Romans 4:15
13 For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world was not given through the law, but through the righteousness that comes by faith.
14 For if those who live by the law are heirs, faith is useless and the promise is worthless,
because the law brings wrath. And where there is no law, there is no transgression.
16 Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may rest on grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all.
17 As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the presence of God, in whom he believed, the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being what does not yet exist.
Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- because the law brings wrath. And where there is no law, there is no transgression.
- KJV
- Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.
- WEB
- For the law produces wrath; for where there is no law, neither is there disobedience.
- ASV
- for the law worketh wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there transgression.
- DARBY
- For law works wrath; but where no law is neither [is there] transgression.
- BLB
- For the law brings about wrath; and where there is no law, neither [is there] transgression.
- ÅB
- Loven fører til vrede, for der det ikke er noen lov er det heller ingen overtredelse.
- OTB
- fordi loven resulterer i vrede. Og der det ikke er noen lov, er det ingen overtredelse.
- B1930
- for loven virker vrede; men hvor det ikke er nogen lov, er det heller ingen overtredelse.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Romans 5:13
For sin was in the world before the law was given; but sin is not taken into account when there is no law.
Read in contextGalatians 3:10
All who rely on works of the law are under a curse. For it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.”
Read in contextRomans 3:19–20
Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God.
Read in context1 Corinthians 15:56
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
Read in contextRomans 7:7–25
What then shall we say? Is the law sin? Certainly not! Indeed, I would not have been mindful of sin if not for the law. For I would not have been aware of coveting if the law had not said, “Do not covet.”
Read in contextGalatians 3:19
Why then was the law given? It was added because of transgressions, until the arrival of the seed to whom the promise referred. It was administered through angels by a mediator.
Read in contextJohn 3:36
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life. Whoever rejects the Son will not see life. Instead, the wrath of God remains on him.”
Read in context2 Corinthians 3:7–9
Now if the ministry of death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at the face of Moses because of its fleeting glory,
Read in context