Romans 4

“What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.

“For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.

“Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.” The line’s distinctive content terms include debt, grace, reckoned. Its relationship to verses 3 and 5 shows what work it does in this passage.

“But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.” The line’s distinctive content terms include believeth, counted, faith. Its relationship to verses 4 and 6 shows what work it does in this passage.

“Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,” Naming David and Even keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.” Naming Blessed and Saying keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.” Naming Blessed keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.

“How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.

“And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being…” The line’s distinctive content terms include righteousness, believe, circumcised. Its relationship to verses 10 and 12 shows what work it does in this passage.

“And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that…” Naming Abraham keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“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…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth…” The verse names God rather than leaving the action without a source. Watch whether the next line continues, answers, or contrasts that action.

“Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations; according to that which was…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither…” The number hundred makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

“He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;” The promise, blessing, or covenant language needs its named recipient and scope. Those details prevent a personal word in the story from becoming a promise detached from context.

“And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.” The line’s distinctive content terms include able, fully, perform. Its relationship to verses 20 shows what work it does in this passage.

“And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.” The line’s distinctive content terms include imputed, righteousness. Its relationship to verses 23 shows what work it does in this passage.

“Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him;” The line’s distinctive content terms include imputed, sake, written. Its relationship to verses 22 and 24 shows what work it does in this passage.

“But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.” The line’s distinctive content terms include delivered, justification, offences. Its relationship to verses 24 shows what work it does in this passage.