4:1 那么，我们对于按照血统作我们祖宗的亚巴郎，可以说什么呢﹖
What then can we say that Abraham found, our ancestor according to the flesh? 4:2 如果亚巴郎是由于行为，成为义人，他就可以自夸了；但不是在天主前，
Indeed, if Abraham was justified on the basis of his works, he has reason to boast; but this was not so in the sight of God. 4:3 因为经上说：『亚巴郎信了天主，天主就以此算为他的正义。』
For what does the scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." 4:4 给工作的人工资，不算是恩惠，而是还债；
A worker’s wage is credited not as a gift, but as something due. 4:5 但为那没有工作，而信仰那使不虔敬的人复义之主的，这人的信德为他便算是正义，这才是恩惠。
But when one does not work, yet believes in the one who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness. 4:6 正如达味也称那没有功行，而蒙天主恩赐算为正义的人，是有福的一样：
So also David declares the blessedness of the person to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: 4:7 『罪恶蒙赦免，过犯得遮掩的人，是有福的；
"Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered. 4:8 上主不归咎于他的人，是有福的。』
Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not record." 4:9 那么，这种福分是仅加于受割损的人呢﹖还是也加于未受割损的人呢﹖我们说过：「亚巴郎的信德为他算为正义。」
Does this blessedness apply only to the circumcised, or to the uncircumcised as well? Now we assert that "faith was credited to Abraham as righteousness." 4:10 那么，由什么时候算起呢﹖是在他受割损以后呢？还是在他未受割损的时候？
Under what circumstances was it credited? Was he circumcised or not? He was not circumcised, but uncircumcised. 4:11 他后来领受了割损的标记，只是作为他未受割损时，因信德获得正义的印证。如此，亚巴郎作了一切未受割损而相信的人的父亲，使他们也同样因信德而算为正义；
And he received the sign of circumcision as a seal on the righteousness received through faith while he was uncircumcised. Thus he was to be the father of all the uncircumcised who believe, so that to them (also) righteousness might be credited, 4:12 同时也作受割损者的父亲，就是那些不仅受割损，而且也追随我们的祖宗亚巴郎，在未受割损时所走的信德之路的人。
as well as the father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised, but also follow the path of faith that our father Abraham walked while still uncircumcised. 4:13 因为许给亚巴郎和他的后裔的恩许，使他作世界的承继者，并不是借着法律，而是借着因信德而获得的正义，
It was not through the law that the promise was made to Abraham and his descendants that he would inherit the world, but through the righteousness that comes from faith. 4:14 因为假使属于法律的人才是承继者，那么信德便是空虚的，恩许就失了效力，
For if those who adhere to the law are the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. 4:15 因为法律只能激起天主的义怒：那里没有法律，那里就没有违犯。
For the law produces wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there violation. 4:16 为此，一切都是由于信德，为的是一切本着恩宠，使恩许为亚巴郎所有的一切后裔坚定不移，不仅为那属于法律的后裔，而且也为那有亚巴郎信德的后裔，
For this reason, it depends on faith, so that it may be a gift, and the promise may be guaranteed to all his descendants, not to those who only adhere to the law but to those who follow the faith of Abraham, who is the father of all of us, 4:17 正如经上所载：『我已立你为万民之父；』亚巴郎是在他所信的天主面前，就是在叫死者复活，叫那不存在的成为存在的那位面前，作我们众人的父亲。
as it is written, "I have made you father of many nations." He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into being what does not exist. 4:18 他在绝望中仍怀着希望而相信了，因此便成了万民之父，正如向他所预许的：『你的后裔也要这样多。』
He believed, hoping against hope, that he would become "the father of many nations," according to what was said, "Thus shall your descendants be." 4:19 他虽然快一百岁，明知自己的身体已经衰老，撒辣的胎也已绝孕；但他的信心却没有衰弱，
He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body as (already) dead 4:20 对于天主的恩许总没有因不信而犹疑，反而信心坚固，归光荣于天主，
He did not doubt God’s promise in unbelief; rather, he was empowered by faith and gave glory to God 4:21 且满心相信天主所应许的，必予完成。
and was fully convinced that what he had promised he was also able to do. 4:22 天主就以此算为他的正义。
That is why "it was credited to him as righteousness." 4:23 『算为他的正义』这句话，不是单为他个人写的，
But it was not for him alone that it was written that "it was credited to him"; 4:24 而且也是为了我们这些将来得算为正义的人，即我们这些相信天主使我们的主耶稣，由死者中复活的人写的；
it was also for us, to whom it will be credited, who believe in the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, 4:25 这耶稣曾为了我们的过犯被交付，又为了使我们成义而复活。
who was handed over for our transgressions and was raised for our justification.