Romans 4:4
New International Version
Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation.

New Living Translation
When people work, their wages are not a gift, but something they have earned.

English Standard Version
Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due.

Berean Standard Bible
Now the wages of the worker are not credited as a gift, but as an obligation.

Berean Literal Bible
Now to the one working, the reward is not reckoned according to grace, but according to debt.

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

New King James Version
Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt.

New American Standard Bible
Now to the one who works, the wages are not credited as a favor, but as what is due.

NASB 1995
Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due.

NASB 1977
Now to the one who works, his wage is not reckoned as a favor, but as what is due.

Legacy Standard Bible
Now to the one who works, his wage is not counted according to grace, but according to what is due.

Amplified Bible
Now to a laborer, his wages are not credited as a favor or a gift, but as an obligation [something owed to him].

Christian Standard Bible
Now to the one who works, pay is not credited as a gift, but as something owed.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Now to the one who works, pay is not considered as a gift, but as something owed.

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

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
But the wages of one who labors are not accounted to him as a favor, but as that which is owed to him.

Contemporary English Version
Money paid to workers isn't a gift. It is something they earn by working.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Now to him that worketh, the reward is not reckoned according to grace, but according to debt.

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

GOD'S WORD® Translation
When people work, their pay is not regarded as a gift but something they have earned.

Good News Translation
A person who works is paid wages, but they are not regarded as a gift; they are something that has been earned.

International Standard Version
Now to someone who works, wages are not considered a gift but an obligation.

Literal Standard Version
and to him who is working, the reward is not reckoned of grace, but of debt;

Majority Standard Bible
Now the wages of the worker are not credited as a gift, but as an obligation.

New American Bible
A worker’s wage is credited not as a gift, but as something due.

NET Bible
Now to the one who works, his pay is not credited due to grace but due to obligation.

New Revised Standard Version
Now to one who works, wages are not reckoned as a gift but as something due.

New Heart English Bible
Now to the one who works, the pay is not counted as gift, but as an obligation.

Webster's Bible Translation
Now to him that worketh, is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.

Weymouth New Testament
But in the case of a man who works, pay is not reckoned a favour but a debt;

World English Bible
Now to him who works, the reward is not counted as grace, but as something owed.

Young's Literal Translation
and to him who is working, the reward is not reckoned of grace, but of debt;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Abraham Justified by Faith
3For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” 4Now the wages of the worker are not credited as a gift, but as an obligation. 5However, to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness.…

Cross References
Romans 3:24
and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

Romans 11:6
And if it is by grace, then it is no longer by works. Otherwise, grace would no longer be grace.


Treasury of Scripture

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

Romans 9:32
Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;

Romans 11:6,35
And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work…

Matthew 20:1-16
For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard…

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Case Counted Credited Debt Due Favor Favour Gift Grace Obligation Pay Reckoned Reward Wage Wages Worketh Working Works
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Case Counted Credited Debt Due Favor Favour Gift Grace Obligation Pay Reckoned Reward Wage Wages Worketh Working Works
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.














(4) This, then (the righteousness attributed to Abraham), was an act of grace on the part of God, and not of merit on the part of man. It therefore carries with it no ground of boasting.

The proposition is put in a general form. Those who base their claim on works have a right to their reward. It is not conceded to them by any sort of imputation, but is their desert. On the other hand (Romans 4:5), those who rely only upon faith, even though ungodly themselves, have righteousness imputed to them. This latter was Abraham's case, and not the former. (The specific application to Abraham is not expressed, but implied.)

The reward.--Literally, his wages. The relation between what he receives and what he does is that of wages for work done. He can claim it, if need be, in a court of law. There is in it no element of grace, or favour, or concession.

Verses 4, 5. - Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt (literally, according to grace, but according to the debt, i.e. according to what is due). But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is reckoned for righteousness. The expression, "him that worketh" (τῷ ἐργαζομένῳ), evidently means him that works with a view to a reward which he can claim; or, as Luther explains it, "one who deals in works;" or, as we might say with the same signification, "the worker." (For a like use of the present participle, cf. Galatians 5:3, τῷ περιτεμνομένῳ.) So also in ver. 5, τῷ μὴ ἐργαζομένῳ means one who does not so work. Thus there is here no denial of the necessity of good works. It is the principle only of justification that is in view. "Neque enim fideles vult esse ignavos; sed tantum mercenarias esse vetat, qui a Deo quicquam reposcant quasi jure debitum" (Calvin). One view of the meaning of τῷ ἐργαζομένῳ is that it is equivalent to τῷ ἐργάτῃ, being meant as an illustration, thus: The workman's wage is due to him, and not granted as a favour (so Afford). But this notion does not suit the τῷ μὴ ἐργαζομένῳ in the following verse. The strong word ἀσεβῆ ("ungodly") is not to be understood as designating Abraham himself, the proposition being a general one. Nor does it imply that continued ἀσέβεια is consistent with justification; only that even the ἀσεβεῖς are justified through faith on their repentance and amendment (cf. Romans 5:6, ὑπὲρ ἀσεβῶν ἀπέθανε).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
Now
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

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

wages
μισθὸς (misthos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3408: (a) pay, wages, salary, (b) reward, recompense, punishment. Apparently a primary word; pay for service, good or bad.

of
Τῷ (Tō)
Article - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

[the] worker
ἐργαζομένῳ (ergazomenō)
Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2038: To work, trade, perform, do, practice, commit, acquire by labor.

are not credited
λογίζεται (logizetai)
Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 3049: To reckon, count, charge with; reason, decide, conclude; think, suppose.

as
κατὰ (kata)
Preposition
Strong's 2596: A primary particle; down, in varied relations (genitive, dative or accusative) with which it is joined).

a gift,
χάριν (charin)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 5485: From chairo; graciousness, of manner or act.

but
ἀλλὰ (alla)
Conjunction
Strong's 235: But, except, however. Neuter plural of allos; properly, other things, i.e. contrariwise.

as
κατὰ (kata)
Preposition
Strong's 2596: A primary particle; down, in varied relations (genitive, dative or accusative) with which it is joined).

an obligation.
ὀφείλημα (opheilēma)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3783: A debt, offense, sin. From opheilo; something owed, i.e. a due; morally, a fault.


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NT Letters: Romans 4:4 Now to him who works the reward (Rom. Ro)
Romans 4:3
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