Romans 4:23

Now the words “it was credited to him” were written not only for Abraham,

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — Paul writes to the Roman church mid-argument in Romans 4, clarifying the scope of the Genesis quotation he just cited.

The words — ἐλογίσθη (elogisthē) means “it was credited,” and ἐγράφη (egraphē) means “it was written,” anchoring the passage as a recorded accounting.

The thread — The function of Scripture as instruction for later readers runs through 1 Corinthians 10:11, Romans 15:4, and 1 Corinthians 10:6, where past events are explicitly preserved as warnings and examples.

Why it lands — The text states the Genesis record was written not only for Abraham but for believers who trust God who raised Jesus, requiring the reader to apply the same credited righteousness to themselves.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Greek words

ΟὐκOukNot ἐγράφηegraphēit was written δὲdenow δι᾽di᾽on account of αὐτὸνautonhim μόνονmononalone ὅτιhotithat ἐλογίσθηelogisthēit was credited αὐτῷ,autōto him,

King James Version

Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him;

Cross-references

1 Corinthians 10:11 Now these things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come.
Romans 15:4 For everything that was written in the past was written for our instruction, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures, we might have hope.
1 Corinthians 10:6 These things took place as examples to keep us from craving evil things as they did.
2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
1 Corinthians 9:9 For it is written in the Law of Moses: “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.” Is it about oxen that God is concerned?