What Does Romans 4:16 Mean in the King James?
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,
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The promise becomes firm through trust and favor, reaching every branch of Abraham’s family.
THE MEANING
The promise is firm for you through trust and favor, and it reaches the whole family of Abraham. Abraham (אַבְרָהָם, Avraham) carries the stated nature “father of many nations”; here that reach includes those associated with the law and those who share his trust.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
The promise is certain only for those who meet the law’s terms.
THE ROOT
πίστεως
pisteōs
GROWS FROM
πείθω
peithō
To persuade, be persuaded, and come to trust.
Here faith is more than agreement with a claim: the word belongs to the Greek family of being persuaded and trusting. Paired with favor, it describes trust receiving a promise whose reach is not confined to one legal standing.
ALSO GROWS
pepoithēsis: Confidence or trust.
πεποίθησις
This branch makes the movement from being persuaded to placing confidence visible.
pistos: Trustworthy or faithful.
πιστός
This branch describes the reliability associated with trust, a quality also attributed to Abraham in Galatians 3:9.
βεβαίαν
bebaian
GROWS FROM
βέβαιος
bebaios
Firm, established, dependable.
The word translated “sure” belongs to a family for making something firm and confirming it. The promise is established for the whole seed, so its certainty reaches beyond a single boundary of law.
ALSO GROWS
bebaioō: To confirm, establish, or make firm.
βεβαιόω
This branch shows the action behind the promise’s firmness.
bebaiōsis: Confirmation or assurance.
βεβαίωσις
This branch names the confirming that makes a commitment dependable.
χάριτι
chariti
GROWS FROM
χάρις
charis
Favor or goodwill freely shown.
“grace” in this verse is chariti. The Greek word for favor also appears in words for granting freely and for a gift. The promise rests on favor that reaches its recipients, rather than being a wage earned by meeting a boundary.
ALSO GROWS
charizomai: To grant freely as a favor; to forgive or release a debt.
χαρίζομαι
This branch shows favor taking the form of something freely granted.
charisma: A gift freely given as favor.
χάρισμα
This branch reveals the gift-like character of favor in the promise.
THE PATTERN
The promise is made firm through trust and favor, extending Abraham’s family across many peoples.
Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.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.Where in God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath:THE THREAD
So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.The same Greek family appears in “of faith” as πίστις (pistis, “trust”) and in “faithful” as πιστός (pistos, “trustworthy”). That shared root shows Abraham’s family as one formed through trust, opening “all the seed” beyond a single law-defined line.
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