Romans 4 · Verse 5

Romans 4:5

But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
Romans 4:5, King James Version

Romans 4:5 in other translations

BSBHowever, to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness.
WEBBut to him who doesn’t work, but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness.
ASVBut to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is reckoned for righteousness.
YLTand to him who is not working, and is believing upon Him who is declaring righteous the impious, his faith is reckoned--to righteousness:
DARBYbut to him who does not work, but believes on him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness.
BBEBut to him who without working has faith in him who gives righteousness to the evil-doer, his faith is put to his account as righteousness.
WebsterBut to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

What does Romans 4:5 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Romans 4:4-5

4-5. Now to him that worketh--as a servant for wages. is the reward not reckoned of grace--as a matter of favor. but of debt--as a matter of right.

Read the full comment on Romans 4:4-5 →

Barnes' Notes
Verse 5. But to him that worketh not. Who does not rely on his conformity to the law for his justification; who does not depend on his works; who seeks to be justified in some other way. The reference here is to the Christian plan of justification.

But believeth. Rom 3:26.

On him. On God. Thus the connexion requires; for the discussion has immediate reference to Abraham, whose faith was in the promise of God.

That justifieth the ungodly. This is a very important expression. It implies,

(1.) that men are sinners, or are ungodly.

(2.) That God regards them as such when they are justified, he does not justify them because he sees them to be, or regards them to be righteous; but knowing that they are in fact polluted. He does not first esteem them, contrary to fact, to be pure; but knowing that they are polluted, and that they deserve no favour, he resolves to forgive them, and to treat them as his friends.

(3.) In themselves they are equally undeserving, whether they are justified or not. Their souls have been defiled by sin; and that is known when they are pardoned. God judges things as they are; and sinners who are justified, he judges not as if they were pure, or as if they had a claim; but he regards them as united by faith to the Lord Jesus; and In THIS RELATION he judges that they SHOULD be treated as his friends, though they have been, are, and always will be, personally undeserving. It is not meant that the righteousness of Christ is transferred to them so as to become personally theirs--for moral character cannot be transferred;--nor that it is infused into them, making them personally meritorious--for then they could not be spoken of as ungodly; but that Christ died in their stead, to atone for their sins, and is regarded and esteemed by God to have died; and that the results or benefits of his death are so reckoned or imputed to believers as to make it proper for God to regard and treat them as if they had themselves obeyed the law; that is, as righteous in his sight.

(l) "his faith is counted" Hab 2:4

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 5 But to him that worketh not - Which was the case with Abraham, for he was called when he was ungodly, i.e. an idolater; and, on his believing, was freely justified: and, as all men have sinned, none can be justified by works; and, therefore, justification, if it take place at all, must take place in behalf of the ungodly, forasmuch as all mankind are such. Now, as Abraham's state and mode in which he was justified, are the plan and rule according to which God purposes to save men; and as his state was ungodly, and the mode of his justification was by faith in the goodness and mercy of God; and this is precisely the state of Jews and Gentiles at present; there can be no other mode of justification than by faith in that Christ who is Abraham's seed, and in whom, according to the promise, all the nations of the earth are to be blessed. It is necessary to observe here, in order to prevent confusion and misapprehension, that although the verb δικαιοω has a variety of senses in the New Testament, yet here it is to be taken as implying the pardon of sin; receiving a person into the favor of God. See these different acceptations cited in the note on Rom 1:17 (note), and particularly under No. 7. It is also necessary to observe, that our translators render the verb λογιζομαι differently in different parts of this chapter. It is rendered counted, Rom 4:3, Rom 4:5; reckoned, Rom 4:4, Rom 4:9, Rom 4:10; imputed, Rom 4:6, Rom 4:8, Rom 4:11, Rom 4:22-24. Reckoned is probably the best sense in all these places.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Romans 4:1-12

Chapter Outline The doctrine of justification by faith is shown by the case of Abraham. (1-12) He received the promise through the righteousness of faith. (13-22) And we are justified in the same way of believing. (23-25) Verses 1-12 To meet the views of the Jews, the apostle first refers to the example of Abraham, in whom the Jews gloried as their most renowned forefather. However exalted in various respects, he…

Read the full comment on Romans 4:1-12 →

Romans 4:5 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.

τῷtōTo the [one]G3588
δὲdehoweverG1161
μὴmēnotG3361
ἐργαζομένῳ,ergazomenōworking,G2038
πιστεύοντιpisteuontibelievingG4100
δὲdehoweverG1161
ἐπὶepionG1909
τὸνtonthe [One]G3588
δικαιοῦνταdikaiountajustifyingG1344
τὸνtontheG3588
ἀσεβῆ,asebēungodly,G765
λογίζεταιlogizetaiis reckonedG3049
ἡhētheG3588
πίστιςpistisfaithG4102
αὐτοῦautouof himG846
εἰςeisforG1519
δικαιοσύνην.dikaiosunēnrighteousness.G1343

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

Cross references for Romans 4:5

  • 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 3:22

    Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

  • Titus 3:3-7

    For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; …

  • Romans 10:9-10

    That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

  • Galatians 3:8-14

    And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham. For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. …

  • Romans 10:3

    For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.

  • Galatians 2:16-17

    Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.

  • 1 Corinthians 6:9-11

    Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

  • John 6:29

    Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

  • Romans 1:17-18

    For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

  • John 5:24

    Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

  • Romans 4:3

    For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
But to.
24,25; 3:22; 5:1,2; 10:3,9,10; Ac 13:38,39; Ga 2:16,17; 3:9-14
Php 3:9
believeth.
24; 3:26-30; 8:30-34; Joh 5:24; Ga 3:8
ungodly.
1:17,18; 5:6-8; Jos 24:2; Zec 3:3,4; 1Co 6:9-11; 1Ti 1:13-15
Tit 3:3-7
his faith.
3; Hab 2:4

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

Context

  • Romans 4:4

    Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.

  • Romans 4:5

    But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

  • Romans 4:6

    Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,

Read all of Romans 4

Romans 4:5 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Mas al que no obra, pero cree en aquél que justifica al impío, la fe le es contada por justicia.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		mais à celui qui ne fait pas des œuvres, mais qui croit en celui qui justifie l’impie, sa foi lui est comptée à justice;
German
Elberfelder 1871		Dem aber, der nicht wirkt, sondern an den glaubt, der den Gottlosen rechtfertigt, wird sein Glaube zur Gerechtigkeit gerechnet.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Ei vero qui non operatur, credenti autem in eum, qui justificat impium, reputatur fides ejus ad justitiam secundum propositum gratiæ Dei.