1. [BUT] IF so, what shall we say about Abraham, our forefather humanly speaking–[what did he] find out? [How does this affect his position, and what was gained by him?]
2. For if Abraham was justified (established as just by acquittal from guilt) by good works [that he did, then] he has grounds for boasting. But not before God!
3. For what does the Scripture say? Abraham believed in (trusted in) God, and it was credited to his account as righteousness (right living and right standing with God). [Gen. 15:6.]
4. Now to a laborer, his wages are not counted as a favor or a gift, but as an obligation (something owed to him).
5. But to one who, not working [by the Law], trusts (believes fully) in Him Who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited to him as righteousness (the standing acceptable to God).
6. Thus David congratulates the man and pronounces a blessing on him to whom God credits righteousness apart from the works he does:
7. Blessed and happy and to be envied are those whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered up and completely buried.
8. Blessed and happy and to be envied is the person of whose sin the Lord will take no account nor reckon it against him. [Ps. 32:1, 2.]
9. Is this blessing (happiness) then meant only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? We say that faith was credited to Abraham as righteousness.