Romans 4

Romans 4, Catholic Public Domain Version

1. So then, what shall we say that Abraham had achieved, who is our father according to the flesh?

   Quid ergo dicemus invenisse Abraham patrem nostrum secundum carnem?

2. 2

   For if Abraham was justified by works, he would have glory, but not with God.†

   Si enim Abraham ex operibus justificatus est, habet gloriam, sed non apud Deum.

3. 3

   For what does Scripture say? “Abram believed God, and it was reputed to him unto justice.”†

   Quid enim dicit Scriptura? Credidit Abraham Deo, et reputatum est illi ad justitiam.

4. 4

   But for he who works, wages are not accounted according to grace, but according to debt.†

   Ei autem qui operatur, merces non imputatur secundum gratiam, sed secundum debitum.

5. 5

   Yet truly, for he who does not work, but who believes in him who justifies the impious, his faith is reputed unto justice, according to the purpose of the grace of God.

   Ei vero qui non operatur, credenti autem in eum, qui justificat impium, reputatur fides ejus ad justitiam secundum propositum gratiæ Dei.

6. 6

   Similarly, David also declares the blessedness of a man, to whom God brings justice without works:

   Sicut et David dicit beatitudinem hominis, cui Deus accepto fert justitiam sine operibus:

7. 7

   “Blessed are they whose iniquities have been forgiven and whose sins have been covered.†

   Beati, quorum remissæ sunt iniquitates, et quorum tecta sunt peccata.

8. 8

   Blessed is the man to whom the Lord has not imputed sin.Ӡ

   Beatus vir, cui non imputavit Dominus peccatum.

9. 9

   Does this blessedness, then, remain only in the circumcised, or is it even in the uncircumcised? For we say that faith was reputed to Abraham unto justice.†

   Beatitudo ergo hæc in circumcisione tantum manet, an etiam in præputio? Dicimus enim quia reputata est Abrahæ fides ad justitiam.

10. 10

    But then how was it reputed? In circumcision or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.

    Quomodo ergo reputata est? in circumcisione, an in præputio? Non in circumcisione, sed in præputio.

11. 11

    For he received the sign of circumcision as a symbol of the justice of that faith which exists apart from circumcision, so that he might be the father of all those who believe while uncircumcised, so that it might also be reputed to them unto justice,

    Et signum accepit circumcisionis, signaculum justitiæ fidei, quæ est in præputio: ut sit pater omnium credentium per præputium, ut reputetur et illis ad justitiam:

12. 12

    and he might be the father of circumcision, not only for those who are of circumcision, but even for those who follow the footsteps of that faith which is in the uncircumcision of our father Abraham.

    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.

13. 13

    For the Promise to Abraham, and to his posterity, that he would inherit the world, was not through the law, but through the justice of faith.

    Non enim per legem promissio Abrahæ, aut semini ejus ut hæres esset mundi: sed per justitiam fidei.

14. 14

    For if those who are of the law are the heirs, then faith becomes empty and the Promise is abolished.†

    Si enim qui ex lege, hæredes sunt: exinanita est fides, abolita est promissio.

15. 15

    For the law works unto wrath. And where there is no law, there is no law-breaking.†

    Lex enim iram operatur. Ubi enim non est lex, nec prævaricatio.

16. 16

    Because of this, it is from faith according to grace that the Promise is ensured for all posterity, not only for those who are of the law, but also for those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all before God,

    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

17. 17

    in whom he believed, who revives the dead and who calls those things that do not exist into existence. For it is written: “I have established you as the father of many nations.”

    (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:

18. 18

    And he believed, with a hope beyond hope, so that he might become the father of many nations, according to what was said to him: “So shall your posterity be.”

    qui contra spem in spem credidit, ut fieret pater multarum gentium secundum quod dictum est ei: Sic erit semen tuum.

19. 19

    And he was not weakened in faith, nor did he consider his own body to be dead (though he was then almost one hundred years old), nor the womb of Sarah to be dead.

    Et non infirmatus est fide, nec consideravit corpus suum emortuum, cum jam fere centum esset annorum, et emortuam vulvam Saræ.

20. 20

    And then, in the Promise of God, he did not hesitate out of distrust, but instead he was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God,

    In repromissione etiam Dei non hæsitavit diffidentia, sed confortatus est fide, dans gloriam Deo:

21. 21

    knowing most fully that whatever God has promised, he is also able to accomplish.

    plenissime sciens, quia quæcumque promisit, potens est et facere.

22. 22

    And for this reason, it was reputed to him unto justice.

    Ideo et reputatum est illi ad justitiam.

23. 23

    Now this has been written, that it was reputed to him unto justice, not only for his sake,

    Non est autem scriptum tantum propter ipsum quia reputatum est illi ad justitiam:

24. 24

    but also for our sake. For the same shall be reputed to us, if we believe in him who raised up our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead,

    sed et propter nos, quibus reputabitur credentibus in eum, qui suscitavit Jesum Christum Dominum nostrum a mortuis,

25. 25

    who was handed over because of our offenses, and who rose again for our justification.

    qui traditus est propter delicta nostra, et resurrexit propter justificationem nostram.

Catholic Public Domain Version (Ronald L. Conte Jr., 2009), public domain · Latin: Clementine Vulgate (1592)