Romans 4:17 Meaning and Explanation
“(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.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Abraham is father of many nations before the God he trusted, the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being what does not yet exist.
What Does Romans 4:17 Mean?
Paul quotes Genesis 17:5, where God renamed Abram and declared him father of many nations. This promise stood before God, in His presence and on His authority. The One who made it is described in two soaring phrases that define Abraham's faith.
God quickens the dead and calls things that are not as though they were. This is the God Abraham believed: One whose word brings life out of death and summons reality into being. Such a God can be trusted absolutely, for nothing lies beyond His power to fulfill. The same God who spoke creation into being and raises the dead is the God who keeps His promises. Faith fastens onto this God, and so it never trusts in vain.
Romans 4:17 in the Original Language
zoopoieo (ζῳοποιέω), 'quickeneth' -- to make alive, to give life.
Frequently Asked Questions About Romans 4:17
What does Romans 4:17 mean?
Abraham is father of many nations before the God he trusted, the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being what does not yet exist.