Romans 4:24
But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;
Original Language Analysis
ἀλλὰ
But
G235
ἀλλὰ
But
Strong's:
G235
Word #:
1 of 18
properly, other things, i.e., (adverbially) contrariwise (in many relations)
καὶ
also
G2532
καὶ
also
Strong's:
G2532
Word #:
2 of 18
and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
δι'
for
G1223
δι'
for
Strong's:
G1223
Word #:
3 of 18
through (in very wide applications, local, causal, or occasional)
οἷς
to whom
G3739
οἷς
to whom
Strong's:
G3739
Word #:
5 of 18
the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that
μέλλει
it shall be
G3195
μέλλει
it shall be
Strong's:
G3195
Word #:
6 of 18
to intend, i.e., be about to be, do, or suffer something (of persons or things, especially events; in the sense of purpose, duty, necessity, probabili
λογίζεσθαι
imputed
G3049
λογίζεσθαι
imputed
Strong's:
G3049
Word #:
7 of 18
to take an inventory, i.e., estimate (literally or figuratively)
τοῖς
G3588
τοῖς
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
8 of 18
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
πιστεύουσιν
if we believe
G4100
πιστεύουσιν
if we believe
Strong's:
G4100
Word #:
9 of 18
to have faith (in, upon, or with respect to, a person or thing), i.e., credit; by implication, to entrust (especially one's spiritual well-being to ch
ἐπὶ
on
G1909
ἐπὶ
on
Strong's:
G1909
Word #:
10 of 18
properly, meaning superimposition (of time, place, order, etc.), as a relation of distribution (with the genitive case), i.e., over, upon, etc.; of re
τὸν
G3588
τὸν
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
11 of 18
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
ἐγείραντα
him that raised up
G1453
ἐγείραντα
him that raised up
Strong's:
G1453
Word #:
12 of 18
to waken (transitively or intransitively), i.e., rouse (literally, from sleep, from sitting or lying, from disease, from death; or figuratively, from
Ἰησοῦν
Jesus
G2424
Ἰησοῦν
Jesus
Strong's:
G2424
Word #:
13 of 18
jesus (i.e., jehoshua), the name of our lord and two (three) other israelites
τὸν
G3588
τὸν
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
14 of 18
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
κύριον
Lord
G2962
κύριον
Lord
Strong's:
G2962
Word #:
15 of 18
supreme in authority, i.e., (as noun) controller; by implication, master (as a respectful title)
Cross References
Acts 2:24Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.1 Peter 1:21Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.Acts 13:30But God raised him from the dead:
Historical Context
In the first century, resurrection was the ultimate impossibility—'once dead, always dead' was philosophical consensus. The claim that God raised Jesus was as scandalous and impossible-sounding as the claim that Abraham and Sarah would have a child in their nineties. Paul presents resurrection faith as the Christian equivalent to Abrahamic faith—trusting God to do what nature declares impossible, based on His promise and power.
Questions for Reflection
- How is Abraham's faith in God giving life to Sarah's dead womb parallel to Christian faith in Jesus's resurrection?
- Why does Paul emphasize believing in 'God who raised Jesus' rather than just 'believing in Jesus'?
- What does it reveal about justifying faith that it centers on resurrection—life from death—rather than moral improvement?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Paul makes the explicit connection: the imputation declared over Abraham extends alla kai di' hēmas (ἀλλὰ καὶ δι' ἡμᾶς, "but also because of us"). The relative clause hois mellei logizesthai (οἷς μέλλει λογίζεσθαι, "to whom it is about to be reckoned") uses the future tense, pointing to eschatological justification at the final judgment—though for believers this is certain. The condition: pisteuousin epi ton egeiranta Iēsoun (πιστεύουσιν ἐπὶ τὸν ἐγείραντα Ἰησοῦν, "believing upon the one who raised Jesus").
Notice the parallel: Abraham believed God who gives life to the dead (v. 17); we believe God who raised Jesus from the dead. The impossible birth of Isaac from the dead womb typologically points to the resurrection of Christ from the tomb. Abraham's faith in God's life-creating power prefigures Christian faith in God's resurrection power. Both trust God to bring life from death, promise from impossibility. Ton kyrion hēmōn (τὸν κύριον ἡμῶν, "our Lord") identifies Jesus as sovereign—Thomas's confession in John 20:28, the earliest Christian creed.