὺ Σαρρα ἡ γυνή σου τέξεταί σοι υἱόν καὶ καλέσεις τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Ισαακ καὶ στήσω τὴν διαθήκην μου πρὸς αὐτὸν εἰς διαθήκην αἰώνιον καὶ τῷ σπέρματι αὐτοῦ μετ᾽ αὐτόν εἶπε δὲ ὁ Θεὸς πρὸς ῾Αβραὰμ· ναί· ἰδοὺ Σάρρα ἡ γυνή σου τέξεταί σοι υἱόν, καὶ καλέσεις τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ ᾿Ισαάκ, καὶ στήσω τὴν διαθήκην μου πρὸς αὐτὸν εἰς διαθήκην αἰώνιον, εἶναι αὐτῷ Θεὸς καὶ τῷ σπέρματι αὐτοῦ μετ᾿ αὐτόν

Genesis 17:19 (NETS)

Genesis 17:19 (English Elpenor)

But God said to Abraam, “Indeed; see, your wife Sarra shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaak, and I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant and for his offspring after him. And God said to Abraam, Yea, behold, Sarrha thy wife shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name Isaac; and I will establish my covenant with him, for an everlasting covenant, to be a God to him and to his seed after him.

Genesis 17:20 (Tanakh)

Genesis 17:20 (KJV)

Genesis 17:20 (NET)

And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee; behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation. And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation. As for Ishmael, I have heard you. I will indeed bless him, make him fruitful, and give him a multitude of descendants.  He will become the father of twelve princes; I will make him into a great nation.

Genesis 17:20 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 17:20 (Septuagint Elpenor)

περὶ δὲ Ισμαηλ ἰδοὺ ἐπήκουσά σου ἰδοὺ εὐλόγησα αὐτὸν καὶ αὐξανῶ αὐτὸν καὶ πληθυνῶ αὐτὸν σφόδρα δώδεκα ἔθνη γεννήσει καὶ δώσω αὐτὸν εἰς ἔθνος μέγα περὶ δὲ ᾿Ισμαὴλ ἰδοὺ ἐπήκουσά σου· καὶ ἰδοὺ εὐλόγηκα αὐτὸν καὶ αὐξανῶ αὐτὸν καὶ πληθυνῶ αὐτὸν σφόδρα· δώδεκα ἔθνη γεννήσει καὶ δώσω αὐτὸν εἰς ἔθνος μέγα

Genesis 17:20 (NETS)

Genesis 17:20 (English Elpenor)

Now concerning Ismael, see, I heard you; see, I have blessed him and will make him increase and will make him very numerous; he shall be the father of twelve nations, and I will appoint him as a great nation. And concerning Ismael, behold, I have heard thee, and, behold, I have blessed him, and will increase him and multiply him exceedingly; twelve nations shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.

Genesis 17:21 (Tanakh)

Genesis 17:21 (KJV)

Genesis 17:21 (NET)

But My covenant will I establish with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.’ But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year. But I will establish my covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this set time next year.”

Genesis 17:21 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 17:21 (Septuagint Elpenor)

τὴν δὲ διαθήκην μου στήσω πρὸς Ισαακ ὃν τέξεταί σοι Σαρρα εἰς τὸν καιρὸν τοῦτον ἐν τῷ ἐνιαυτῷ τῷ ἑτέρῳ τὴν δὲ διαθήκην μου στήσω πρὸς ᾿Ισαάκ, ὃν τέξεταί σοι Σάρρα εἰς τὸν καιρὸν τοῦτον, ἐν τῷ ἐνιαυτῷ τῷ ἑτέρῳ

Genesis 17:21 (NETS)

Genesis 17:21 (English Elpenor)

But my covenant I will establish with Isaak, whom Sarra shall bear to you at this season in another year.” But I will establish my covenant with Isaac, whom Sarrha shall bear to thee at this time, in the next year.

Genesis 18:19 (Tanakh)

Genesis 18:19 (KJV)

Genesis 18:19 (NET)

For I have known him, to the end that he may command his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of HaShem, to do righteousness and justice; to the end that HaShem may bring upon Abraham that which He hath spoken of him.’ For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him. I have chosen him so that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just.  Then the Lord will give to Abraham what he promised him.”

Genesis 18:19 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 18:19 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ᾔδειν γὰρ ὅτι συντάξει τοῗς υἱοῗς αὐτοῦ καὶ τῷ οἴκῳ αὐτοῦ μετ᾽ αὐτόν καὶ φυλάξουσιν τὰς ὁδοὺς κυρίου ποιεῗν δικαιοσύνην καὶ κρίσιν ὅπως ἂν ἐπαγάγῃ κύριος ἐπὶ Αβρααμ πάντα ὅσα ἐλάλησεν πρὸς αὐτόν ᾔδειν γὰρ ὅτι συντάξει τοῖς υἱοῖς αὐτοῦ καὶ τῷ οἴκῳ αὐτοῦ μετ᾿ αὐτόν, καὶ φυλάξουσι τὰς ὁδοὺς Κυρίου ποιεῖν δικαιοσύνην καὶ κρίσιν, ὅπως ἂν ἐπαγάγῃ Κύριος ἐπὶ ῾Αβραὰμ πάντα, ὅσα ἐλάλησε πρὸς αὐτόν

Genesis 18:19 (NETS)

Genesis 18:19 (English Elpenor)

For I knew that he will instruct his sons and his household after him, and they will keep the ways of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice so that the Lord may bring upon Abraam all the things that he has talked about to him.” For I know that he will order his sons, and his house after him, and they will keep the ways of the Lord, to do justice and judgment, that the Lord may bring upon Abraam all things whatsoever he has spoken to him.

Genesis 20:11 (Tanakh)

Genesis 20:11 (KJV)

Genesis 20:11 (NET)

And Abraham said: ‘Because I thought: Surely the fear of G-d is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife’s sake. And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife’s sake. Abraham replied, “Because I thought, ‘Surely no one fears God in this place. They will kill me because of my wife.’

Genesis 20:11 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 20:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)

εἶπεν δὲ Αβρααμ εἶπα γάρ ἄρα οὐκ ἔστιν θεοσέβεια ἐν τῷ τόπῳ τούτῳ ἐμέ τε ἀποκτενοῦσιν ἕνεκεν τῆς γυναικός μου εἶπε δὲ ῾Αβραάμ· εἶπα γάρ, ἄρα οὐκ ἔστι θεοσέβεια ἐν τῷ τόπῳ τούτῳ, ἐμέ τε ἀποκτενοῦσιν ἕνεκεν τῆς γυναικός μου

Genesis 20:11 (NETS)

Genesis 20:11 (English Elpenor)

And Abraam said, “Because I said, It appears there is no piety in this place, and so they will kill me because of my wife. And Abraam said, Why I said, Surely there is not the worship of God in this place, and they will slay me because of my wife.

Genesis 20:13 (Tanakh)

Genesis 20:13 (KJV)

Genesis 20:13 (NET)

And it came to pass, when G-d caused me to wander from my father’s house, that I said unto her: This is thy kindness which thou shalt show unto me; at every place whither we shall come, say of me: He is my brother.’ And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my father’s house, that I said unto her, This is thy kindness which thou shalt shew unto me; at every place whither we shall come, say of me, He is my brother. When God made me wander from my father’s house, I told her, ‘This is what you can do to show your loyalty to me: Every place we go, say about me, “He is my brother.”’”

Genesis 20:13 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 20:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἐγένετο δὲ ἡνίκα ἐξήγαγέν με ὁ θεὸς ἐκ τοῦ οἴκου τοῦ πατρός μου καὶ εἶπα αὐτῇ ταύτην τὴν δικαιοσύνην ποιήσεις ἐπ᾽ ἐμέ εἰς πάντα τόπον οὗ ἐὰν εἰσέλθωμεν ἐκεῗ εἰπὸν ἐμὲ ὅτι ἀδελφός μού ἐστιν ἐγένετο δέ, ἡνίκα ἐξήγαγέ με ὁ Θεὸς ἐκ τοῦ οἴκου τοῦ πατρός μου, καὶ εἶπα αὐτῇ· ταύτην τὴν δικαιοσύνην ποιήσεις εἰς ἐμέ, εἰς πάντα τόπον οὗ ἐὰν εἰσέλθωμεν ἐκεῖ, εἰπὸν ἐμέ, ὅτι ἀδελφός μου ἐστίν

Genesis 20:13 (NETS)

Genesis 20:13 (English Elpenor)

Now it came about when God brought me forth from my father’s house, that then I said to her, ‘This righteousness you shall do for me: in every place, there where we enter, say about me, He is my brother.’” And it came to pass when God brought me forth out of the house of my father, that I said to her, This righteousness thou shalt perform to me, in every place into which we may enter, say of me, He is my brother.

Judges 7:2 (Tanakh)

Judges 7:2 (KJV)

Judges 7:2 (NET)

And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me. And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me. The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many men for me to hand Midian over to you.  Israel might brag, ‘Our own strength has delivered us.’

Judges 7:2 (Septuagint BLB)

Judges 7:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ εἶπεν κύριος πρὸς Γεδεων πολὺς ὁ λαὸς ὁ μετὰ σοῦ ὥστε μὴ παραδοῦναί με τὴν Μαδιαμ ἐν χειρὶ αὐτῶν μήποτε καυχήσηται Ισραηλ ἐπ᾽ ἐμὲ λέγων ἡ χείρ μου ἔσωσέν με καὶ εἶπε Κύριος πρὸς Γεδεών· πολὺς ὁ λαὸς ὁ μετὰ σοῦ, ὥστε μὴ παραδοῦναί με τὴν Μαδιὰμ ἐν χειρὶ αὐτῶν, μή ποτε καυχήσηται ᾿Ισραὴλ ἐπ᾿ ἐμὲ λέγων· ἡ χείρ μου ἔσωσέ με

Judges 7:2 (NETS)

Judges 7:2 (English Elpenor)

And the Lord said to Gedeon, “The people with you are numerous; so I will not give up Madiam in their hand.  Israel would only boast against me, saying, ‘My own hand has delivered me.’” And the Lord said to Gedeon, The people with thee [are] many, so that I may not deliver Madiam into their hand, lest at any time Israel boast against me, saying, My hand has saved me.

Genesis 12:17 (Tanakh)

Genesis 12:17 (KJV)

Genesis 12:17 (NET)

And HaShem plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram’s wife. And the LORD plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram’s wife. But the Lord struck Pharaoh and his household with severe diseases because of Sarai, Abram’s wife.

Genesis 12:17 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 12:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ ἤτασεν ὁ θεὸς τὸν Φαραω ἐτασμοῗς μεγάλοις καὶ πονηροῗς καὶ τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ περὶ Σαρας τῆς γυναικὸς Αβραμ καὶ ἤτασεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸν Φαραὼ ἐτασμοῖς μεγάλοις καὶ πονηροῖς καὶ τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ περὶ Σάρας τῆς γυναικὸς ῞Αβραμ

Genesis 12:17 (NETS)

Genesis 12:17 (English Elpenor)

And God tried Pharao and his house with great and grievous trials because of Sara, Abram’s wife. And God afflicted Pharao with great and severe afflictions, and his house, because of Sara, Abram’s wife.

Genesis 20:3 (Tanakh)

Genesis 20:3 (KJV)

Genesis 20:3 (NET)

But G-d came to Abimelech in a dream of the night, and said to him: ‘Behold, thou shalt die, because of the woman whom thou hast taken; for she is a man’s wife.’ But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man’s wife. But God appeared to Abimelech in a dream at night and said to him, “You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken, for she is someone else’s wife.”

Genesis 20:3 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 20:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ εἰσῆλθεν ὁ θεὸς πρὸς Αβιμελεχ ἐν ὕπνῳ τὴν νύκτα καὶ εἶπεν ἰδοὺ σὺ ἀποθνῄσκεις περὶ τῆς γυναικός ἧς ἔλαβες αὕτη δέ ἐστιν συνῳκηκυῗα ἀνδρί καὶ εἰσῆλθεν ὁ Θεὸς πρὸς ᾿Αβιμέλεχ ἐν ὕπνῳ τὴν νύκτα καὶ εἶπεν· ἰδοὺ σὺ ἀποθνήσκεις περὶ τῆς γυναικός, ἧς ἔλαβες, αὕτη δέ ἐστι συνῳκηυῖα ἀνδρί

Genesis 20:3 (NETS)

Genesis 20:3 (English Elpenor)

And God came in to Abimelech in his sleep during the night and said, “Look, you are about to die by reason of the woman whom you have taken, whereas she is married to a man.” And God came to Abimelech by night in sleep, and said, Behold, thou diest for the woman, whom thou hast taken, whereas she has lived with a husband.

Genesis 12:16 (Tanakh)

Genesis 12:16 (KJV)

Genesis 12:16 (NET)

And he dealt well with Abram for her sake; and he had sheep, and oxen, and he-asses, and men-servants, and maid-servants, and she-asses, and camels. And he entreated Abram well for her sake: and he had sheep, and oxen, and he asses, and menservants, and maidservants, and she asses, and camels. and he did treat Abram well on account of her.  Abram received sheep and cattle, male donkeys, male servants, female servants, female donkeys, and camels.

Genesis 12:16 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 12:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ τῷ Αβραμ εὖ ἐχρήσαντο δι᾽ αὐτήν καὶ ἐγένοντο αὐτῷ πρόβατα καὶ μόσχοι καὶ ὄνοι παῗδες καὶ παιδίσκαι ἡμίονοι καὶ κάμηλοι καὶ τῷ ῞Αβραμ εὖ ἐχρήσαντο δι᾿ αὐτήν, καὶ ἐγένοντο αὐτῷ πρόβατα καὶ μόσχοι καὶ ὄνοι καὶ παῖδες καὶ παιδίσκαι καὶ ἡμίονοι καὶ κάμηλοι

Genesis 12:16 (NETS)

Genesis 12:16 (English Elpenor)

And for her sake they dealt well with Abram, and he had sheep and calves and donkeys, male and female slaves, mules and camels. And they treated Abram well on her account, and he had sheep, and calves, and asses, and men-servants, and women-servants, and mules, and camels.

Genesis 20:14 (Tanakh)

Genesis 20:14 (KJV)

Genesis 20:14 (NET)

And Abimelech took sheep and oxen, and men-servants and women-servants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife. And Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and womenservants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife. So Abimelech gave sheep, cattle, and male and female servants to Abraham.  He also gave his wife Sarah back to him.

Genesis 20:14 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 20:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἔλαβεν δὲ Αβιμελεχ χίλια δίδραχμα πρόβατα καὶ μόσχους καὶ παῗδας καὶ παιδίσκας καὶ ἔδωκεν τῷ Αβρααμ καὶ ἀπέδωκεν αὐτῷ Σαρραν τὴν γυναῗκα αὐτοῦ ἔλαβε δὲ ᾿Αβιμέλεχ χίλια δίδραχμα καὶ πρόβατα καὶ μόσχους καὶ παῖδας καὶ παιδίσκας καὶ ἔδωκε τῷ ῾Αβραὰμ καὶ ἀπέδωκεν αὐτῷ Σάρραν τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ

Genesis 20:14 (NETS)

Genesis 20:14 (English Elpenor)

Then Abimelech took a thousand didrachmas, sheep and calves and male and female slaves and gave them to Abraam and restored his wife Sarra to him. And Abimelech took a thousand pieces of silver, and sheep, and calves, and servants, and maid-servants, and gave them to Abraam, and he returned him Sarrha his wife.

Genesis 20:15 (Tanakh)

Genesis 20:15 (KJV)

Genesis 20:15 (NET)

And Abimelech said: ‘Behold, my land is before thee: dwell where it pleaseth thee.’ And Abimelech said, Behold, my land is before thee: dwell where it pleaseth thee. Then Abimelech said, “Look, my land is before you; live wherever you please.”

Genesis 20:15 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 20:15 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ εἶπεν Αβιμελεχ τῷ Αβρααμ ἰδοὺ ἡ γῆ μου ἐναντίον σου οὗ ἐάν σοι ἀρέσκῃ κατοίκει καὶ εἶπεν ᾿Αβιμέλεχ τῷ ῾Αβραάμ· ἰδοὺ ἡ γῆ μου ἐναντίον σου· οὗ ἐάν σοι ἀρέσκῃ, κατοίκει

Genesis 20:15 (NETS)

Genesis 20:15 (English Elpenor)

And Abimelech said to Abraam, “Look, my land is before you; settle where it may please you.” And Abimelech said to Abraam, Behold, my land is before thee, dwell wheresoever it may please thee.

Genesis 20:16 (Tanakh)

Genesis 20:16 (KJV)

Genesis 20:16 (NET)

And unto Sarah he said: ‘Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver; behold, it is for thee a covering of the eyes to all that are with thee; and before all men thou art righted.’ And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver: behold, he is to thee a covering of the eyes, unto all that are with thee, and with all other: thus she was reproved. To Sarah he said, “Look, I have given 1,000 pieces of silver to your ‘brother.’  This is compensation for you so that you will stand vindicated before all who are with you.”

Genesis 20:16 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 20:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)

τῇ δὲ Σαρρα εἶπεν ἰδοὺ δέδωκα χίλια δίδραχμα τῷ ἀδελφῷ σου ταῦτα ἔσται σοι εἰς τιμὴν τοῦ προσώπου σου καὶ πάσαις ταῗς μετὰ σοῦ καὶ πάντα ἀλήθευσον τῇ δὲ Σάρρᾳ εἶπεν· ἰδοὺ δέδωκα χίλια δίδραχμα τῷ ἀδελφῷ σου· ταῦτα ἔσται σοι εἰς τὴν τιμὴ τοῦ προσώπου σου καὶ πάσαις ταῖς μετὰ σοῦ· καὶ πάντα ἀλήθευσον

Genesis 20:16 (NETS)

Genesis 20:16 (English Elpenor)

And to Sarra he said, “Look, I have given your brother a thousand drachmas; these shall be to you for the honor of your person and to all those with you, and tell the whole truth.” And to Sarrha he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver, those shall be to thee for the price of thy countenance, and to all the women with thee, and speak the truth in all things.

Genesis 17:5 (Tanakh)

Genesis 17:5 (KJV)

Genesis 17:5 (NET)

Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for the father of a multitude of nations have I made thee. Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. No longer will your name be Abram.  Instead, your name will be Abraham because I will make you the father of a multitude of nations.

Genesis 17:5 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 17:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ οὐ κληθήσεται ἔτι τὸ ὄνομά σου Αβραμ ἀλλ᾽ ἔσται τὸ ὄνομά σου Αβρααμ ὅτι πατέρα πολλῶν ἐθνῶν τέθεικά σε καὶ οὐ κληθήσεται ἔτι τὸ ὄνομά σου ῞Αβραμ, ἀλλ᾿ ἔσται τὸ ὄνομά σου ῾Αβραάμ, ὅτι πατέρα πολλῶν ἐθνῶν τέθεικά σε

Genesis 17:5 (NETS)

Genesis 17:5 (English Elpenor)

And no longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraam, for I have made you an ancestor of many nations. And thy name shall no more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraam, for I have made thee a father of many nations.

Romans 4:13 (NET)

Romans 4:13 (KJV)

For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would inherit the world was not fulfilled through the law, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

Οὐ γὰρ διὰ νόμου ἡ ἐπαγγελία τῷ Ἀβραὰμ ἢ τῷ σπέρματι αὐτοῦ, τὸ κληρονόμον αὐτὸν εἶναι κόσμου, ἀλλὰ διὰ δικαιοσύνης πίστεως ου γαρ δια νομου η επαγγελια τω αβρααμ η τω σπερματι αυτου το κληρονομον αυτον ειναι του κοσμου αλλα δια δικαιοσυνης πιστεως ου γαρ δια νομου η επαγγελια τω αβρααμ η τω σπερματι αυτου το κληρονομον αυτον ειναι του κοσμου αλλα δια δικαιοσυνης πιστεως

1 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the article του preceding world.  The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

2 Romans 4:13 (NET)

3 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εις χριστον (KJV: in Christ) following God.  The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

4 Galatians 3:17 (NET) Table

5 “Sarah’s prolonged barrenness prompted her to give her handmaid Hagar to Abraham in order that she might bear him a child in her mistress’ place (16:12).  This unusual device, found only once again in the Bible (cf. Gen. 30:1–8), is also attested to in the Nuzi documents and elsewhere, where it is stipulated that if a wife is childless, she must provide her husband with a female slave as a concubine.”
From the article “Sarah” on the Jewish Virtual Library online.

7 Genesis 16:5 (NET)

9 Genesis 16:6 (NET)

10 NET note 34: The name Ishmael consists of the imperfect or jussive form of the Hebrew verb with the theophoric element added as the subject. It means “God hears” or “may God hear.”

11 Genesis 17:15, 16 (NET)

12 Genesis 17:17a (NET)

13 Genesis 17:18 (NET)

14 Romans 4:13 (NET)

15 Genesis 18:19a (NET)

16 Genesis 20:11 (NET)

17 Genesis 20:13 (NET)

18 Romans 4:14 (NET)

20 Judges 7:2 (NET)

21 1 Corinthians 1:28, 29 (NET) Table

22 Romans 4:15 (NET)

23 Genesis 12:17 (NET)

24 Genesis 20:3 (NET)

25 Genesis 12:16 (NET)

26 Genesis 20:14-16 (NET)

27 2 Timothy 1:12b (NKJV)

Romans, Part 19

Is this blessedness then for the circumcision or also for the uncircumcision?1 Paul asked.  This blessedness was a three-part blessedness as follows:

1

Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven,

Romans 4:7a (NET)

2

and whose sins are covered;

Romans 4:7b (NET)

3

blessed is the one against whom the Lord will never count sin.

Romans 4:8 (NET) [Table]

For we say,faith2 was credited to Abraham as righteousness (δικαιοσύνην),3 Paul continued.  In Romans 4:3 Paul quoted Genesis 15:6 from the Septuagint.

Paul

Blue Letter Bible (Septuagint)

NET   Bible (Greek parallel text)

Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.

Romans 4:3 (NET)

ἐπίστευσεν Αβραμ τῷ θεῷ καὶ ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ εἰς δικαιοσύνην

Genesis 15:6

ἐπίστευσεν δὲ Ἀβραὰμ τῷ θεῷ καὶ ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ εἰς δικαιοσύνην

Romans 4:3

Paul added the connecting conjunction δε (and, but, moreover; often unexpressed in English translation), and used the name αβρααμ (Abraham) where the Septuagint had Αβραμ (Abram).  God changed his name from Abram (exalted father) to Abraham (father of a multitude) in Genesis 17:5.  The Greek word δικαιοσύνην (righteousness) found in Romans 4:3 and in the Greek translation of Genesis 15:6 made by Rabbis centuries before Jesus was born is also found in Romans 4:9.  Since both the Lord Jesus and Paul’s teaching have been rejected by most Rabbis the best anyone can tease out of the original Hebrew [See Addendum below] is that Abraham’s belief was credited as faith: Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord considered his response of faith as proof of genuine loyalty.4

How then was [righteousness (according to the Rabbis who translated the Hebrew Scripture centuries before Jesus was born to be rejected)] credited to him? Paul continued.  Was he circumcised at the time, or not?5  Now the Lord said to Abram (Genesis 12:1-3 NET):

Go out from your country, your relatives, and your father’s household to the land that I will show you.  Then I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you, and I will make your name great, so that you will exemplify divine blessing.  I will bless those who bless you, but the one who treats you lightly I must curse, and all the families of the earth will bless one another by your name [See Table below for more current translation].

At age seventy-five Abram took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all their possessions including slaves and left their home.  When he arrived in Canaan, The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your descendants I will give this land.”6  Abram had no children at the time.  He was apparently incapable in the flesh so to speak to fulfill any promise concerning his descendants.

Abram and his retinue journeyed into Egypt during a famine.  He became quite wealthy there passing off his beautiful wife as his sister.  And apparently Lot benefited as well.  When they returned to the land God promised Abraham’s descendants their slaves quarreled over pasture and water.  Abram said to Lot, “Let there be no quarreling between me and you, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen, for we are close relatives.  Is not the whole land before you?  Separate yourself now from me.  If you go to the left, then I’ll go to the right, but if you go to the right, then I’ll go to the left.”7

Lot chose to settle near Sodom, Abram settled in the land of Canaan. After Lot had departed, the Lord (yehôvâh, ויהוהsaid to Abram, “Look from the place where you stand to the north, south, east, and west.  I will give all the land that you see to you and your descendants forever.  And I will make your descendants like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone is able to count the dust of the earth, then your descendants also can be counted.  Get up and walk throughout the land, for I will give it to you.”8

Lot apparently moved into the city of Sodom during a war.  The war was lost.  Lot, his family and all his possessions were carried off by the victorious kings.  Abram and 318 of his trained men9 rescued them.  After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram! I am your shield and the one who will reward you in great abundance.”10

But Abram said, “O sovereign (ʼădônây, אדני) Lord (yehôvih, יהוה), what will you give me since I continue to be childless, and my heir is Eliezer of Damascus?” [Table] Abram added, “Since you have not given me a descendant, then look, one born in my house will be my heir!”11  Here Abram quoted a law to God, a law similar to that found on the Nuzi Tablets [See Addendum below].12  But God replied (Genesis 15:4, 5 NET):

But look, the word of the Lord came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but instead a son who comes from your own body will be your heir.”  The Lord took him outside and said, “Gaze into the sky and count the stars – if you are able to count them!” Then he said to him, “So will your descendants be.”

Genesis 15:6 follows, Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord considered his response of faith as proof of genuine loyalty [See Addendum below], or prior to the Rabbis rejection of Christ and Paul’s teaching, And he believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.13  All of this transpired before there was any mention of the rite of circumcision, as Paul wrote the Romans, No, he was not circumcised but uncircumcised!14

And just in case I might think Abram possessed some special faith in some superlative degree, the Lord continued: “I am the Lord who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess [Table].”  But Abram said, “O sovereign Lord, by what can I know that I am to possess it [Table]?”15  It reminds me of the story of the man who brought his son to Jesus, a son possessed by a spirit that [made] him mute.16

When the spirit saw him, it immediately17 threw the boy into a convulsion.18  He fell on the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.  Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?”  And he said, “From childhood.  It has often thrown him into fire or water to destroy him.  But if you are able to do19 anything, have compassion on us and help us.”  Then Jesus said to him, “‘If you are able?’20  All things are possible for the one who believes.”  Immediately21 the father of the boy cried out and said,22 “I believe;23 help my unbelief!”24

The Lord helped Abram’s unbelief [See Addendum below], first by giving him something to do [though all of this probably happened in a vision] (Genesis 15:9-11 NET).

The Lord said to him, “Take for me a heifer, a goat, and a ram, each three years old, along with a dove and a young pigeon.”  So Abram took all these for him and then cut them in two and placed each half opposite the other, but he did not cut the birds in half.  When birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away.

Then the Lord gave Abram a prophetic vision of the future (Genesis 15:12-16 NET).

When the sun went down, Abram fell sound asleep, and great terror overwhelmed him.  Then the Lord said to Abram, “Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a foreign country.  They will be enslaved and oppressed for four hundred years.  But I will execute judgment on the nation that they will serve.  Afterward they will come out with many possessions.  But as for you, you will go to your ancestors in peace and be buried at a good old age.  In the fourth generation your descendants will return here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its limit.”

And finally the Lord made a covenant with Abram and reiterated his promise to him (Genesis 15:17-21 NET).

When the sun had gone down and it was dark, a smoking firepot with a flaming torch [See Addendum below] passed between the animal parts.  That day the Lord made a covenant with Abram: “To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates River [Table]– the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites [See Addendum below].”

All of this was done for Abram before there was any mention of circumcision, certainly not any mention of circumcision as a work of righteousness that Abram had done.  As Paul concluded (Romans 4:11, 12 NET):

And he received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised, so that he would become the father of all those who believe but have never been circumcised, that they too could have righteousness credited to them.  And he is also the father of the circumcised, who are not only circumcised, but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith25 that our father Abraham possessed when he was still uncircumcised.26

 

Addendum: July 2, 2021
A more current comparison of the NET with other translations follows:

Masoretic Text

Septuagint
Genesis 15:6 (Tanakh) Table Genesis 15:6 (NET) Genesis 15:6 (NETS)

Genesis 15:6 (English Elpenor)

And he believed in HaShem; and He counted it to him for righteousness (צְדָקָֽה). Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord credited it as righteousness (ṣᵊḏāqâ, צדקה) to him. And Abram believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness (δικαιοσύνην). And Abram believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness (δικαιοσύνην).

A quote from THE PENTATEUCH PART I: GENESIS / LESSON 9: Genesis 15:1- 17:27 / The Story of Abraham Continues: The Divine Promises Embodied in a Divine Covenant from Agape Catholic Bible Study online follows:

The discovery of the ancient city of Nuzi, a mid 2nd millennium BC Hurrian provincial capital located near modern Kirkuk, Iraq, yielded an archive of over 3,500 cuneiform tablets.  Recorded on the tablets, Bible scholars have found many subjects including sociologic/economic conditions and practices common to the 1st and 2nd millenniums BC that are revealed in the Bible, proving that the biblical text accurately reflects the social customs of the times.  Some of the Nuzi tablets addressed the possibility of adopting one’s own slave if there was no heir to inherit a man’s estate.  If an heir was subsequently born, the slave relinquished his rights as the heir (The Anchor Bible Dictionary, vol. 4, “Nuzi,” pages 1156, 1160-61).

J. Alexander Rutherford in his paper, “A Consideration of the Meaning of the Righteousness of God in Romans 1:17” took Abram’s “unbelief” differently than I had considered it here:

If Paul’s Jewish background fails to yield an adequate precursor to his understanding of imputation, we can still look at the Old Testament as his source or the teachings of Jesus or the Spirit—that is, allow that God could have revealed something not yet seen.

Fortunately, we have already begun to see that there is a strong OT precedence for imputation. As noted above, God promises frequently that He will end sin (Gen. 3:15), that He will restore relationship with Him in a new land (Gen. 12:1-9, 17:8), but He expects obedience from His covenant partners: a great tension arises, how can God maintain a promise that depends on the obedience of those who are by nature disobedient? This is where Paul’s favorite Genesis quote is central; Abraham’s faith was reckoned as righteousness (Gen. 15:6). After the narrator tells us that Abraham’s belief that God would indeed be faithful to His promises was reckoned for righteousness, this vague statement is unpacked. God, in v. 7, reaffirms his promise, but Abraham in v. 8 responds with what almost appears to be doubt, “how am I to know that I shall possess it?” What happened to his faith; does he now doubt God’s ability to fulfill his promise?

Abraham is not looking for a sign that God can do this; he has already expressed faith that God can: if we are already told that Abraham is assured of God’s faithfulness (v. 6), the only room left for doubt is in Abraham’s ability to uphold his side of the bargain. This is exactly what the following verses address. God leads Abraham through the covenant making ceremony, one involving a self-maledictory oath (that covenant failure will result in the death of the one who fails) (9-11, cf. Jer. 34:18-19), yet when the time comes for both covenant makers to walk through and affirm their obligations, it is God alone who walks through in a fiery theophany (v. 17). In v. 18 God then affirms that He will indeed give the land to Abraham’s offspring. The answer to Abraham’s question has been given; what was it? Because only God walked through the line of severed animals, He is saying that He will take upon Himself not only the penalty of His hypothetical covenant failure but also the failure of His covenant partner. YHWH is also affirming that all obligations placed on Abraham will find their fulfillment by His hand. This leaves an unresolved tension through the OT: how can God Himself die for the covenant failure of men?47 Both of these commitments then find their resolution in Jesus Christ who died for the sins of man and, as the new Adam, did what Adam and Abraham could not: He perfectly fulfilled God’s covenant obligations so that all those found in Him might receive the fullness of God’s covenant blessing. So, though Paul’s Jewish background gives no background for imputation, the Old Testament does. [pp. 20, 21]

Much as I like Mr. Rutherford’s interpretation above, a table of the relevant text follows:

Masoretic Text

Septuagint
Genesis 15:17 (Tanakh) Table Genesis 15:17 (NET) Genesis 15:17 (NETS)

Genesis 15:17 (English Elpenor)

And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and there was thick darkness, behold a smoking furnace, and a flaming torch that passed between these pieces. When the sun had gone down and it was dark, a smoking firepot with a flaming torch passed between the animal parts. Now after the sun began to appear in the west, a flame appeared, and look, a smoking oven and torches of fire that passed through between these cut halves. And when the sun was about to set, there was a flame, and behold a smoking furnace and lamps of fire, which passed between these divided pieces.

Only in the NET is the Hebrew of the Masoretic text translated as if a smoking firepot with a flaming torch is one thing.  It is a smoking furnace, and a flaming torch in the Tanakh, a smoking oven (furnace) and torches (lamps) of fire in the Septuagint.  I need something more, something more I lack at the moment, to recognize this collection of things as representative of “God alone who walks through in a fiery theophany.”  In fact, a smoking oven/furnace seems like an apt description of Abram (or any son of Adam) to me: all the lusts of his flesh.

A table comparing Genesis 15:21 in the Masoretic text and the Septuagint follows:

Masoretic Text

Septuagint
Genesis 15:21 (Tanakh) Table Genesis 15:21 (NET) Genesis 15:21 (NETS)

Genesis 15:21 (English Elpenor)

and the Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Girgashite, and the Jebusite.’ Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites.” and the Amorites and the Chananites and the Heuites and the Gergesites and the Iebousites.” and the Amorites, and the Chananites, and the Evites, and the Gergesites, and the Jebusites.

Tables comparing Genesis 12:1; 12:2; 12:3; 12:7; 13:8; 13:9; 13:14; 13:15; 13:16; 13:17; 14:14; 15:3; 15:4; 15:5; 15:9; 15:10; 15:11; 15:12; 15:13; 15:14; 15:15; 15:16; 15:17; 15:18; 15:19; 15:20 and 15:21 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing the Greek of Genesis 12:1; 12:2; 12:3; 12:7; 13:8; 13:9; 13:14; 13:15; 13:16; 13:17; 14:14; 15:3; 15:4; 15:5; 15:9; 15:10; 15:11; 15:12; 15:13; 15:14; 15:15; 15:16; 15:17; 15:18; 15:19; 15:20 and 15:21 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing Romans 4:9; Mark 9:17; 9:20; 9:22-24 and Romans 4:12 in the NET and KJV follow.

Genesis 12:1 (Tanakh)

Genesis 12:1 (KJV)

Genesis 12:1 (NET)

Now HaShem said unto Abram: ‘Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto the land that I will show thee. Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go out from your country, your relatives, and your father’s household to the land that I will show you.

Genesis 12:1 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 12:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ εἶπεν κύριος τῷ Αβραμ ἔξελθε ἐκ τῆς γῆς σου καὶ ἐκ τῆς συγγενείας σου καὶ ἐκ τοῦ οἴκου τοῦ πατρός σου εἰς τὴν γῆν ἣν ἄν σοι δείξω ΚΑΙ εἶπε Κύριος τῷ ῞Αβραμ· ἔξελθε ἐκ τῆς γῆς σου καὶ ἐκ τῆς συγγενείας σου καὶ ἐκ τοῦ οἴκου τοῦ πατρός σου καὶ δεῦρο εἰς τὴν γῆν, ἣν ἄν σοι δείξω

Genesis 12:1 (NETS)

Genesis 12:1 (English Elpenor)

And the Lord said to Abram, “Go forth from your country and from your kindred and from your father’s house to the land that I will show you. AND the Lord said to Abram, Go forth out of thy land and out of thy kindred, and out of the house of thy father, and come into the land which I will shew thee.

Genesis 12:2 (Tanakh)

Genesis 12:2 (KJV)

Genesis 12:2 (NET)

And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and be thou a blessing. And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: Then I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you, and I will make your name great, so that you will exemplify divine blessing.

Genesis 12:2 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 12:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ ποιήσω σε εἰς ἔθνος μέγα καὶ εὐλογήσω σε καὶ μεγαλυνῶ τὸ ὄνομά σου καὶ ἔσῃ εὐλογητός καὶ ποιήσω σε εἰς ἔθνος μέγα καὶ εὐλογήσω σε καὶ μεγαλυνῶ τὸ ὄνομά σου, καὶ ἔσῃ εὐλογημένος

Genesis 12:2 (NETS)

Genesis 12:2 (English Elpenor)

And I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, and you shall be one blessed. And I will make thee a great nation, and I will bless thee and magnify thy name, and thou shalt be blessed.

Genesis 12:3 (Tanakh)

Genesis 12:3 (KJV)

Genesis 12:3 (NET)

And I will bless them that bless thee, and him that curseth thee will I curse; and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’ And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. I will bless those who bless you, but the one who treats you lightly I must curse, so that all the families of the earth may receive blessing through you.”

Genesis 12:3 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 12:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ εὐλογήσω τοὺς εὐλογοῦντάς σε καὶ τοὺς καταρωμένους σε καταράσομαι καὶ ἐνευλογηθήσονται ἐν σοὶ πᾶσαι αἱ φυλαὶ τῆς γῆς καὶ εὐλογήσω τοὺς εὐλογοῦντάς σε καὶ τοὺς καταρωμένους σε καταράσομαι· καὶ ἐνευλογηθήσονται ἐν σοὶ πᾶσαι αἱ φυλαὶ τῆς γῆς

Genesis 12:3 (NETS)

Genesis 12:3 (English Elpenor)

And I will bless those who bless you, and those who curse you I will curse, and in you all the tribes of the earth shall be blessed.” And I will bless those that bless thee, and curse those that curse thee, and in thee shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed.

Genesis 12:7 (Tanakh)

Genesis 12:7 (KJV)

Genesis 12:7 (NET)

And HaShem appeared unto Abram, and said: ‘Unto thy seed will I give this land’; and he builded there an altar unto HaShem, who appeared unto him. And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him. The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your descendants I will give this land.”  So Abram built an altar there to the Lord, who had appeared to him.

Genesis 12:7 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 12:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ ὤφθη κύριος τῷ Αβραμ καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ τῷ σπέρματί σου δώσω τὴν γῆν ταύτην καὶ ᾠκοδόμησεν ἐκεῗ Αβραμ θυσιαστήριον κυρίῳ τῷ ὀφθέντι αὐτῷ καὶ ὤφθη Κύριος τῷ ῞Αβραμ καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· τῷ σπέρματί σου δώσω τὴν γῆν ταύτην. καὶ ᾠκοδόμησεν ἐκεῖ ῞Αβραμ θυσιαστήριον Κυρίῳ τῷ ὀφθέντι αὐτῷ

Genesis 12:7 (NETS)

Genesis 12:7 (English Elpenor)

And the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “To your offspring I will give this land.”  And Abram built there an altar to the Lord who had appeared to him. And the Lord appeared to Abram, and said to him, I will give this land to thy seed.  And Abram built an altar there to the Lord who appeared to him.

Genesis 13:8 (Tanakh)

Genesis 13:8 (KJV)

Genesis 13:8 (NET)

And Abram said unto Lot: ‘Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we are brethren. And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren. Abram said to Lot, “Let there be no quarreling between me and you, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen, for we are close relatives.

Genesis 13:8 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 13:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)

εἶπεν δὲ Αβραμ τῷ Λωτ μὴ ἔστω μάχη ἀνὰ μέσον ἐμοῦ καὶ σοῦ καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον τῶν ποιμένων μου καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον τῶν ποιμένων σου ὅτι ἄνθρωποι ἀδελφοὶ ἡμεῗς ἐσμεν εἶπε δὲ ῞Αβραμ τῷ Λώτ· μὴ ἔστω μάχη ἀνὰ μέσον ἐμοῦ καὶ σοῦ καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον τῶν ποιμένων μου καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον τῶν ποιμένων σου, ὅτι ἄνθρωποι ἀδελφοί ἐσμεν ἡμεῖς

Genesis 13:8 (NETS)

Genesis 13:8 (English Elpenor)

So then Abram said to Lot, “Let there not be strife between you and me and between your herders and my herders, for we are kindred. And Abram said to Lot, Let there not be a strife between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen, for we are brethren.

Genesis 13:9 (Tanakh)

Genesis 13:9 (KJV)

Genesis 13:9 (NET)

Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me; if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou take the right hand, then I will go to the left.’ Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left. Is not the whole land before you?  Separate yourself now from me.  If you go to the left, then I’ll go to the right, but if you go to the right, then I’ll go to the left.”

Genesis 13:9 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 13:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)

οὐκ ἰδοὺ πᾶσα ἡ γῆ ἐναντίον σού ἐστιν διαχωρίσθητι ἀπ᾽ ἐμοῦ εἰ σὺ εἰς ἀριστερά ἐγὼ εἰς δεξιά εἰ δὲ σὺ εἰς δεξιά ἐγὼ εἰς ἀριστερά οὐκ ἰδοὺ πᾶσα ἡ γῆ ἐναντίον σου ἐστί; διαχωρίσθητι ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ· εἰ σὺ εἰς ἀριστερά, ἐγὼ εἰς δεξιά· εἰ δὲ σὺ εἰς δεξιά, ἐγὼ εἰς ἀριστερά

Genesis 13:9 (NETS)

Genesis 13:9 (English Elpenor)

See, is not the whole land before you?  Separate yourself from me.  If you go to the left, I will go to the right, but if you go to the right, I will go to the left.” Lo! is not the whole land before thee?  Separate thyself from me; if thou [goest] to the left, I will go to the right, and if thou goest to the right, I will go to the left.

Genesis 13:14 (Tanakh)

Genesis 13:14 (KJV)

Genesis 13:14 (NET)

And HaShem said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him: ‘Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art, northward and southward and eastward and westward; And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: After Lot had departed, the Lord said to Abram, “Look from the place where you stand to the north, south, east, and west.

Genesis 13:14 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 13:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ὁ δὲ θεὸς εἶπεν τῷ Αβραμ μετὰ τὸ διαχωρισθῆναι τὸν Λωτ ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ ἀναβλέψας τοῗς ὀφθαλμοῗς σου ἰδὲ ἀπὸ τοῦ τόπου οὗ νῦν σὺ εἶ πρὸς βορρᾶν καὶ λίβα καὶ ἀνατολὰς καὶ θάλασσαν ῾Ο δὲ Θεὸς εἶπε τῷ ῞Αβραμ μετὰ τὸ διαχωρισθῆναι τὸν Λὼτ ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ· ἀνάβλεψον τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς σου καὶ ἴδε ἀπὸ τοῦ τόπου, οὗ νῦν σύ εἶ, πρὸς βορρᾶν καὶ λίβα καὶ ἀνατολὰς καὶ θάλασσαν

Genesis 13:14 (NETS)

Genesis 13:14 (English Elpenor)

And God said to Abram after Lot had separated from him, “Look up with your eyes; look from the place where you are now, toward the north and southwest and east and sea. And God said to Abram after Lot was separated from him, Look up with thine eyes, and behold from the place where thou now art northward and southward, and eastward and seaward;

Genesis 13:15 (Tanakh)

Genesis 13:15 (KJV)

Genesis 13:15 (NET)

for all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever. For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever. I will give all the land that you see to you and your descendants forever.

Genesis 13:15 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 13:15 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ὅτι πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν ἣν σὺ ὁρᾷς σοὶ δώσω αὐτὴν καὶ τῷ σπέρματί σου ἕως τοῦ αἰῶνος ὅτι πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν, ἣν σὺ ὁρᾷς, σοὶ δώσω αὐτὴν καὶ τῷ σπέρματί σου ἕως αἰῶνος

Genesis 13:15 (NETS)

Genesis 13:15 (English Elpenor)

For all the land that you see, I will give it to you and to your offspring forever. for all the land which thou seest, I will give it to thee and to thy seed for ever.

Genesis 13:16 (Tanakh)

Genesis 13:16 (KJV)

Genesis 13:16 (NET)

And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth; so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered. And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered. And I will make your descendants like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone is able to count the dust of the earth, then your descendants also can be counted.

Genesis 13:16 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 13:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ ποιήσω τὸ σπέρμα σου ὡς τὴν ἄμμον τῆς γῆς εἰ δύναταί τις ἐξαριθμῆσαι τὴν ἄμμον τῆς γῆς καὶ τὸ σπέρμα σου ἐξαριθμηθήσεται καὶ ποιήσω τὸ σπέρμα σου ὡς τὴν ἄμμον τῆς γῆς· εἰ δύναταί τις ἐξαριθμῆσαι τὴν ἄμμον τῆς γῆς, καὶ τὸ σπέρμα σου ἐξαριθμηθήσεται

Genesis 13:16 (NETS)

Genesis 13:16 (English Elpenor)

And I will make your offspring like the sand of the earth; if anyone can count the sand of the earth, your offspring also shall be counted. And I will make thy seed like the dust of the earth; if any one is able to number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed be numbered.

Genesis 13:17 (Tanakh)

Genesis 13:17 (KJV)

Genesis 13:17 (NET)

Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for unto thee will I give it.’ Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee. Get up and walk throughout the land, for I will give it to you.”

Genesis 13:17 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 13:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἀναστὰς διόδευσον τὴν γῆν εἴς τε τὸ μῆκος αὐτῆς καὶ εἰς τὸ πλάτος ὅτι σοὶ δώσω αὐτήν ἀναστὰς διόδευσον τὴν γῆν εἴς τε τὸ μῆκος αὐτῆς καὶ εἰς τὸ πλάτος, ὅτι σοὶ δώσω αὐτὴν καὶ τῷ σπέρματί σου εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα

Genesis 13:17 (NETS)

Genesis 13:17 (English Elpenor)

Rise up, pass through the land, both in the length of it and in the breadth, for I will give it to you. Arise and traverse the land, both in the length of it and in the breadth; for to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.

Genesis 14:14 (Tanakh)

Genesis 14:14 (KJV)

Genesis 14:14 (NET)

And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he led forth his trained men, born in his house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued as far as Dan. And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan. When Abram heard that his nephew had been taken captive, he mobilized his 318 trained men who had been born in his household, and he pursued the invaders as far as Dan.

Genesis 14:14 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 14:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἀκούσας δὲ Αβραμ ὅτι ᾐχμαλώτευται Λωτ ὁ ἀδελφὸς αὐτοῦ ἠρίθμησεν τοὺς ἰδίους οἰκογενεῗς αὐτοῦ τριακοσίους δέκα καὶ ὀκτώ καὶ κατεδίωξεν ὀπίσω αὐτῶν ἕως Δαν ἀκούσας δὲ ῞Αβραμ ὅτι ᾐχμαλώτευται Λὼτ ὁ ἀδελφιδοῦς αὐτοῦ, ἠρίθμησε τοὺς ἰδίους οἰκογενεῖς αὐτοῦ, τριακοσίους δέκα καὶ ὀκτώ, καὶ κατεδίωξεν ὀπίσω αὐτῶν ἕως Δάν

Genesis 14:14 (NETS)

Genesis 14:14 (English Elpenor)

And when Abram heard that his kinsman Lot had been taken captive, he counted his homebreds, three hundred eighteen, and chased after them as far as Dan. And Abram having heard that Lot his nephew had been taken captive, numbered his own home-born [servants] three hundred and eighteen, and pursued after them to Dan.

Genesis 15:3 (Tanakh)

Genesis 15:3 (KJV)

Genesis 15:3 (NET)

And Abram said: ‘Behold, to me Thou hast given no seed, and, lo, one born in my house is to be mine heir.’ And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir. Abram added, “Since you have not given me a descendant, then look, one born in my house will be my heir!”

Genesis 15:3 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 15:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ εἶπεν Αβραμ ἐπειδὴ ἐμοὶ οὐκ ἔδωκας σπέρμα ὁ δὲ οἰκογενής μου κληρονομήσει με καὶ εἶπεν ῞Αβραμ· ἐπειδὴ ἐμοὶ οὐκ ἔδωκας σπέρμα, ὁ δὲ οἰκογενής μου κληρονομήσει μοι

Genesis 15:3 (NETS)

Genesis 15:3 (English Elpenor)

And Abram said, “Since you have given me no offspring, my male homebred will be my heir.” And Abram said, [I am grieved] since thou hast given me no seed, but my home-born [servant] shall succeed me.

Genesis 15:4 (Tanakh)

Genesis 15:4 (KJV)

Genesis 15:4 (NET)

And, behold, the word of HaShem came unto him, saying: ‘This man shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir.’ And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir. But look, the Lord’s message came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but instead a son who comes from your own body will be your heir.”

Genesis 15:4 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 15:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ εὐθὺς φωνὴ κυρίου ἐγένετο πρὸς αὐτὸν λέγων οὐ κληρονομήσει σε οὗτος ἀλλ᾽ ὃς ἐξελεύσεται ἐκ σοῦ οὗτος κληρονομήσει σε καὶ εὐθὺς φωνὴ Κυρίου ἐγένετο πρὸς αὐτὸν λέγουσα· οὐ κληρονομήσει σε οὗτος, ἀλλ᾿ ὃς ἐξελεύσεται ἐκ σοῦ, οὗτος κληρονομήσει σε

Genesis 15:4 (NETS)

Genesis 15:4 (English Elpenor)

And immediately a divine voice came to him, saying, “This one shall not be your heir, but one who shall come out of you, he shall be your heir.” And immediately there was a voice of the Lord to him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come out of thee shall be thine heir.

Genesis 15:5 (Tanakh)

Genesis 15:5 (KJV)

Genesis 15:5 (NET)

And He brought him forth abroad, and said: ‘Look now toward heaven, and count the stars, if thou be able to count them’; and He said unto him: ‘So shall thy seed be.’ And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. The Lord took him outside and said, “Gaze into the sky and count the stars—if you are able to count them!”  Then he said to him, “So will your descendants be.”

Genesis 15:5 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 15:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἐξήγαγεν δὲ αὐτὸν ἔξω καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ἀνάβλεψον δὴ εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ ἀρίθμησον τοὺς ἀστέρας εἰ δυνήσῃ ἐξαριθμῆσαι αὐτούς καὶ εἶπεν οὕτως ἔσται τὸ σπέρμα σου ἐξήγαγε δὲ αὐτὸν ἔξω καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· ἀνάβλεψον δὴ εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ ἀρίθμησον τοὺς ἀστέρας, εἰ δυνήσῃ ἐξαριθμῆσαι αὐτούς. καὶ εἶπεν· οὕτως ἔσται τὸ σπέρμα σου

Genesis 15:5 (NETS)

Genesis 15:5 (English Elpenor)

Then he brought him outside and said to him, “Look up to the sky, and number the stars, if you will be able to count them.” And he said, “So shall your offspring be.” And he brought him out and said to him, Look up now to heaven, and count the stars, if thou shalt be able to number them fully, and he said, Thus shall thy seed be.

Genesis 15:9 (Tanakh)

Genesis 15:9 (KJV)

Genesis 15:9 (NET)

And He said unto him: ‘Take Me a heifer of three years old, and a she-goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtle-dove, and a young pigeon.’ And he said unto him, Take me an heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon. The Lord said to him, “Take for me a heifer, a goat, and a ram, each three years old, along with a dove and a young pigeon.”

Genesis 15:9 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 15:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)

εἶπεν δὲ αὐτῷ λαβέ μοι δάμαλιν τριετίζουσαν καὶ αἶγα τριετίζουσαν καὶ κριὸν τριετίζοντα καὶ τρυγόνα καὶ περιστεράν εἶπε δὲ αὐτῷ· λάβε μοι δάμαλιν τριετίζουσαν καὶ αἶγα τριετίζουσαν καὶ κριὸν τριετίζοντα καὶ τρυγόνα καὶ περιστεράν

Genesis 15:9 (NETS)

Genesis 15:9 (English Elpenor)

And he said to him, “Take for me a heifer three years old and a female goat three years old and a ram three years old and a turtledove and a dove.” And he said to him, Take for me an heifer in her third year, and a she-goat in her third year, and a ram in his third year, and a dove and a pigeon.

Genesis 15:10 (Tanakh)

Genesis 15:10 (KJV)

Genesis 15:10 (NET)

And he took him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each half over against the other; but the birds divided he not. And he took unto him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another: but the birds divided he not. So Abram took all these for him and then cut them in two and placed each half opposite the other, but he did not cut the birds in half.

Genesis 15:10 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 15:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἔλαβεν δὲ αὐτῷ πάντα ταῦτα καὶ διεῗλεν αὐτὰ μέσα καὶ ἔθηκεν αὐτὰ ἀντιπρόσωπα ἀλλήλοις τὰ δὲ ὄρνεα οὐ διεῗλεν ἔλαβε δὲ αὐτῷ πάντα ταῦτα καὶ διεῖλεν αὐτὰ μέσα καὶ ἔθηκεν αὐτὰ ἀντιπρόσωπα ἀλλήλοις, τὰ δὲ ὄρνεα οὐ διεῖλε

Genesis 15:10 (NETS)

Genesis 15:10 (English Elpenor)

And he took for him all these and divided them in the middle and placed them facing one another, but he did not divide the birds. So he took to him all these, and divided them in the midst, and set them opposite to each other, but the birds he did not divide.

Genesis 15:11 (Tanakh)

Genesis 15:11 (KJV)

Genesis 15:11 (NET)

And the birds of prey came down upon the carcasses, and Abram drove them away. And when the fowls came down upon the carcases, Abram drove them away. When birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away.

Genesis 15:11 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 15:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)

κατέβη δὲ ὄρνεα ἐπὶ τὰ σώματα τὰ διχοτομήματα αὐτῶν καὶ συνεκάθισεν αὐτοῗς Αβραμ κατέβη δὲ ὄρνεα ἐπὶ τὰ σώματα, ἐπὶ τὰ διχοτομήματα αὐτῶν, καὶ συνεκάθησεν αὐτοῖς ῞Αβραμ

Genesis 15:11 (NETS)

Genesis 15:11 (English Elpenor)

And birds came down on the carcasses, their cut halves, and Abram sat together with them. And birds came down upon the bodies, [even] upon the divided parts of them, and Abram sat down by them.

Genesis 15:12 (Tanakh)

Genesis 15:12 (KJV)

Genesis 15:12 (NET)

And it came to pass, that, when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, a dread, even a great darkness, fell upon him. And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him. When the sun went down, Abram fell sound asleep, and great terror overwhelmed him.

Genesis 15:12 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 15:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)

περὶ δὲ ἡλίου δυσμὰς ἔκστασις ἐπέπεσεν τῷ Αβραμ καὶ ἰδοὺ φόβος σκοτεινὸς μέγας ἐπιπίπτει αὐτῷ περὶ δὲ ἡλίου δυσμὰς ἔκστασις ἐπέπεσε τῷ ῞Αβραμ, καὶ ἰδοὺ φόβος σκοτεινὸς μέγας ἐπιπίπτει αὐτῷ

Genesis 15:12 (NETS)

Genesis 15:12 (English Elpenor)

Then about sunset a trance fell upon Abram, and look, a great dark fear was falling upon him. And about sunset a trance fell upon Abram, and lo! a great gloomy terror falls upon him.

Genesis 15:13 (Tanakh)

Genesis 15:13 (KJV)

Genesis 15:13 (NET)

And He said unto Abram: ‘Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; Then the Lord said to Abram, “Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a foreign country.  They will be enslaved and oppressed for 400 years.

Genesis 15:13 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 15:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ ἐρρέθη πρὸς Αβραμ γινώσκων γνώσῃ ὅτι πάροικον ἔσται τὸ σπέρμα σου ἐν γῇ οὐκ ἰδίᾳ καὶ δουλώσουσιν αὐτοὺς καὶ κακώσουσιν αὐτοὺς καὶ ταπεινώσουσιν αὐτοὺς τετρακόσια ἔτη καὶ ἐρρέθη πρὸς ῞Αβραμ· γινώσκων γνώσῃ ὅτι πάροικον ἔσται τὸ σπέρμα σου ἐν γῇ οὐκ ἰδίᾳ, καὶ δουλώσουσιν αὐτοὺς καὶ κακώσουσιν αὐτοὺς καὶ ταπεινώσουσιν αὐτοὺς τετρακόσια ἔτη

Genesis 15:13 (NETS)

Genesis 15:13 (English Elpenor)

And it was said to Abram, “Knowledgeably you shall know that your offspring shall be alien in a land not its own, and they shall enslave them and maltreat them and humble them for four hundred years. And it was said to Abram, Thou shalt surely know that thy seed shall be a sojourner in a land not their own, and they shall enslave them, and afflict them, and humble them four hundred years.

Genesis 15:14 (Tanakh)

Genesis 15:14 (KJV)

Genesis 15:14 (NET)

and also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge; and afterward shall they come out with great substance. And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance. But I will execute judgment on the nation that they will serve.  Afterward they will come out with many possessions.

Genesis 15:14 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 15:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)

τὸ δὲ ἔθνος ᾧ ἐὰν δουλεύσωσιν κρινῶ ἐγώ μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα ἐξελεύσονται ὧδε μετὰ ἀποσκευῆς πολλῆς τὸ δὲ ἔθνος, ᾧ ἐὰν δουλεύσωσι, κρινῶ ἐγώ· μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα ἐξελεύσονται ὧδε μετὰ ἀποσκευῆς πολλῆς

Genesis 15:14 (NETS)

Genesis 15:14 (English Elpenor)

But I will judge the nation that they are subject to; then aterward they shall come out here with much baggage. And the nation whomsoever they shall serve I will judge; and after this, they shall come forth hither with much property.

Genesis 15:15 (Tanakh)

Genesis 15:15 (KJV)

Genesis 15:15 (NET)

But thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age. And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age. But as for you, you will go to your ancestors in peace and be buried at a good old age.

Genesis 15:15 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 15:15 (Septuagint Elpenor)

σὺ δὲ ἀπελεύσῃ πρὸς τοὺς πατέρας σου μετ᾽ εἰρήνης ταφεὶς ἐν γήρει καλῷ σὺ δὲ ἀπελεύσῃ πρὸς τοὺς πατέρας σου ἐν εἰρήνῃ, τραφεὶς ἐν γήρᾳ καλῷ

Genesis 15:15 (NETS)

Genesis 15:15 (English Elpenor)

Now as for yourself, you shall depart to your fathers in peace, buried in a good old age. But thou shalt depart to thy fathers in peace, nourished in a good old age.

Genesis 15:16 (Tanakh)

Genesis 15:16 (KJV)

Genesis 15:16 (NET)

And in the fourth generation they shall come back hither; for the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet full.’ But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full. In the fourth generation your descendants will return here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its limit.”

Genesis 15:16 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 15:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)

τετάρτη δὲ γενεὰ ἀποστραφήσονται ὧδε οὔπω γὰρ ἀναπεπλήρωνται αἱ ἁμαρτίαι τῶν Αμορραίων ἕως τοῦ νῦν τετάρτῃ δὲ γενεᾷ ἀποστραφήσονται ὧδε· οὔπω γὰρ ἀναπεπλήρωνται αἱ ἁμαρτίαι τῶν ᾿Αμορραίων ἕως τοῦ νῦν

Genesis 15:16 (NETS)

Genesis 15:16 (English Elpenor)

Then in the fourth generation they shall brought back here, for the sins of the Amorites are not yet, to the present, filled up. And in the fourth generation they shall return hither, for the sins of the Amorites are not yet filled up, even until now.

Genesis 15:17 (Tanakh)

Genesis 15:17 (KJV)

Genesis 15:17 (NET)

And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and there was thick darkness, behold a smoking furnace, and a flaming torch that passed between these pieces. And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces. When the sun had gone down and it was dark, a smoking firepot with a flaming torch passed between the animal parts.

Genesis 15:17 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 15:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἐπεὶ δὲ ἐγίνετο ὁ ἥλιος πρὸς δυσμαῗς φλὸξ ἐγένετο καὶ ἰδοὺ κλίβανος καπνιζόμενος καὶ λαμπάδες πυρός αἳ διῆλθον ἀνὰ μέσον τῶν διχοτομημάτων τούτων ἐπεὶ δὲ ὁ ἥλιος ἐγένετο πρὸς δυσμάς, φλὸξ ἐγένετο, καὶ ἰδοὺ κλίβανος καπνιζόμενος καὶ λαμπάδες πυρός, αἳ διῆλθον ἀνὰ μέσον τῶν διχοτομημάτων τούτων

Genesis 15:17 (NETS)

Genesis 15:17 (English Elpenor)

Now after the sun began to appear in the west, a flame appeared, and look, a smoking oven and torches of fire that passed through between these cut halves. And when the sun was about to set, there was a flame, and behold a smoking furnace and lamps of fire, which passed between these divided pieces.

Genesis 15:18 (Tanakh)

Genesis 15:18 (KJV)

Genesis 15:18 (NET)

In that day HaShem made a covenant with Abram, saying: ‘Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates; In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates: That day the Lord made a covenant with Abram: “To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates River—

Genesis 15:18 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 15:18 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ διέθετο κύριος τῷ Αβραμ διαθήκην λέγων τῷ σπέρματί σου δώσω τὴν γῆν ταύτην ἀπὸ τοῦ ποταμοῦ Αἰγύπτου ἕως τοῦ ποταμοῦ τοῦ μεγάλου ποταμοῦ Εὐφράτου ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ διέθετο Κύριος τῷ ῞Αβραμ διαθήκην λέγων· τῷ σπέρματί σου δώσω τὴν γῆν ταύτην, ἀπὸ τοῦ ποταμοῦ Αἰγύπτου ἕως τοῦ ποταμοῦ τοῦ μεγάλου, ποταμοῦ Εὐφράτου

Genesis 15:18 (NETS)

Genesis 15:18 (English Elpenor)

On that say the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your offspring I will give this land from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates: In that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, To thy seed I will give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river Euphrates.

Genesis 15:19 (Tanakh)

Genesis 15:19 (KJV)

Genesis 15:19 (NET)

the Kenite, and the Kenizzite, and the Kadmonite, The Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites, the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites,

Genesis 15:19 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 15:19 (Septuagint Elpenor)

τοὺς Καιναίους καὶ τοὺς Κενεζαίους καὶ τοὺς Κεδμωναίους τοὺς Κεναίους καὶ τοὺς Κενεζαίους καὶ τούς Κεδμωναίους

Genesis 15:19 (NETS)

Genesis 15:19 (English Elpenor)

the Kenites and the Kenezites and the Kedmonites The Kenites, and the Kenezites, and the Kedmoneans,

Genesis 15:20 (Tanakh)

Genesis 15:20 (KJV)

Genesis 15:20 (NET)

and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Rephaim, And the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims, Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites,

Genesis 15:20 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 15:20 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ τοὺς Χετταίους καὶ τοὺς Φερεζαίους καὶ τοὺς Ραφαϊν καὶ τοὺς Χετταίους καὶ τοὺς Φερεζαίους καὶ Ραφαεὶν

Genesis 15:20 (NETS)

Genesis 15:20 (English Elpenor)

and the Chettites and the Pherezites and the Rhaphain and the Chettites, and the Pherezites, and the Raphaim,

Genesis 15:21 (Tanakh)

Genesis 15:21 (KJV)

Genesis 15:21 (NET)

and the Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Girgashite, and the Jebusite.’ And the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites. Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites.”

Genesis 15:21 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 15:21 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ τοὺς Αμορραίους καὶ τοὺς Χαναναίους καὶ τοὺς Ευαίους καὶ τοὺς Γεργεσαίους καὶ τοὺς Ιεβουσαίους καὶ τοὺς Ἀμορραίους καὶ τοὺς Χαναναίους καὶ τοὺς Εὐαίους καὶ τοὺς Γεργεσαίους καὶ τοὺς Ἰεβουσαίους

Genesis 15:21 (NETS)

Genesis 15:21 (English Elpenor)

and the Amorites and the Chananites and the Heuites and the Gergesites and the Iebousites.” and the Amorites, and the Chananites, and the Evites, and the Gergesites, and the Jebusites.

Romans 4:9 (NET)

Romans 4:9 (KJV)

Is this blessedness then for the circumcision or also for the uncircumcision?  For we say, “faith was credited to Abraham as righteousness.” Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

Ὁ μακαρισμὸς οὖν οὗτος ἐπὶ τὴν περιτομὴν ἢ καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν ἀκροβυστίαν; λέγομεν γάρ· ἐλογίσθη τῷ Ἀβραὰμ ἡ πίστις εἰς δικαιοσύνην ο μακαρισμος ουν ουτος επι την περιτομην η και επι την ακροβυστιαν λεγομεν γαρ οτι ελογισθη τω αβρααμ η πιστις εις δικαιοσυνην ο μακαρισμος ουν ουτος επι την περιτομην η και επι την ακροβυστιαν λεγομεν γαρ οτι ελογισθη τω αβρααμ η πιστις εις δικαιοσυνην

Mark 9:17 (NET)

Mark 9:17 (KJV)

A member of the crowd said to him, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that makes him mute. And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit;

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

καὶ ἀπεκρίθη αὐτῷ εἷς ἐκ τοῦ ὄχλου· διδάσκαλε, ἤνεγκα τὸν υἱόν μου πρὸς σέ, ἔχοντα πνεῦμα ἄλαλον και αποκριθεις εις εκ του οχλου ειπεν διδασκαλε ηνεγκα τον υιον μου προς σε εχοντα πνευμα αλαλον και αποκριθεις εις εκ του οχλου ειπεν διδασκαλε ηνεγκα τον υιον μου προς σε εχοντα πνευμα αλαλον

Mark 9:20 (NET)

Mark 9:20 (KJV)

So they brought the boy to him.  When the spirit saw him, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion.  He fell on the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

καὶ ἤνεγκαν αὐτὸν πρὸς αὐτόν. καὶ ἰδὼν αὐτὸν τὸ πνεῦμα εὐθὺς συνεσπάραξεν αὐτόν, καὶ πεσὼν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἐκυλίετο ἀφρίζων και ηνεγκαν αυτον προς αυτον και ιδων αυτον ευθεως το πνευμα εσπαραξεν αυτον και πεσων επι της γης εκυλιετο αφριζων και ηνεγκαν αυτον προς αυτον και ιδων αυτον ευθεως το πνευμα εσπαραξεν αυτον και πεσων επι της γης εκυλιετο αφριζων

Mark 9:22-24 (NET)

Mark 9:22-24 (KJV)

It has often thrown him into fire or water to destroy him.  But if you are able to do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

καὶ πολλάκις καὶ εἰς πῦρ αὐτὸν ἔβαλεν καὶ εἰς ὕδατα ἵνα ἀπολέσῃ αὐτόν· ἀλλ᾿ εἴ τι δύνῃ, βοήθησον ἡμῖν σπλαγχνισθεὶς ἐφ᾿ ἡμᾶς και πολλακις αυτον και εις πυρ εβαλεν και εις υδατα ινα απολεση αυτον αλλ ει τι δυνασαι βοηθησον ημιν σπλαγχνισθεις εφ ημας και πολλακις αυτον και εις το πυρ εβαλεν και εις υδατα ινα απολεση αυτον αλλ ει τι δυνασαι βοηθησον ημιν σπλαγχνισθεις εφ ημας
Then Jesus said to him, “‘If you are able?’  All things are possible for the one who believes.” Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτῷ· τὸ εἰ δύνῃ, πάντα δυνατὰ τῷ πιστεύοντι ο δε ιησους ειπεν αυτω το ει δυνασαι πιστευσαι παντα δυνατα τω πιστευοντι ο δε ιησους ειπεν αυτω το ει δυνασαι πιστευσαι παντα δυνατα τω πιστευοντι
Immediately the father of the boy cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

εὐθὺς κράξας ὁ πατὴρ τοῦ παιδίου ἔλεγεν· πιστεύω· βοήθει μου τῇ ἀπιστίᾳ και ευθεως κραξας ο πατηρ του παιδιου μετα δακρυων ελεγεν πιστευω κυριε βοηθει μου τη απιστια και ευθεως κραξας ο πατηρ του παιδιου μετα δακρυων ελεγεν πιστευω κυριε βοηθει μου τη απιστια

Romans 4:12 (NET)

Romans 4:12 (KJV)

And he is also the father of the circumcised, who are not only circumcised, but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham possessed when he was still uncircumcised. And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

καὶ πατέρα περιτομῆς τοῖς οὐκ ἐκ περιτομῆς μόνον ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς στοιχοῦσιν τοῖς ἴχνεσιν τῆς ἐν ἀκροβυστίᾳ πίστεως τοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν Ἀβραάμ και πατερα περιτομης τοις ουκ εκ περιτομης μονον αλλα και τοις στοιχουσιν τοις ιχνεσιν της εν τη ακροβυστια πιστεως του πατρος ημων αβρααμ και πατερα περιτομης τοις ουκ εκ περιτομης μονον αλλα και τοις στοιχουσιν τοις ιχνεσιν της πιστεως της εν τη ακροβυστια του πατρος ημων αβρααμ

1 Romans 4:9a (NET)

2 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had οτι (KJV: that) preceding faith.  The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

3 Romans 4:9b (NET)

4 Genesis 15:6 (NET) Table
Addendum 6/27/2021: The NET translation no longer reads proof of genuine loyalty.

5 Romans 4:10a (NET)

6 Genesis 12:7 (NET)

7 Genesis 13:8, 9 (NET)

8 Genesis 13:14-17 (NET)

10 Genesis 15:1 (NET) Table

11 Genesis 15:2, 3 (NET)

13 Genesis 15:6 (NKJV) Table
Addendum 6/28/2021: This would have made more sense if I had quoted And Abram believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness (English Elpenor).  I may have been a bit catty here (Addendum to Footnote4 above).

14 Romans 4:10b (NET)

15 Genesis 15:7, 8 (NET)

16 Mark 9:17 (NET)

17 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had εὐθὺς here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ευθεως (KJV: straightway).

19 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had δύνῃ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had δυνασαι (KJV: thou canst do).

20 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had δύνῃ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had δυνασαι πιστευσαι (KJV: thou canst believe).

21 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had εὐθὺς here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had και ευθεως (KJV: And straightway).

22 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had μετα δακρυων (KJV: with tears) here.  The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

23 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had κυριε (KJV: Lord) here.  The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

24 Mark 9:20-24 (NET)

25 The Byzantine Majority Text had the article της preceding faith.  The NET parallel Greek text, NA28 and Stephanus Textus Receptus did not.

26 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the article τη preceding uncircumcised.  The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

Romans, Part 18

What then shall we say that Abraham, our ancestor1 according to the flesh, has discovered regarding this matter? Paul continued.  For if Abraham was declared righteous (ἐδικαιώθη,  a form of δικαιόω) by the works (ἔργων, a form of ἔργον) of the law,2 he has something to boast about – but not before God.3 For what does the scripture say? “Abraham believed (ἐπίστευσεν, a form of πιστεύω) God, and it was credited (ἐλογίσθη, a form of λογίζομαι) to him as righteousness (δικαιοσύνην, a form of δικαιοσύνη).”4  But James asked, Was not Abraham our father justified (ἐδικαιώθη, a form of δικαιόω) by works (ἔργων, a form of ἔργον) when he offered Isaac his son on the altar?5

Jesus said, the gate is narrow and the way is difficult that leads to life.6  The gateway between Paul and James here is certainly narrow, and I for one have had a difficult time finding my way.  But there is a pathway between them.  It is found in the letter to the Hebrews, By faith (Πίστει, a form of πίστις) Abraham, when he was tested (πειραζόμενος, a form of πειράζω), offered up Isaac.7  The writer of Hebrews explained, He had received the promises, yet he was ready to offer up his only son.  God had told him, Through Isaac descendants will carry on your name,” and he reasoned (λογισάμενος, another form of λογίζομαι) that God could even raise him from the dead.8  Abraham’s faith changed his thoughts and made him willing to sacrifice his son.  An angel stopped him before he completed the deed, by the way.

So I have something like this:

…the gate is narrow and the way is difficult that leads to life…

Matthew 7:14a (NET)

Paul

Hebrews

James

For if Abraham was declared righteous by the works of the law, he has something to boast about – but not before God.

Romans 4:2 (NET)

By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac.

Hebrews 11:17a (NET)

Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar?

James 2:21 (NET)

So I think the answer to James’ question is that Abraham was justified by a faith that produced the willingness to offer up Isaac on the altar.  And this accords better with his point as he continued: You see that his faith (πίστις) was working together (συνήργει, a form of συνεργέω) with his works (ἔργοις, another form of ἔργον) and his faith (πίστις) was perfected (ἐτελειώθη, a form of τελειόω) by works (ἔργων, a form of ἔργον).  And the scripture was fulfilled (ἐπληρώθη, a form of πληρόω) that says,Now Abraham believed (ἐπίστευσεν, a form of πιστεύω) God and it was counted (ἐλογίσθη, a form of λογίζομαι) to him for righteousness (δικαιοσύνην, a form of δικαιοσύνη),” and he was called God’s friend.  You see that a person is justified (δικαιοῦται, another form of δικαιόω) by works (ἔργων, a form of ἔργον) and not by faith (πίστεως, another form of πίστις) alone (μόνον, a form of μόνος) [Table].9  And by faith alone (εκ πιστεως μονον) James meant a faith that does not produce works, or acts of obedience.  It is by James’ own definition a dead faith, faith (πίστις) without works10 (ἔργων, a form of ἔργον) is dead (νεκρά, a form of νεκρός).11

James concern was for the poor.  If12 a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm and eat well,” but you do not give them what the body needs, what good is it?13 The Jerusalem church had a communal economy.14  The temptation to favor the rich was almost overwhelming.15  The poor brought more mouths to feed; the rich brought the wherewithal to feed them, potentially.  It is not too hard to imagine that the work of faith James most longed for was that those with private wealth would turn it over to church control.  It is unfortunate, or perhaps divinely appointed, that James chose Abraham as his illustration, since God restrained Abraham from bringing his faith to completion, or perfection, in this particular case.16

God was satisfied with the demonstration of Abraham’s willingness to obey Him.  And I think that was Paul’s point, that Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.17  What Abraham did, the acts he performed, are written for any to read.18  Some would not measure up to righteousness by the works of the law as any Pharisee of Paul’s day would understand it.  But credited righteousness is real righteousness, the righteousness of God, freely given and meant to be spent freely on the good works (ἔργοις, another form of ἔργον) that God prepared beforehand (προητοίμασεν, a form of προετοιμάζω) so we may do (περιπατήσωμεν, a form of περιπατέω) them,19 or walk in them, or live them.

And James wasn’t wrong.  Giving money was the first symptom I recognized in me of faith and righteousness.  Money can be counted.  I could see that as I gave more money I never lacked for what I needed or for more to give.  That kept me going when other things looked bleak, until I could see my way clear to trust God with more weighty things, like righteousness.

Paul continued, Now to the one who works (ἐργαζομένῳ, a form of ἐργάζομαι), his pay is not credited (λογίζεται, another form of λογίζομαι) due to grace (χάριν, a form of χάρις) but due to obligation20 (ὀφείλημα).  But to the one who does not work (ἐργαζομένῳ, a form of ἐργάζομαι), but believes (πιστεύοντι, another form of πιστεύω) in the one who declares the ungodly (ἀσεβῆ, a form of ἀσεβής) righteous (δικαιοῦντα, another form of δικαιόω), his faith (πίστις) is credited (λογίζεται, another form of λογίζομαι) as righteousness (δικαιοσύνην, a form of δικαιοσύνη).21

In the past the wrath of God [was] revealed from heaven against all ungodliness (ἀσέβειαν, a form of ἀσέβεια) and unrighteousness (ἀδικίαν, a form of ἀδικία) of people who suppress the truth by their unrighteousness (ἀδικίᾳ, another form of ἀδικία).22  In the Gospel through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ for all who believe23 God declares the ungodly (ἀσεβῆ, a form of ἀσεβής) righteous (δικαιοῦντα, another form of δικαιόω).  And I believe that is what Paul thought happened to Abraham as well, that Abraham was declared righteous by God, received the righteousness of God, and was rendered willing to obey God.  Otherwise, if Abraham obeyed God by his own work, by his own effort, he was fully entitled according to Paul to boast before God.

So even David himself speaks regarding the blessedness of the man to whom God credits (λογίζεται, another form of λογίζομαι) righteousness (δικαιοσύνην, a form of δικαιοσύνη) apart from works (ἔργων, a form of ἔργον) [Table], Paul continued:  “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds (ἀνομίαι, a form of ἀνομία) are forgiven (ἀφέθησαν, a form of ἀφίημι), and whose sins (ἁμαρτίαι, a form of ἁμαρτία) are covered; blessed is the one against whom the Lord will never count (λογίσηται, another form of λογίζομαι) sin (ἁμαρτίαν, another form of ἁμαρτία) [Table].24  When the truth of this finally sunk in I was simultaneously elated and crushed.

Later in Romans Paul wrote, each of us will give an account (λόγον, a form of λόγος) of himself to God.25  If I believed nothing else in the Bible I believed this verse.  And I took it for granted that I would give an account for my sins, why I committed them and what I had done to make amends for them, and what I had done to stop committing them.  It wasn’t until I compared the Greek words λόγον (an account, as in give an account) and what is called its “middle voice” λογίσηται (count, as in the Lord will never count sin) that it dawned on me what Paul was saying:  My sins were off the table, not open to discussion.  Great!  Now what do I do with myself?

It didn’t take too long after that to realize that my life was actually about knowing God from my perspective, and the absent-minded, insignificant kindnesses that overflowed from the righteousness of God that had been credited to me from God’s perspective, just like Jesus said (Matthew 25:31-46 NET).

When the Son of Man comes in his glory and all the angels26 with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.  All the nations will be assembled27 before him, and he will separate28 people one from another like a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.  He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.  Then the king will say to those on his right, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.  For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me [Table].”  Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?  When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or naked and clothe you?  When did we see you sick or in prison and visit you [Table]?”  And the king will answer them, “I tell you the truth, just as you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of mine, you did it for me.”

Then he will say to those on his left, “Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire that has been prepared for the devil and his angels!  For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink.  I was a stranger and you did not receive me as a guest, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.”  Then they too will answer,29 “Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not give you whatever you needed?”  Then he will answer them, “I tell you the truth, just as you did not do it for one of the least of these, you did not do it for me.”  And these will depart into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.

 

Addendum: June 7, 2021
According to a note (5) in the NET Romans 4:3b is a quotation from Genesis 15:6.  A table comparing the Greek of Paul’s quote with the Septuagint follows.

Romans 4:3b (NET Parallel Greek)

Genesis 15:6 (Septuagint BLB) Table

Genesis 15:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἐπίστευσεν δὲ Ἀβραὰμ τῷ θεῷ καὶ ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ εἰς δικαιοσύνην καὶ ἐπίστευσεν Αβραμ τῷ θεῷ καὶ ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ εἰς δικαιοσύνην καὶ ἐπίστευσεν ῞Αβραμ τῷ Θεῷ, καὶ ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ εἰς δικαιοσύνην

Romans 4:3b (NET)

Genesis 15:6 (NETS)

Genesis 15:6 (English Elpenor)

Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness. And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. And Abram believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness.

According to a note (22) in the NET Hebrews 11:18b is a quotation from Genesis 21:12.  A table comparing the Greek of Paul’s quote with the Septuagint follows.

Hebrews 11:18b (NET Parallel Greek)

Genesis 21:12b (Septuagint BLB) Table

Genesis 21:12b (Septuagint Elpenor)

ὅτι ἐν Ἰσαὰκ κληθήσεται σοι σπέρμα ὅτι ἐν Ισαακ κληθήσεταί σοι σπέρμα ὅτι ἐν ᾿Ισαὰκ κληθήσεταί σοι σπέρμα

Hebrews 11:18b (NET)

Genesis 21:12b (NETS)

Genesis 21:12b (English Elpenor)

Through Isaac descendants will carry on your name for in Isaak offspring shall be named for you for in Isaac shall thy seed be called

According to a note (36) in the NET James 2:23b is a quotation from Genesis 15:6.  A table comparing the Greek of Paul’s quote with the Septuagint follows.

James 2:23b (NET Parallel Greek)

Genesis 15:6 (Septuagint BLB) Table

Genesis 15:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἐπίστευσεν δὲ Ἀβραὰμ τῷ θεῷ, καὶ ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ εἰς δικαιοσύνην καὶ ἐπίστευσεν Αβραμ τῷ θεῷ καὶ ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ εἰς δικαιοσύνην καὶ ἐπίστευσεν ῞Αβραμ τῷ Θεῷ, καὶ ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ εἰς δικαιοσύνην

James 2:23b (NET)

Genesis 15:6 (NETS)

Genesis 15:6 (English Elpenor)

Now Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. And Abram believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness.

Tables comparing Romans 4:1, 2; James 2:26; 2:15; Romans 4:4; 14:12; Matthew 25:31, 32 and 25:44 in the NET and KJV follow.

Romans 4:1, 2 (NET)

Romans 4:1, 2 (KJV)

What then shall we say that Abraham, our ancestor according to the flesh, has discovered regarding this matter? What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

Τί οὖν ἐροῦμεν |εὑρηκέναι| Ἀβραὰμ τὸν προπάτορα ἡμῶν κατὰ σάρκα τι ουν ερουμεν αβρααμ τον πατερα ημων ευρηκεναι κατα σαρκα τι ουν ερουμεν αβρααμ τον πατερα ημων ευρηκεναι κατα σαρκα
For if Abraham was declared righteous by works, he has something to boast about—but not before God. For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

εἰ γὰρ Ἀβραὰμ ἐξ ἔργων ἐδικαιώθη, ἔχει καύχημα (ἀλλ᾿ οὐ πρὸς θεόν) ει γαρ αβρααμ εξ εργων εδικαιωθη εχει καυχημα αλλ ου προς τον θεον ει γαρ αβρααμ εξ εργων εδικαιωθη εχει καυχημα αλλ ου προς τον θεον

James 2:26 (NET)

James 2:26 (KJV)

For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead. For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

ὥσπερ |γὰρ| τὸ σῶμα χωρὶς πνεύματος νεκρόν ἐστιν, οὕτως καὶ ἡ πίστις χωρὶς ἔργων νεκρά ἐστιν ωσπερ γαρ το σωμα χωρις πνευματος νεκρον εστιν ουτως και η πιστις χωρις των εργων νεκρα εστιν ωσπερ γαρ το σωμα χωρις πνευματος νεκρον εστιν ουτως και η πιστις χωρις των εργων νεκρα εστιν

James 2:15 (NET)

James 2:15 (KJV)

If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacks daily food, If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

ἐὰν ἀδελφὸς ἢ ἀδελφὴ γυμνοὶ ὑπάρχωσιν καὶ λειπόμενοι τῆς ἐφημέρου τροφῆς εαν δε αδελφος η αδελφη γυμνοι υπαρχωσιν και λειπομενοι ωσιν της εφημερου τροφης εαν δε αδελφος η αδελφη γυμνοι υπαρχωσιν και λειπομενοι ωσιν της εφημερου τροφης

Romans 4:4 (NET)

Romans 4:4 (KJV)

Now to the one who works, his pay is not credited due to grace but due to obligation. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

τῷ δὲ ἐργαζομένῳ ὁ μισθὸς οὐ λογίζεται κατὰ χάριν ἀλλὰ κατὰ ὀφείλημα τω δε εργαζομενω ο μισθος ου λογιζεται κατα χαριν αλλα κατα το οφειλημα τω δε εργαζομενω ο μισθος ου λογιζεται κατα χαριν αλλα κατα οφειλημα

Romans 14:12 (NET)

Romans 14:12 (KJV)

Therefore, each of us will give an account of himself to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

ἄρα [οὖν] ἕκαστος ἡμῶν περὶ ἑαυτοῦ λόγον δώσει αρα ουν εκαστος ημων περι εαυτου λογον δωσει τω θεω αρα ουν εκαστος ημων περι εαυτου λογον δωσει τω θεω

Matthew 25:31, 32 (NET)

Matthew 25:31, 32 (KJV)

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

Ὅταν δὲ ἔλθῃ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐν τῇ δόξῃ αὐτοῦ καὶ πάντες οἱ ἄγγελοι μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ, τότε καθίσει ἐπὶ θρόνου δόξης αὐτοῦ οταν δε ελθη ο υιος του ανθρωπου εν τη δοξη αυτου και παντες οι αγιοι αγγελοι μετ αυτου τοτε καθισει επι θρονου δοξης αυτου οταν δε ελθη ο υιος του ανθρωπου εν τη δοξη αυτου και παντες οι αγιοι αγγελοι μετ αυτου τοτε καθισει επι θρονου δοξης αυτου
All the nations will be assembled before him, and he will separate people one from another like a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

καὶ συναχθήσονται ἔμπροσθεν αὐτοῦ πάντα τὰ ἔθνη, καὶ ἀφορίσει αὐτοὺς ἀπ᾿ ἀλλήλων, ὥσπερ ὁ ποιμὴν ἀφορίζει τὰ πρόβατα ἀπὸ τῶν ἐρίφων και συναχθησεται εμπροσθεν αυτου παντα τα εθνη και αφοριει αυτους απ αλληλων ωσπερ ο ποιμην αφοριζει τα προβατα απο των εριφων και συναχθησεται εμπροσθεν αυτου παντα τα εθνη και αφοριει αυτους απ αλληλων ωσπερ ο ποιμην αφοριζει τα προβατα απο των εριφων

Matthew 25:44 (NET)

Matthew 25:44 (KJV)

Then they too will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not give you whatever you needed?’ Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

τότε ἀποκριθήσονται καὶ αὐτοὶ λέγοντες· κύριε, πότε σε εἴδομεν πεινῶντα ἢ διψῶντα ἢ ξένον ἢ γυμνὸν ἢ ἀσθενῆ ἢ ἐν φυλακῇ καὶ οὐ διηκονήσαμεν σοι τοτε αποκριθησονται αυτω και αυτοι λεγοντες κυριε ποτε σε ειδομεν πεινωντα η διψωντα η ξενον η γυμνον η ασθενη η εν φυλακη και ου διηκονησαμεν σοι τοτε αποκριθησονται και αυτοι λεγοντες κυριε ποτε σε ειδομεν πεινωντα η διψωντα η ξενον η γυμνον η ασθενη η εν φυλακη και ου διηκονησαμεν σοι

2 The translators added of the law for clarity.  It is what Paul wrote about, For no one is declared righteous before him by the works of the law (ἐξ ἔργων νόμου)… Romans 3:20a (NET)

3 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the article τον preceding God.  The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

4 Romans 4:1-3 (NET)

5 James 2:21 (NET)  This is the one hint that tempts me to assume that James thought he was correcting Paul.  The phrase εξ εργων εδικαιωθη (justified or declared righteous by works) is identical in both Romans 4:2 and James 2:21.

6 Matthew 7:14a (NET) Table

7 Hebrews 11:17a (NET)

8 Hebrews 11:17b-19a (NET)

9 James 2:22-24 (NET)

10 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the article των preceding works.  The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

11 James 2:26b (NET)

13 James 2:15, 16 (NET)

17 Romans 4:3 (NET)

18 Genesis 11:27-25:11

20 The Stephanus Textus Receptus had the article το preceding obligation (KJV: debt).  The NET parallel Greek text, NA28 and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

21 Romans 4:4, 5 (NET)

22 Romans 1:18 (NET)

23 Romans 3:22 (NET) Table

24 Romans 4:6-8 (NET)

25 Romans 14:12 (NET) The NA28, Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had τῷ θεῷ here.  The NET parallel Greek text did not.

26 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αγιοι (KJV: holy) preceding angels.  The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

28 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had ἀφορίσει here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αφοριει (KJV: he shall separate).

29 The Stephanus Textus Receptus had αυτω (KJV: him) here.  The NET parallel Greek text, NA28 and Byzantine Majority Text did not.