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What shall we say then that Abraham hath found, who is our father according to the flesh?
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2
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For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory, but not before God.
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3
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For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God: and it was reputed to him unto justice.
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4
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Now to him that worketh, the reward is not reckoned according to grace but according to debt.
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5
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But to him that worketh not, yet believeth in him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is reputed to justice, according to the purpose of the grace of God.
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6
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As David also termeth the blessedness of a man to whom God reputeth justice without works:
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7
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Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven: and whose sins are covered.
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8
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Blessed is the man to whom the Lord hath not imputed sin.
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9
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This blessedness then, doth 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
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How then was it reputed? When he was in circumcision or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.
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11
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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
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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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13
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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
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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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15
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For the law worketh wrath. For where there is no law, neither is there transgression.
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16
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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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(As it is written: I have made thee a father of many nations), before God, whom he believed: who quickeneth the dead and calleth those things that are not, as those that are.
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18
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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 thy seed be.
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19
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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
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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
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Most fully knowing that whatsoever he has promised, he is able also to perform.
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22
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And therefore it was reputed to him unto justice.
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23
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Now it is not written only for him, that it was reputed to him unto justice,
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24
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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
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Who was delivered up for our sins and rose again for our justification.
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