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Robertson's Word Pictures of the NT

Romans 4:20

He wavered not through unbelief

(ου διεκριθη τη απιστια). First aorist passive indicative of old and common verb διακρινω, to separate, to distinguish between, to decide between, to desert, to dispute, to be divided in one's own mind. This last sense occurs here as in Matthew 21:22; Mark 11:23; Romans 14:23; James 1:6. "He was not divided in his mind by unbelief" (instrumental case).Waxed strong through faith

(ενεδυναμωθη τη πιστε). First aorist passive again of ενδυναμοω, late word to empower, to put power in, in LXX and Paul and Acts 9:22.

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See also Romans 4:20 in other biblical comments:

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    HE STAGGERED NOT - He was not moved, or agitated; he steadily and firmly believed the promise. GIVING GLORY TO GOD - Giving honor to God by the firmness with which he believed his promises. His conduc...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 4 _ 1. The Witness of Abraham to Justification. (Romans 4:1 .)_ 2. As Confirmed also by David. (Romans 4:6 .) 3. Circumcision the Sign of the Covenant. (Romans 4:9 .) 4. Faith in Him Who Ra...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    ROMANS 4:17 _B_ - ROMANS 4:25. FAITH IN GOD THE LIFE-GIVER. Romans 4:17 associates with the _scope_ the _quality_ of Abraham's faith. The patriarch's world-fatherhood was his in the sight of God whom...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    THE FAITH WHICH TAKES GOD AT HIS WORD (Romans 4:1-8)...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    In hope Abraham believed beyond hope that he would become the father of many nations, as the saying had it, "So will be your seed.?" He did not weaken in his faith, although he was well aware that by...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    STAGGERED. Greek. _diakrino._ App-122. Compare Matthew 21:21. THROUGH. by. WAS STRONG. Greek. _endunamoo._ See Acts 9:22. GLORY. See Romans 1:23 and...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _he staggered not_, &c. The Gr. suggests the paraphrase; "he looked away from his own physical state, only at the Promise, and did not doubt its terms just because they were the Promise. So he rose in...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    ΕἸΣ = in regard to. ΔΙΕΚΡΊΘΗ. Cf. Matthew 21:21; Mark 11:23; James 1:6; = did not hesitate; cf. S. H.; cf. Field, _ad loc_[121] ΤΗ͂Ι�., under the disbelief which was natural. [121] _ad loc._ ad locu...

  • Charles Rose Commentaries

    ΔΙΕΚΡΊΘΗ _aor. ind. pass. от_ ΔΙΑΚΡΊΝΩ (G1252) отделять, разделять, раздваиваться (о сознании), колебаться (RWP). ΈΝΕΔΥΝΑΜΏΘΗ _aor. ind. pass. от_ ΈΝΔΥΝΑΜΌΩ (G1743) укреплять; _pass._ укрепляться, ус...

  • Charles Simeon's Horae Homileticae

    DISCOURSE: 1839 ABRAHAM’S FAITH Romans 4:20. He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; and being fully persuaded that, what he had promised...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    _TEXT_ Romans 4:13-22. For not through the law was the promise to Abraham or to his seed that he should be heir of the world, but through the righteousness of faith. Romans 4:14 For if they that are o...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; HE STAGGERED ('HESITATED') NOT, [ diekrithee (G1252). In the New Testament, diakrinoo (G1252),...

  • Concordant Commentary on the New Testament by A. E. Knoch

    _JUSTIFICATION-INDIVIDUAL_ 13 As further developed in Galatians, the law was not given till hundreds of years after Abraham was counted righteous. The promises he received in connection with it were...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    4:20 faith, (f-15) 'Found strength in faith' may be rather free, but 'strengthened by faith' might very easily be applied to his body, whereas it means that he was inwardly strengthened by faith. It i...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    RV 'yea, looking unto the promise of God, he wavered not through unbelief, but waxed strong through faith.'...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    ACCEPTANCE BY FAITH FORESHADOWED IN THE OLD DISPENSATION In Romans 3:21.; St. Paul set forth the great truth of acceptance by faith. A Jew might object that it was new, and therefore not true. In Roma...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    PAUL’S LETTER TO THE *ROMANS ROMANS _HILDA BRIGHT AND KEITH SIMONS_ CHAPTER 4 ABRAHAM’S *FAITH 4:1-8 V1 We shall talk about our *ancestor Abraham. He discovered how to be *righteous. V2 But he d...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    IV. (1-25) The subject of the chapter is an application of the foregoing to the special (and crucial) case of Abraham, with particular reference to two ideas that are continually recurring throughout...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    (18-22) Extended description of the faith of Abraham....

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    IN FAITH. — Better, _through_ or _by faith,_ corresponding to “through unbelief” in the preceding clause. Unbelief did not make him doubt, but faith made him confident and strong. GIVING GLORY TO GOD....

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER 11 ABRAHAM (2) Romans 4:13 AGAIN we approach the name of Abraham, Friend of God, Father of the Faithful. We have seen him justified by faith, personally accepted because turning altogether t...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    The Apostle can now develop, without further interruption or digression, his idea of the representative (and therefore universal) character of Abraham's justification. The New Testament cannot be said...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    FOLLOWING ABRAHAM IN FAITH IN GOD Romans 4:16 Notice the remarkable alteration made by the r.v. in Romans 4:19. The a.v. suggests that Abraham refused to consider the physical disabilities which seem...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    The apostle now dealt with another difficulty that might arise in the mind of the Jew, showing that the method of grace, namely, imputing righteousness in response to faith, is in harmony with the who...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving (r) glory to God; (r) Acknowledged and praised God, as most gracious and true....

  • Godet's commentary on Luke, John, Romans, 1 Corinthians

    The δέ, _but_, denotes the contrast to the possible and natural result of this consideration. Strictly speaking, the antithesis would have been the ἐνεδυναυώθη, _he strengthened himself;_ but the apos...

  • Godet's commentary on Luke, John, Romans, 1 Corinthians

    TENTH PASSAGE (4:1-25). FAITH THE PRINCIPLE OF ABRAHAM'S JUSTIFICATION. Abraham being for the Jews the embodiment of salvation, his case was of capital moment in the solution of the question here tre...

  • Godet's commentary on Luke, John, Romans, 1 Corinthians

    3. ROMANS 4:17-21. The birth of Isaac was the work of faith; the apostle proves it by the Scripture narrative, the memory of which was present to the mind of all his readers, and which was intended t...

  • Godet's commentary on Luke, John, Romans, 1 Corinthians

    “ _And being not weak in faith, he considered his own body now dead he was about an hundred years old and the old age of Sarah's body; but having regard to the promise, he doubted not through unbelief...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations), before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. (18) Who again...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    The circumstances under which the epistle to the Romans was written gave occasion to the most thorough and comprehensive unfolding, not of the church, but of Christianity. No apostle had ever yet visi...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    20._Nor did he through unbelief make an inquiry_, _etc. _Though I do not follow the old version, nor [Erasmus ], yet my rendering is not given without reason. The Apostle seems to have had this in vie...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    In dealing with the Jew, and even in dealing with the question of righteousness, there was, besides the law, another consideration of great weight both with the Jews themselves and in the dealings of...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    HE STAGGERED NOT AT THE PROMISE OF GOD,.... There is no reason to stagger at, or hesitate about any of the promises of God, since they are made by him that cannot lie; his faithfulness is engaged to p...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; Ver. 20. _Giving glory to God_] Confessing and exalting God, asLuke 17:18, giving him a testimon...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Who_, &c. In this paragraph the apostle first takes notice of the difficulties which stood in the way of Abraham's faith, and then of the power and excellence of it, manifested in its triumphing over...

  • Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament (1851)

    HE STAGGERED NOT; he did not let his advanced age, or that of his wife, prevent him from believing that they should have a son and receive the blessings which God had promised. GIVING GLORY TO GOD; by...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    HE STAGGERED NOT AT THE PROMISE OF GOD THROUGH UNBELIEF, BUT WAS STRONG IN FAITH, GIVING GLORY TO GOD,...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    The Scriptural proof:...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    ABRAHAM AND DAVID JUSTIFIED BY FAITH Now there is deepest patience and grace shown on the part of God through Paul, His instrument in writing this epistle: for it is blessed to see that He gives no m...

  • Manly Luscombe Commentary on New Testament

    ROMANS 4:1-25 1. How was Abraham justified? 2. Could he have been justified by works? a. Why or why not? b. Faith excludes boasting 3:27 c. If saved by works, Abraham could glory 3. How did it h...

  • Mark Dunagan Commentaries

    YET, LOOKING UNTO THE PROMISE OF GOD, HE WAVERED NOT THROUGH UNBELIEF, BUT WAXED STRONG THROUGH FAITH, GIVING GLORY TO GOD, 'Wavered not through unbelief' -'He was not divided in his mind by unbelie...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    13-22 The promise was made to Abraham long before the law. It points at Christ, and it refers to the promise, Genesis 12:3. In Thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. The law worketh wrath,...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    THE PROMISE OF GOD; viz. in GENESIS 15:5, and GENESIS 17:16. GIVING GLORY TO GOD; as all do that rely upon the power and promise of God, setting to their seals that he is true....

  • McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries

    yet, looking unto the promise of God, he wavered not through unbelief, but waxed strong through faith, giving glory to God,...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Romans 4:20 G1161 not G3756 waver G1252 (G5681) at G1519 promise G1860 God G2316 unbelief G570 but...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    WHAT PAUL HAS JUST DESCRIBED IS NOW SEEN TO BE IN ACCORDANCE WITH IDEAS RELATED TO ABRAHAM AND DAVID (4:1-25). No one was of more importance to the Jews than Abraham. It was to him that God had given...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    3). ABRAHAM ILLUSTRATES THE FACT THAT GOD'S GREATEST GIFTS DO NOT COME TO US BECAUSE WE ‘OBEY THE LAW', BUT BECAUSE WE ‘BELIEVE IN THE LORD' (4:13-25). The importance of faith in the life of Abraham i...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    ‘Yet, looking to the promise of God, he wavered not through unbelief, but waxed strong through faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what he had promised, he was able also to perfor...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    2. PROOF FROM THE CASE OF ABRAHAM, THAT RIGHTEOUSNESS IS BY FAITH. The principle of faith, as the universal one, does not make void the law. In the truest sense it is by this principle that ‘we establ...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    Romans 4:20. YET WITH REGARD TO THE PROMISE OF GOD. ‘ Yet,' in contrast with the facts he ‘considered.' (If ‘not' is retained in Romans 4:19, this verse is not in contrast with what precedes). DID NO...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Romans 3:31 ; ROMANS 4 A Crucial Case. I. It was by his faith Abraham was justified, not by his works of obedience. Paul's proof of this is very simple. He finds a remarkable proof-text ready to his...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Romans 4:20 Religious faith Rational. To hear some men speak (I mean men who scoff at religion), it might be thought we never acted on faith and trust except in religious matters, whereas we are act...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Romans 4:16. _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...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Romans 4:1. _What shall we say then that Abraham our father as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?_ What blessings did really come to Abraham, the father of the faithful? What is the nature of that...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Romans 4:1. What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. For what saith...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Romans 4:1. _What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. For what sait...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Abraham justified by faith, not works. Justifying faith defined. CHARACTERS: God, Jesus, Abraham, David, Sarah. CONCLUSION: No man can pretend to merit eternal life, nor show any worth in...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Romans 4:1. _What shall we say then that Abraham, our father, as pertaining_ _to the flesh, hath found?_ How was he a sinner, an idolater, justified? _Was it by the flesh,_ as indicated by the word fa...

  • The Bible Study New Testament

    HIS FAITH DID NOT LEAVE HIM. He did not argue the impossibility of the promise, but waited patiently for it to come true!...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?_ LESSONS FROM THE CASE OF ABRAHAM I. However much the most perfect of the species may have to glory of in the...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _And being not weak in faith … he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief._ THE SINFULNESS OF STAGGERING I. What is it to stagger at the promise? The word “staggered” is properly to make...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    ROMANS—NOTE ON ROMANS 4:1 Abraham, the father of the Jewish people, is presented as a test case for the view that justification is by faith alone. ⇐...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _CRITICAL NOTES_ Romans 4:18.—Against hope as man; but upon hope in God (Severian). Romans 4:19.—In this passage Abraham is represented as placed between two opposite forces—that of sight and that o...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION ROMANS 4:1 (5) _Abraham himself shown to have been justified by faith, and not by works, believers being his true heirs._ The main points of the argument may be summarized thus: When Abra...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Now what shall we say concerning Abraham the father, as pertaining to the flesh, what did he find? For if Abraham were justified by his works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God (Romans 4:1-...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Corinthians 16:13; 2 Chronicles 20:15; 2 Corinthians 12:10; 2 Kings 7:19;...

  • Vincent's Word Studies in the New Testament (4 Volume Set)

    Staggered [δ ι ε κ ρ ι θ η]. Rev., better, wavered. See on Acts 11:12; James 1:6; James 2:4. The word implies a mental struggle. Promise [ε π α γ γ ε λ ι α ν]. See on Acts 1:4.

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    ABRAHAM AN EXEMPLAR OF FAITH Romans 4:1, _Romans 4:13_ INTRODUCTORY WORDS In our verses there are several things relative to the faith of Abraham that are worthy of note: 1. WHAT DID ABRAHAM FIND A...

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Old Testament