Romans 4:14
For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:
Romans 4:14 in other translations
| BSB | For if those who live by the law are heirs, faith is useless and the promise is worthless, |
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| WEB | For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void, and the promise is made of no effect. |
| ASV | For if they that are of the law are heirs, faith is made void, and the promise is made of none effect: |
| YLT | for if they who are of law are heirs, the faith hath been made void, and the promise hath been made useless; |
| DARBY | For if they which are of law be heirs, faith is made vain, and the promise made of no effect. |
| BBE | For if they who are of the law are the people who get the heritage, then faith is made of no use, and the word of God has no power; |
| Webster | For if they who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of no effect. |
What does Romans 4:14 mean?
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Romans 4:13-15
13-15. For the promise, &c.--This is merely an enlargement of the foregoing reasoning, applying to the law what had just been said of circumcision. that he should be the heir of the world--or, that "all the families of the earth should be blessed in him." was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law--in virtue of obedience to the law. but through the righteousness of faith--in virtue of his simple faith in the…
Barnes' Notes
Faith is made void. Faith would have no place in the scheme; and consequently the strong commendations bestowed on the faith of Abraham, would be bestowed without any just cause. If men are justified by the law, they cannot be by faith, and faith would be useless in this work.
And the promise, etc. A promise looks to the future. Its design and tendency is to excite trust and confidence in him who makes it. All the promises of God have this design and tendency; and consequently, as God has given many promises, the object is to call forth the lively and constant faith of men, all going to show that, in the Divine estimation, faith is of inestimable value. But if men are justified by the law--if they are rendered acceptable by conformity to the institutions of Moses--then they cannot depend for acceptance on any promise made to Abraham, or his seed. They cut themselves off from that promise, and stand independent of it. That promise, like all other promises, was made to excite faith. If, therefore, the Jews depended on the law for justification, they were cut out from all the promises made to Abraham; and if they could be justified by the law, the promise was useless. This is as true now as it was then. If men seek to be justified by their morality, or their forms of religion, they cannot depend on any promise of God; for he has made no promise to any such attempt. They stand independently of any promise, covenant, or compact, and are depending on a scheme of their own; a scheme which would render his plan vain and useless; which would render his promises, and the atonement of Christ, and the work of the Spirit of no value. It is clear, therefore, that such an attempt at salvation cannot be successful.
(q) "For if they which are of the law" Gal 3:18
Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain
Adam Clarke's Commentary
Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Romans 4:13-22
The promise was made to Abraham long before the law. It points at Christ, and it refers to the promise, Ge 12:3. In Thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. The law worketh wrath, by showing that every transgressor is exposed to the Divine displeasure. As God intended to give men a title to the promised blessings, so he appointed it to be by faith, that it might be wholly of grace, to make it sure to all who…
Romans 4:14 in the original Greek
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Cross references for Romans 4:14
- Galatians 3:18-24
For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise. Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one. Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. …
- Hebrews 7:19
For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.
- Philippians 3:9
And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
- Romans 3:31
Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.
- Isaiah 55:11
So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
- Galatians 2:21
I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
- Romans 4:16
Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure 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,
- Hebrews 7:28
For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.
- Numbers 30:12
But if her husband hath utterly made them void on the day he heard them; then whatsoever proceeded out of her lips concerning her vows, or concerning the bond of her soul, shall not stand: her husband hath made them void; and the Lord shall forgive her.
- Numbers 30:15
But if he shall any ways make them void after that he hath heard them; then he shall bear her iniquity.
- Jeremiah 19:7
And I will make void the counsel of Judah and Jerusalem in this place; and I will cause them to fall by the sword before their enemies, and by the hands of them that seek their lives: and their carcases will I give to be meat for the fowls of the heaven, and for the beasts of the earth.
- Psalms 119:126
It is time for thee, Lord, to work: for they have made void thy law.
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Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Context
- Romans 4:13
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.
- Romans 4:14
For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:
- Romans 4:15
Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.
Romans 4:14 in other languages
| Spanish Reina-Valera 1909 | Porque si los que son de la ley son los herederos, vana es la fe, y anulada es la promesa. |
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| French Bible J.N. Darby 1885 | Car si ceux qui sont du principe de la loi sont héritiers, la foi est rendue vaine et la promesse annulée; |
| German Elberfelder 1871 | Denn wenn die vom Gesetz Erben sind, so ist der Glaube zunichte gemacht und die Verheißung aufgehoben. |
| Latin Clementine Vulgate | Si enim qui ex lege, hæredes sunt: exinanita est fides, abolita est promissio. |