the father of the circumcised who are not only circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith which our father Abraham had before he was circumcised. 13 The promise to Abraham and his descendants, that he would be heir of the world, was not through the law but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if those who are of the law are to be the heirs, faith has no value and the promise is void, 15 because the law brings wrath, for where there is no law there is no transgression. 16 Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all his descendantsónot only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, for he is the father of us all 17 (as it is written, "I have made you the father of many nations") in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls things that do not exist as though they did. 18 In hope, he believed against hope, so that he became the father of many nations; as he had been told, "So shall your descendants be." 19 And he did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb. 20 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21 being fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. 22 That is why it was "reckoned to him as righteousness." 23 But the words, "it was reckoned to him," were written not for his sake alone, 24 but for us also. It will be reckoned to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, 25 who was delivered to death for our sins and was raised for our justification. 5 1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in our hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces perseverance; 4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. 6 When we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Why, one will hardly die for a righteous manóthough perhaps for a good man one will dare even to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us, in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved through him from the wrath of God. 10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11 Not only so, but we also rejoice in God