Romans 4:14
New International Version
For if those who depend on the law are heirs, faith means nothing and the promise is worthless,

New Living Translation
If God’s promise is only for those who obey the law, then faith is not necessary and the promise is pointless.

English Standard Version
For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void.

Berean Standard Bible
For if those who live by the law are heirs, faith is useless and the promise is worthless,

Berean Literal Bible
For if those of the Law are heirs, faith has been made void and the promise made of no effect.

King James Bible
For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:

New King James Version
For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect,

New American Standard Bible
For if those who are of the Law are heirs, then faith is made void and the promise is nullified;

NASB 1995
For if those who are of the Law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise is nullified;

NASB 1977
For if those who are of the Law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise is nullified;

Legacy Standard Bible
For if those who are of the Law are heirs, faith has been made empty and the promise has been abolished;

Amplified Bible
If those who are [followers] of the Law are [the true] heirs [of Abraham], then faith [leading to salvation] is of no effect and void, and the promise [of God] is nullified.

Christian Standard Bible
If those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made empty and the promise nullified,

Holman Christian Standard Bible
If those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made empty and the promise is canceled.

American Standard Version
For if they that are of the law are heirs, faith is made void, and the promise is made of none effect:

Contemporary English Version
If Abraham and his descendants were given this promise because they had obeyed a law, then faith would mean nothing, and the promise would be worthless.

English Revised Version
For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise is made of none effect:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
If those who obey Moses' Teachings are the heirs, then faith is useless and the promise is worthless.

Good News Translation
For if what God promises is to be given to those who obey the Law, then faith means nothing and God's promise is worthless.

International Standard Version
For if those who were given the Law are the heirs, then faith is useless and the promise is worthless,

Majority Standard Bible
For if those who live by the law are heirs, faith is useless and the promise is worthless,

NET Bible
For if they become heirs by the law, faith is empty and the promise is nullified.

New Heart English Bible
For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void, and the promise is made of no effect.

Webster's Bible Translation
For if they who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of no effect.

Weymouth New Testament
For if it is the righteous through Law who are heirs, then faith is useless and the promise counts for nothing.

World English Bible
For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void, and the promise is made of no effect.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
for if they who are of law [are] heirs, faith has been made void, and the promise has been made useless;

Berean Literal Bible
For if those of the Law are heirs, faith has been made void and the promise made of no effect.

Young's Literal Translation
for if they who are of law are heirs, the faith hath been made void, and the promise hath been made useless;

Smith's Literal Translation
For if they of the law, heirs, faith was made void, and the promise left inactive:
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
For if they who are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, the promise is made of no effect.

Catholic Public Domain Version
For if those who are of the law are the heirs, then faith becomes empty and the Promise is abolished.

New American Bible
For if those who adhere to the law are the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void.

New Revised Standard Version
If it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
For if they had become heirs by means of the law, then faith would have been empty and the promise made of no effect.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
For if these who are of The Written Law were the heirs, faith would have been worthless and The Promise would have been void.
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
For if they that are of the law be heirs, the faith is made powerless, and the promise is unmeaning;

Godbey New Testament
For if the heirs were by the law, faith has been made void, and the promise vitiated.

Haweis New Testament
For if they who are of the law are heirs, faith becomes vain, and the promise is useless:

Mace New Testament
for if they only who are of the law have right of possession, faith is made useless, and the promise becomes of no effect.

Weymouth New Testament
For if it is the righteous through Law who are heirs, then faith is useless and the promise counts for nothing.

Worrell New Testament
For, if those who are of the law are heirs, faith has been made void, and the promise has been brought to nought;

Worsley New Testament
for if they only that are of the law be heirs, faith is made useless, and the promise is become of no effect.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Abraham Receives the Promise
13For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world was not given through the law, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. 14For if those who live by the law are heirs, faith is useless and the promise is worthless, 15because the law brings wrath. And where there is no law, there is no transgression.…

Cross References
Galatians 3:18
For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on a promise; but God freely granted it to Abraham through a promise.

Galatians 3:21-22
Is the law, then, opposed to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come from the law. / But the Scripture pronounces all things confined by sin, so that by faith in Jesus Christ the promise might be given to those who believe.

Galatians 3:29
And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise.

Ephesians 2:8-9
For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, / not by works, so that no one can boast.

Hebrews 11:6
And without faith it is impossible to please God. For anyone who approaches Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.

Romans 3:27-28
Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of works? No, but on that of faith. / For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the law.

Romans 5:1-2
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, / through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.

Galatians 2:16
know that a man is not justified by works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.

Philippians 3:9
and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God on the basis of faith.

Titus 3:5-7
He saved us, not by the righteous deeds we had done, but according to His mercy, through the washing of new birth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. / This is the Spirit He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, / so that, having been justified by His grace, we would become heirs with the hope of eternal life.

2 Timothy 1:9
He has saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works, but by His own purpose and by the grace He granted us in Christ Jesus before time began.

John 1:17
For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

Acts 13:39
Through Him everyone who believes is justified from everything from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.

Genesis 15:6
Abram believed the LORD, and it was credited to him as righteousness.

Genesis 17:4-5
“As for Me, this is My covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. / No longer will you be called Abram, but your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations.


Treasury of Scripture

For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:

For if.

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,

Galatians 2:21
I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

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…

made.

Romans 3:31
Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.

Numbers 30:12,15
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…

Psalm 119:126
It is time for thee, LORD, to work: for they have made void thy law.

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Adherents Counts Effect Faith Heirs Heritage Law Null Nullified Power Promise Righteous Use Useless Vain Value Void Word Worthless
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Adherents Counts Effect Faith Heirs Heritage Law Null Nullified Power Promise Righteous Use Useless Vain Value Void Word Worthless
Romans 4
1. Abraham's faith was credited to him as righteousness;
10. before he was circumcised.
13. By faith only he and his seed received the promise.
16. Abraham is the father of all who believe.
24. Our faith also shall be credited to us as righteousness.














For if those who live by the law
This phrase refers to individuals who attempt to achieve righteousness and inheritance of God's promises through adherence to the Mosaic Law. The Greek word for "law" here is "νόμος" (nomos), which encompasses not only the written commandments but also the broader legalistic system. Historically, the Jewish people were given the Law as a covenant through Moses, which was meant to guide them in holiness. However, Paul argues that reliance on the law for salvation negates the necessity of faith. This reflects a key theological point: the law was never intended to be the ultimate means of salvation but a guide pointing to the need for a savior.

are heirs
The term "heirs" in Greek is "κληρονόμοι" (klēronomoi), which implies receiving an inheritance. In the biblical context, this inheritance is the promise of eternal life and the blessings of God's kingdom. The concept of inheritance is deeply rooted in the Old Testament, where God promised Abraham that his descendants would inherit the land. Paul is emphasizing that the true heirs of God's promises are not those who rely on the law but those who have faith, aligning with the promise given to Abraham, which was based on faith, not law.

faith is useless
The Greek word for "useless" is "κενή" (kenē), meaning empty or void. Paul is making a profound statement about the nature of faith in relation to the law. If inheritance could be obtained through the law, then faith, which is central to the Christian doctrine, would be rendered ineffective. This underscores the importance of faith as the means by which believers are justified and receive God's promises. It is a call to trust in God's grace rather than human efforts.

and the promise is worthless
The word "worthless" in Greek is "καταργέω" (katargeō), which means to abolish or nullify. The promise refers to the covenantal assurances given by God, particularly the promise to Abraham that he would be the father of many nations and that through his seed all nations would be blessed. If the law were the means to achieve this promise, then the promise itself would be nullified because it was given based on faith, not law. This highlights the continuity of God's plan from the Old Testament to the New Testament, where faith is the consistent requirement for receiving God's promises.

(14-17) This Messianic kingdom cannot have anything to do with law; for if it had, faith and the promise would cease to have any office. Faith and law cannot co-exist. They are the opposites of each other. The proper effect of law is punishment; for law only exposes sin. Faith, on the other hand, is the real key to the inheritance. It sets in motion grace; and grace, unlike law, excludes no one. It is open alike to the legal and to the spiritual descendants of Abraham; in other words (as the Scripture itself testifies), to all mankind, as the representative of whom Abraham stands before God.

(14) Is made void.--Literally, emptied of its meaning, becomes an empty name, and the promise is rendered nugatory. There is nothing left for either to do, if the votaries of law, simply as such, are to be the inheritors of the Messianic kingdom.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
For
γὰρ (gar)
Conjunction
Strong's 1063: For. A primary particle; properly, assigning a reason.

if
εἰ (ei)
Conjunction
Strong's 1487: If. A primary particle of conditionality; if, whether, that, etc.

those
οἱ (hoi)
Article - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

[who live by]
ἐκ (ek)
Preposition
Strong's 1537: From out, out from among, from, suggesting from the interior outwards. A primary preposition denoting origin, from, out.

[the] Law
νόμου (nomou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 3551: From a primary nemo; law, genitive case, specially, (including the volume); also of the Gospel), or figuratively.

[are] heirs,
κληρονόμοι (klēronomoi)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 2818: From kleros and the base of nomos (reflexively) getting by apportionment); a sharer by lot, i.e. Inheritor; by implication, a possessor.

faith
πίστις (pistis)
Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 4102: Faith, belief, trust, confidence; fidelity, faithfulness.

is useless
κεκένωται (kekenōtai)
Verb - Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2758: (a) I empty, (b) I deprive of content, make unreal. From kenos; to make empty, i.e. to abase, neutralize, falsify.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

the
(hē)
Article - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

promise
ἐπαγγελία (epangelia)
Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1860: A promise. From epaggello; an announcement.

is worthless,
κατήργηται (katērgētai)
Verb - Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2673: From kata and argeo; to be entirely idle, literally or figuratively.


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