Romans 4 · Verse 18

Romans 4:18

Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations; according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.
Romans 4:18, King James Version

Romans 4:18 in other translations

BSBAgainst all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.”
WEBAgainst hope, Abraham in hope believed, to the end that he might become a father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, “So will your offspring be.”
ASVWho in hope believed against hope, to the end that he might become a father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, So shall thy seed be.
YLTWho, against hope in hope did believe, for his becoming father of many nations according to that spoken: ‘So shall thy seed be;'
DARBYwho against hope believed in hope to his becoming father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be:
BBEWho without reason for hope, in faith went on hoping, so that he became the father of a number of nations, as it had been said, So will your seed be.
WebsterWho against hope believed with hope, that he should become the father of many nations; according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.

What does Romans 4:18 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Romans 4:18-22
18-22. Who against hope--when no ground for hope appeared. believed in hope--that is, cherished the believing expectation. that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be--that is, Such "as the stars of heaven," Ge 15:5.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 18. Who against hope. Who against all apparent or usual ground of hope. He refers here to the prospect of a posterity. See Rom 4:19-21.

Believed in hope. Believed in that which was promised to excite his hope. Hope here is put for the object of his hope--that which was promised.

According to that which was spoken. Gen 15:5.

So shall they seed be.. That is, as the stars in heaven for multitude. Thy posterity shall be very numerous.

(w) "So shall thy seed be" Gen 15:5

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 18 Who against hope believed in hope - The faith of Abraham bore an exact correspondence to the power and never-failing faithfulness of God; for though, in the ordinary course of things, he had not the best foundation of hope, yet he believed that he should be the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken; namely, that his posterity should be like the stars of heaven for multitude, and like the dust of the earth.

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…

Read the full comment on Romans 4:13-22 →

Romans 4:18 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ὃςhoswhoG3739
παρ᾽par᾽againstG3844
ἐλπίδαelpidahopeG1680
ἐπ᾽ep᾽inG1909
ἐλπίδιelpidihopeG1680
ἐπίστευσενepisteusenbelievedG4100
εἰςeisforG1519
τὸto<the>G3588
γενέσθαιgenesthaito becomeG1096
αὐτὸνautonhimG846
πατέραpatera[the] fatherG3962
πολλῶνpollōnof manyG4183
ἐθνῶνethnōnnationsG1484
κατὰkataaccording toG2596
τὸtothatG3588
εἰρημένον·eirēmenonspoken;G2046
οὕτωςhoutōsSoG3779
ἔσταιestaiwill beG1510
τὸtotheG3588
σπέρμαspermaoffspringG4690
σου·souof you;G4771

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Romans 4:18

  • Romans 8:24

    For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?

  • Genesis 15:5-6

    And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.

  • Romans 5:5

    And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

  • Acts 27:25

    Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.

  • Proverbs 13:12

    Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.

  • Mark 5:35-36

    While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further? As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe.

  • Ezekiel 37:11

    Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts.

  • Romans 4:17

    (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.

  • Ruth 1:11-13

    And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands? Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have an husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should have an husband also to night, and should also bear sons; Would ye tarry for them till they were grown? would ye stay for them from having husbands? nay, my daughters; for it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the Lord is gone out against me.

  • Luke 1:18

    And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.

  • Romans 4:19

    And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara’s womb:

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
against.
19; 5:5; 8:24; Ru 1:11-13; Pr 13:12; Eze 37:11; Mr 5:35,36; Lu 1:18
Ac 27:25
So shall.
Ge 15:5,6

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Romans 4:17

    (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.

  • Romans 4:18

    Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations; according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.

  • Romans 4:19

    And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara’s womb:

Read all of Romans 4

Romans 4:18 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		El creyó en esperanza contra esperanza, para venir á ser padre de muchas gentes, conforme á lo que le había sido dicho: Así será tu simiente.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		– qui, contre espérance, crut avec espérance, pour devenir père de plusieurs nations, selon ce qui a été dit: « Ainsi sera ta semence ».
German
Elberfelder 1871		der wider Hoffnung auf Hoffnung geglaubt hat, auf daß er ein Vater vieler Nationen würde, nach dem, was gesagt ist: "Also soll dein Same sein".
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		qui contra spem in spem credidit, ut fieret pater multarum gentium secundum quod dictum est ei: Sic erit semen tuum.