Romans

Romans 4:17–21

¹⁷As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.”^d He is our father in the presence of God, in whom he believed, the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being what does not yet exist.

¹⁸Against 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.”^e ¹⁹Without weakening in his faith, he acknowledged the decrepitness of his body (since he was about a hundred years old) and the lifelessness of Sarah’s womb. ²⁰Yet he did not waver through disbelief in the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, ²¹being fully persuaded that God was able to do what He had promised.

Footnotes

d 4:17 Genesis 17:5|GEN 17:5
e 4:18 Genesis 15:5|GEN 15:5

Read all of Romans 4

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Greek it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Romans 4:17

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
As	καθὼς	kathōs	Adverb	G2531 just as, as
it is written	γέγραπται	gegraptai	Verb - Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular	G1125 I write
I have made	τέθεικά	tetheika	Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular	G5087 I put, place
you	σε	se	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person Singular	G4771 you
a father	Πατέρα	Patera	Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular	G3962 father, Father, ancestor
of many	πολλῶν	pollōn	Adjective - Genitive Neuter Plural	G4183 much, many, often
nations	ἐθνῶν	ethnōn	Noun - Genitive Neuter Plural	G1484 a race, people, the Gentiles
in the presence of	κατέναντι	katenanti	Preposition	G2713 opposite, in front of
God	Θεοῦ	Theou	Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular	G2316 God, a god
in whom	οὗ	hou	Personal / Relative Pronoun - Genitive Masculine Singular	G3739 who, which, what, that
he believed	ἐπίστευσεν	episteusen	Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular	G4100 I believe, have faith in
the	τοῦ	tou	Article - Genitive Masculine Singular	G3588 the
gives life	ζωοποιοῦντος	zōopoiountos	Verb - Present Participle Active - Genitive Masculine Singular	G2227 I make to live
to the	τοὺς	tous	Article - Accusative Masculine Plural	G3588 the
dead	νεκροὺς	nekrous	Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural	G3498 dead, a corpse
and	καὶ	kai	Conjunction	G2532 and, even, also, namely
calls	καλοῦντος	kalountos	Verb - Present Participle Active - Genitive Masculine Singular	G2564 I call, invite, name
being	ὄντα	onta	Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Neuter Plural	G1510 I am, exist
what	τὰ	ta	Article - Accusative Neuter Plural	G3588 the
not	μὴ	mē	Adverb	G3361 not, lest
yet	ὡς	hōs	Adverb	G5613 as, like as, how, while, so that
exist	ὄντα	onta	Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Neuter Plural	G1510 I am, exist

Romans 4:18

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Against	παρ’	par’	Preposition	G3844 from, in the presence of
all hope	ἐλπίδα	elpida	Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular	G1680 hope, expectation
in	ἐπ’	ep’	Preposition	G1909 on, to, against, on the basis of, at
hope	ἐλπίδι	elpidi	Noun - Dative Feminine Singular	G1680 hope, expectation
believed	ἐπίστευσεν	episteusen	Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular	G4100 I believe, have faith in
and so	εἰς	eis	Preposition	G1519 into, in, among, till, for
became	γενέσθαι	genesthai	Verb - Aorist Infinitive Middle	G1096 I come into being, am born
father	πατέρα	patera	Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular	G3962 father, Father, ancestor
of many	πολλῶν	pollōn	Adjective - Genitive Neuter Plural	G4183 much, many, often
nations	ἐθνῶν	ethnōn	Noun - Genitive Neuter Plural	G1484 a race, people, the Gentiles
just as	κατὰ	kata	Preposition	G2596 down from, against, according to, throughout, during
he had been told	εἰρημένον	eirēmenon	Verb - Perfect Participle Middle or Passive - Accusative Neuter Singular	G2046 I say, speak
So	Οὕτως	Houtōs	Adverb	G3779 thus, so, in this manner
your	σου	sou	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singular	G4771 you
offspring	σπέρμα	sperma	Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular	G4690 seed, offspring
be	ἔσται	estai	Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular	G1510 I am, exist

Romans 4:19

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Without	μὴ	mē	Adverb	G3361 not, lest
weakening	ἀσθενήσας	asthenēsas	Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular	G770 I am weak, sick
in	τῇ	tē	Article - Dative Feminine Singular	G3588 the
faith	πίστει	pistei	Noun - Dative Feminine Singular	G4102 faith, belief, trust
he acknowledged	κατενόησεν	katenoēsen	Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular	G2657 I understand, perceive, consider
the	τὸ	to	Article - Accusative Neuter Singular	G3588 the
decrepitness	νενεκρωμένον	nenekrōmenon	Verb - Perfect Participle Middle or Passive - Accusative Neuter Singular	G3499 I put to death, render weak
of his	ἑαυτοῦ	heautou	Reflexive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular	G1438 himself, herself, itself
body	σῶμα	sōma	Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular	G4983 body, flesh
since he was	ὑπάρχων	hyparchōn	Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular	G5225 I am, exist, am in possession
about	που	pou	Adverb	G4225 somewhere
a hundred years old	ἑκατονταετής	hekatontaetēs	Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular	G1541 a hundred years old
and	καὶ	kai	Conjunction	G2532 and, even, also, namely
the	τὴν	tēn	Article - Accusative Feminine Singular	G3588 the
lifelessness	νέκρωσιν	nekrōsin	Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular	G3500 putting to death, lifeless condition
of Sarah’s	Σάρρας	Sarras	Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular	G4564 Sarah
womb	μήτρας	mētras	Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular	G3388 the womb

Romans 4:20

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Yet	δὲ	de	Conjunction	G1161 but, on the other hand, and
he did not waver	διεκρίθη	diekrithē	Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular	G1252 I distinguish, discern, doubt, hesitate
through disbelief	ἀπιστίᾳ	apistia	Noun - Dative Feminine Singular	G570 unbelief, unfaithfulness, distrust
in	εἰς	eis	Preposition	G1519 into, in, among, till, for
the	τὴν	tēn	Article - Accusative Feminine Singular	G3588 the
promise	ἐπαγγελίαν	epangelian	Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular	G1860 a promise
of God	Θεοῦ	Theou	Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular	G2316 God, a god
but	ἀλλὰ	alla	Conjunction	G235 but, except
was strengthened	ἐνεδυναμώθη	enedynamōthē	Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular	G1743 I fill with power, strengthen
in his	τῇ	tē	Article - Dative Feminine Singular	G3588 the
faith	πίστει	pistei	Noun - Dative Feminine Singular	G4102 faith, belief, trust
gave	δοὺς	dous	Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular	G1325 I offer, give
glory	δόξαν	doxan	Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular	G1391 honor, renown, glory splendor
to God	Θεῷ	Theō	Noun - Dative Masculine Singular	G2316 God, a god

Romans 4:21

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
being fully persuaded that	πληροφορηθεὶς	plērophorētheis	Verb - Aorist Participle Passive - Nominative Masculine Singular	G4135 I carry out fully, fully convince
was	ἐστιν	estin	Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular	G1510 I am, exist
able	δυνατός	dynatos	Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular	G1415 powerful, able, possible
to do	ποιῆσαι	poiēsai	Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active	G4160 I do, make
what	ὃ	ho	Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular	G3739 who, which, what, that
He had promised	ἐπήγγελται	epēngeltai	Verb - Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular	G1861 I promise, profess