Romans 4 #catechesis/bible/romans
[!abstract] Abraham was not justified by works done, as of himself, but by grace and by faith. And that before he was circumcised. Gentiles, by faith, are his children.
Book: Romans · ← Romans 3 · Romans 5 →
1
GR Τί οὖν ἐροῦμεν Ἀβραὰμ τὸν προπάτορα ἡμῶν κατὰ σάρκα;
LA Quid ergo dicemus invenisse Abraham patrem nostrum secundum carnem?
EN What shall we say then that Abraham has found, who is our father according to the flesh?
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2
GR εἰ γὰρ Ἀβραὰμ ἐξ ἔργων ἐδικαιώθη, ἔχει καύχημα: ἀλλ’ οὐ πρὸς θεόν.
LA Si enim Abraham ex operibus justificatus est, habet gloriam, sed non apud Deum.
EN For if Abraham were justified by works, he has whereof to glory, but not before God.
^2
[!note]- By works…
Done by his own strength, without the grace of God, and faith in him.
3
GR τί γὰρ ἡ γραφὴ λέγει; ἐπίστευσεν δὲ Ἀβραὰμ τῷ θεῷ, καὶ ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ εἰς δικαιοσύνην.
LA Quid enim dicit Scriptura? Credidit Abraham Deo, et reputatam est illi ad justitiam.
EN For what says the scripture? Abraham believed God: and it was reputed to him unto justice.
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4
GR τῷ δὲ ἐργαζομένῳ ὁ μισθὸς οὐ λογίζεται κατὰ χάριν ἀλλὰ κατὰ ὀφείλημα:
LA Ei autem qui operatur, merces non imputatur secundum gratiam, sed secundum debitum.
EN Now to him that works, the reward is not reckoned according to grace but according to debt.
^4
[!note]- To him that works…
Viz., as of his own fund, or by his own strength. Such a man, says the apostle, challenges his reward as a debt due to his own performances; whereas he who works not, that is, who presumes not upon any works done by his own strength, but seeks justice through faith and grace, is freely justified by God’s grace.
5
GR τῷ δὲ μὴ ἐργαζομένῳ, πιστεύοντι δὲ ἐπὶ τὸν δικαιοῦντα τὸν ἀσεβῆ, λογίζεται ἡ πίστις αὐτοῦ εἰς δικαιοσύνην,
LA Ei vero qui non operatur, credenti autem in eum, qui justificat impium, reputatur fides ejus ad justitiam secundum propositum gratiæ Dei.
EN But to him that works not, yet believes in him that justifies the ungodly, his faith is reputed to justice, according to the purpose of the grace of God.
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6
GR καθάπερ καὶ Δαυὶδ λέγει τὸν μακαρισμὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ᾧ ὁ θεὸς λογίζεται δικαιοσύνην χωρὶς ἔργων,
LA Sicut et David dicit beatitudinem hominis, cui Deus accepto fert justitiam sine operibus:
EN As David also terms the blessedness of a man to whom God reputes justice without works:
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7
GR μακάριοι ὧν ἀφέθησαν αἱ ἀνομίαι καὶ ὧν ἐπεκαλύφθησαν αἱ ἁμαρτίαι:
LA Beati, quorum remissæ sunt iniquitates, et quorum tecta sunt peccata.
EN Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven: and whose sins are covered.
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8
GR μακάριος ἀνὴρ οὗ οὐ μὴ λογίσηται κύριος ἁμαρτίαν.
LA Beatus vir, cui non imputavit Dominus peccatum.
EN Blessed is the man to whom the Lord has not imputed sin.
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[!note]- Not before God…
Whatever glory or applause such works might procure from men, they would be of no value in the sight of God.
[!note]- Reputed, etc…
By God, who reputes nothing otherwise than it is. However, we may gather from this word, that when we are justified, our justification proceeds from God’s free grace and bounty; and not from any efficacy which any act of ours could have of its own nature, abstracting from God’s grace.
[!note]- Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered…
That is, blessed are those who, by doing penance, have obtained pardon and remission of their sins, and also are covered; that is, newly clothed with the habit of grace, and vested with the stole of charity.
[!note]- Blessed is the man to whom the Lord hath not imputed sin…
That is, blessed is the man who hath retained his baptismal innocence, that no grievous sin can be imputed to him. And, likewise, blessed is the man, who after fall into sin, hath done penance and leads a virtuous life, by frequenting the sacraments necessary for obtaining the grace to prevent a relapse, that sin is no more imputed to him.
9
GR ὁ μακαρισμὸς οὖν οὗτος ἐπὶ τὴν περιτομὴν ἢ καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν ἀκροβυστίαν; λέγομεν γάρ, ἐλογίσθη τῷ Ἀβραὰμ ἡ πίστις εἰς δικαιοσύνην.
LA Beatitudo ergo hæc in circumcisione tantum manet, an etiam in præputio? Dicimus enim quia reputata est Abrahæ fides ad justitiam.
EN This blessedness then, does it remain in the circumcision only or in the uncircumcision also? For we say that unto Abraham faith was reputed to justice.
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10
GR πῶς οὖν ἐλογίσθη; ἐν περιτομῇ ὄντι ἢ ἐν ἀκροβυστίᾳ; οὐκ ἐν περιτομῇ ἀλλ’ ἐν ἀκροβυστίᾳ:
LA Quomodo ergo reputata est? in circumcisione, an in præputio? Non in circumcisione, sed in præputio.
EN How then was it reputed? When he was in circumcision or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.
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11
GR καὶ σημεῖον ἔλαβεν περιτομῆς, σφραγῖδα τῆς δικαιοσύνης τῆς πίστεως τῆς ἐν τῇ ἀκροβυστίᾳ, εἰς τὸ εἶναι αὐτὸν πατέρα πάντων τῶν πιστευόντων δι’ ἀκροβυστίας, εἰς τὸ λογισθῆναι αὐτοῖς [τὴν] δικαιοσύνην,
LA Et signum accepit circumcisionis, signaculum justitiæ fidei, quæ est in præputio: ut sit pater omnium credentium per præputium, ut reputetur et illis ad justitiam:
EN And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the justice of the faith which he had, being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, being uncircumcised: that unto them also it may be reputed to justice:
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12
GR καὶ πατέρα περιτομῆς τοῖς οὐκ ἐκ περιτομῆς μόνον ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς στοιχοῦσιν τοῖς ἴχνεσιν τῆς ἐν ἀκροβυστίᾳ πίστεως τοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν Ἀβραάμ.
LA et sit pater circumcisionis non iis tantum, qui sunt ex circumcisione, sed et iis qui sectantur vestigia fidei, quæ est in præputio patris nostri Abrahæ.
EN And he might be the father of circumcision; not to them only that are of the circumcision, but to them also that follow the steps of the faith that is in the uncircumcision of our father Abraham.
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[!note]- In the circumcision, etc…
That is, is it only for the Jews that are circumcised? No, says the apostle, but also for the uncircumcised Gentiles: who, by faith and grace, may come to justice; as Abraham did before he was circumcised.
13
GR οὐ γὰρ διὰ νόμου ἡ ἐπαγγελία τῷ Ἀβραὰμ ἢ τῷ σπέρματι αὐτοῦ, τὸ κληρονόμον αὐτὸν εἶναι κόσμου, ἀλλὰ διὰ δικαιοσύνης πίστεως:
LA Non enim per legem promissio Abrahæ, aut semini ejus ut hæres esset mundi: sed per justitiam fidei.
EN For not through the law was the promise to Abraham or to his seed, that he should be heir of the world: but through the justice of faith.
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14
GR εἰ γὰρ οἱ ἐκ νόμου κληρονόμοι, κεκένωται ἡ πίστις καὶ κατήργηται ἡ ἐπαγγελία:
LA Si enim qui ex lege, hæredes sunt: exinanita est fides, abolita est promissio.
EN For if they who are of the law be heirs, faith is made void: the promise is made of no effect.
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[!note]- Be heirs…
That is, if they alone, who follow the ceremonies of the law, be heirs of the blessings promised to Abraham; then that faith which was so much praised in him, will be found to be of little value. And the very promise will be made void, by which he was promised to be the father, not of the Jews only, but of all nations of believers.
15
GR ὁ γὰρ νόμος ὀργὴν κατεργάζεται: οὗ δὲ οὐκ ἔστιν νόμος, οὐδὲ παράβασις.
LA Lex enim iram operatur. Ubi enim non est lex, nec prævaricatio.
EN For the law works wrath. For where there is no law, neither is there transgression.
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16
GR διὰ τοῦτο ἐκ πίστεως, ἵνα κατὰ χάριν, εἰς τὸ εἶναι βεβαίαν τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν παντὶ τῷ σπέρματι, οὐ τῷ ἐκ τοῦ νόμου μόνον ἀλλὰ καὶ τῷ ἐκ πίστεως Ἀβραάμ ὅς ἐστιν πατὴρ πάντων ἡμῶν,
LA Ideo ex fide, ut secundum gratiam firma sit promissio omni semini, non ei qui ex lege est solum, sed et ei qui ex fide est Abrahæ, qui pater est omnium nostrum
EN Therefore is it of faith, that according to grace the promise might be firm to all the seed: not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all,
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17
GR καθὼς γέγραπται ὅτι πατέρα πολλῶν ἐθνῶν τέθεικά σε κατέναντι οὗ ἐπίστευσεν θεοῦ τοῦ ζῳοποιοῦντος τοὺς νεκροὺς καὶ καλοῦντος τὰ μὴ ὄντα ὡς ὄντα:
LA (sicut scriptum est: Quia patrem multarum gentium posui te) ante Deum, cui credidit, qui vivificat mortuos, et vocat ea quæ non sunt, tamquam ea quæ sunt:
EN (as it is written: I have made you a father of many nations), before God, whom he believed: who quickens the dead and calls those things that are not, as those that are.
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18
GR ὃς παρ’ ἐλπίδα ἐπ’ ἐλπίδι ἐπίστευσεν εἰς τὸ γενέσθαι αὐτὸν πατέρα πολλῶν ἐθνῶν κατὰ τὸ εἰρημένον, οὕτως ἔσται τὸ σπέρμα σου:
LA qui contra spem in spem credidit, ut fieret pater multarum gentium secundum quod dictum est ei: Sic erit semen tuum.
EN Who against hope believed in hope; that he might be made the father of many nations, according to that which was said to him: So shall your seed be.
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19
GR καὶ μὴ ἀσθενήσας τῇ πίστει κατενόησεν τὸ ἑαυτοῦ σῶμα ἤδη νενεκρωμένον, ἑκατονταετής που ὑπάρχων, καὶ τὴν νέκρωσιν τῆς μήτρας Σάρρας:
LA Et non infirmatus est fide, nec consideravit corpus suum emortuum, cum jam fere centum esset annorum, et emortuam vulvam Saræ.
EN And he was not weak in faith. Neither did he consider his own body, now dead (whereas he was almost an hundred years old), nor the dead womb of Sara.
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20
GR εἰς δὲ τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν τοῦ θεοῦ οὐ διεκρίθη τῇ ἀπιστίᾳ ἀλλ’ ἐνεδυναμώθη τῇ πίστει, δοὺς δόξαν τῷ θεῷ
LA In repromissione etiam Dei non hæsitavit diffidentia, sed confortatus est fide, dans gloriam Deo:
EN In the promise also of God he staggered not by distrust: but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God:
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21
GR καὶ πληροφορηθεὶς ὅτι ὃ ἐπήγγελται δυνατός ἐστιν καὶ ποιῆσαι.
LA plenissime sciens, quia quæcumque promisit, potens est et facere.
EN Most fully knowing that whatsoever he has promised, he is able also to perform.
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22
GR διὸ καὶ ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ εἰς δικαιοσύνην.
LA Ideo et reputatum est illi ad justitiam.
EN And therefore it was reputed to him unto justice.
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23
GR οὐκ ἐγράφη δὲ δι’ αὐτὸν μόνον ὅτι ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ,
LA Non est autem scriptum tantum propter ipsum quia reputatum est illi ad justitiam:
EN Now it is not written only for him that it was reputed to him unto justice,
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24
GR ἀλλὰ καὶ δι’ ἡμᾶς οἷς μέλλει λογίζεσθαι, τοῖς πιστεύουσιν ἐπὶ τὸν ἐγείραντα Ἰησοῦν τὸν κύριον ἡμῶν ἐκ νεκρῶν,
LA sed et propter nos, quibus reputabitur credentibus in eum, qui suscitavit Jesum Christum Dominum nostrum a mortuis,
EN but also for us, to whom it shall be reputed, if we believe in him that raised up Jesus Christ, our Lord, from the dead,
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25
GR ὃς παρεδόθη διὰ τὰ παραπτώματα ἡμῶν καὶ ἠγέρθη διὰ τὴν δικαίωσιν ἡμῶν.
LA qui traditus est propter delicta nostra, et resurrexit propter justificationem nostram.
EN who was delivered up for our sins and rose again for our justification.
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[!note]- The law works wrath…
The law, abstracting from faith and grace, works wrath occasionally, by being an occasion of many transgressions, which provoke God’s wrath.
