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John 15

Amplified Bible, 2015 (AMP)

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¹ Then what becomes of [our] boasting? It is excluded [entirely ruled out, banished]. On what principle? On [the principle of good] works? No, but on the principle of faith.

² For we maintain that an individual is justified by faith distinctly apart from works of the Law [the observance of which has nothing to do with justification, that is, being declared free of the guilt of sin and made acceptable to God].

³ Or is God the God of Jews only? Is He not also the God of Gentiles [who were not given the Law]? Yes, of Gentiles also,

⁴ since indeed it is one [and the same] God who will justify the circumcised by faith [which began with Abraham] and the uncircumcised through [their newly acquired] faith.

⁵ Do we then nullify the Law by this faith [making the Law of no effect, overthrowing it]? Certainly not! On the contrary, we confirm and establish and uphold the Law [since it convicts us all of sin, pointing to the need for salvation].

⁶ What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather[1] humanly speaking, has found? [Has he obtained a favored standing?]

⁷ For if Abraham was justified [that is, acquitted from the guilt of his sins] by works [those things he did that were good], he has something to boast about, but not before God.

⁸ For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed in (trusted, relied on) God, and it was credited to his account as righteousness (right living, right standing with God)."

⁹ Now to a laborer, his wages are not credited as a favor or a gift, but as an obligation [something owed to him].

¹⁰ But to the one who does not work [that is, the one who does not try to earn his salvation by doing good], but believes and completely trusts in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is[2] credited to him as righteousness (right standing with God).

¹¹ And in this same way David speaks of the blessing on the one to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:

¹² "Blessed and happy and favored are those whose lawless acts have been forgiven, And whose sins have been covered up and completely buried.

¹³ "Blessed and happy and favored is the man whose sin the Lord will not take into account nor charge against him."

¹⁴ Is this blessing only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? For we say, "Faith was credited to Abraham as righteousness."

¹⁵ How then was it credited [to him]? Was it after he had been circumcised, or before? Not after, but while [he was] uncircumcised.

¹⁶ He received the sign of circumcision, a seal or confirmation of the righteousness which he had by faith while [he was still] uncircumcised—this was so that he would be the [spiritual] father of all who believe without being circumcised—so that righteousness would be credited to them,

¹⁷ and [that he would be] the [spiritual] father of those circumcised who are not only circumcised, but who also walk in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham which he had before he was circumcised.

¹⁸ For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would be heir of the world was not through [observing the requirements of] the Law, but through the righteousness of faith.

¹⁹ If those who are [followers] of the Law are [the true] heirs [of Abraham], then faith [leading to salvation] is of no effect and void, and the promise [of God] is nullified.

²⁰ For the Law results in [God's] wrath [against sin], but where there is no law, there is no violation [of it either].

²¹ Therefore, [inheriting] the promise depends entirely on faith [that is, confident trust in the unseen God], in order that it may be given as an act of grace [His unmerited favor and mercy], so that the promise will be [legally] guaranteed to all the descendants [of Abraham]—not only for those [Jewish believers] who keep the Law, but also for those [Gentile believers] who share the faith of Abraham, who is the [spiritual] father of us all—

²² (as it is written [in Scripture], "I have made you a father of many nations") in the sight of Him in whom he believed, that is, God[3] who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist.

²³ In hope against hope Abraham believed that he would become a father of many nations, as he had been promised [by God]: "So [numberless] shall your descendants be."

²⁴ Without becoming weak in faith he considered his own body, now as good as dead [for producing children] since he was about a hundred years old, and [he considered] the deadness of Sarah's womb.

²⁵ But he did not doubt or waver in unbelief concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong and empowered by faith, giving glory to God,

²⁶ being fully convinced that God had the power to do what He had promised.

²⁷ Therefore his faith was credited to him as righteousness (right standing with God).

#	AMP
1	Then what becomes of [our] boasting? It is excluded [entirely ruled out, banished]. On what principle? On [the principle of good] works? No, but on the principle of faith.
2	For we maintain that an individual is justified by faith distinctly apart from works of the Law [the observance of which has nothing to do with justification, that is, being declared free of the guilt of sin and made acceptable to God].
3	Or is God the God of Jews only? Is He not also the God of Gentiles [who were not given the Law]? Yes, of Gentiles also,
4	since indeed it is one [and the same] God who will justify the circumcised by faith [which began with Abraham] and the uncircumcised through [their newly acquired] faith.
5	Do we then nullify the Law by this faith [making the Law of no effect, overthrowing it]? Certainly not! On the contrary, we confirm and establish and uphold the Law [since it convicts us all of sin, pointing to the need for salvation].
6	What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather[1] humanly speaking, has found? [Has he obtained a favored standing?]
7	For if Abraham was justified [that is, acquitted from the guilt of his sins] by works [those things he did that were good], he has something to boast about, but not before God.
8	For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed in (trusted, relied on) God, and it was credited to his account as righteousness (right living, right standing with God)."
9	Now to a laborer, his wages are not credited as a favor or a gift, but as an obligation [something owed to him].
10	But to the one who does not work [that is, the one who does not try to earn his salvation by doing good], but believes and completely trusts in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is[2] credited to him as righteousness (right standing with God).
11	And in this same way David speaks of the blessing on the one to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:
12	"Blessed and happy and favored are those whose lawless acts have been forgiven, And whose sins have been covered up and completely buried.
13	"Blessed and happy and favored is the man whose sin the Lord will not take into account nor charge against him."
14	Is this blessing only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? For we say, "Faith was credited to Abraham as righteousness."
15	How then was it credited [to him]? Was it after he had been circumcised, or before? Not after, but while [he was] uncircumcised.
16	He received the sign of circumcision, a seal or confirmation of the righteousness which he had by faith while [he was still] uncircumcised—this was so that he would be the [spiritual] father of all who believe without being circumcised—so that righteousness would be credited to them,
17	and [that he would be] the [spiritual] father of those circumcised who are not only circumcised, but who also walk in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham which he had before he was circumcised.
18	For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would be heir of the world was not through [observing the requirements of] the Law, but through the righteousness of faith.
19	If those who are [followers] of the Law are [the true] heirs [of Abraham], then faith [leading to salvation] is of no effect and void, and the promise [of God] is nullified.
20	For the Law results in [God's] wrath [against sin], but where there is no law, there is no violation [of it either].
21	Therefore, [inheriting] the promise depends entirely on faith [that is, confident trust in the unseen God], in order that it may be given as an act of grace [His unmerited favor and mercy], so that the promise will be [legally] guaranteed to all the descendants [of Abraham]—not only for those [Jewish believers] who keep the Law, but also for those [Gentile believers] who share the faith of Abraham, who is the [spiritual] father of us all—
22	(as it is written [in Scripture], "I have made you a father of many nations") in the sight of Him in whom he believed, that is, God[3] who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist.
23	In hope against hope Abraham believed that he would become a father of many nations, as he had been promised [by God]: "So [numberless] shall your descendants be."
24	Without becoming weak in faith he considered his own body, now as good as dead [for producing children] since he was about a hundred years old, and [he considered] the deadness of Sarah's womb.
25	But he did not doubt or waver in unbelief concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong and empowered by faith, giving glory to God,
26	being fully convinced that God had the power to do what He had promised.
27	Therefore his faith was credited to him as righteousness (right standing with God).

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