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Romans 4:16
ESV That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all,
NIV Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring--not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all.
NASB For this reason it is by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the Law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all,
CSB This is why the promise is by faith, so that it may be according to grace, to guarantee it to all the descendants--not only to the one who is of the law but also to the one who is of Abraham's faith. He is the father of us all.
NLT So the promise is received by faith. It is given as a free gift. And we are all certain to receive it, whether or not we live according to the law of Moses, if we have faith like Abraham’s. For Abraham is the father of all who believe.
KJV Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,

What does Romans 4:16 mean?

Paul restates in this verse what he has said in the previous verses, but he describes it from the positive perspective. He has been talking about God's promises to Abraham and his descendants. He says once again that receiving the promised inheritance depends on faith, not on following the law. Because it is received by faith, the promise rests on God's grace. This is critical, since no human effort can secure this inheritance (Romans 3:23). Our own failures to follow God would make us ineligible for that righteousness (Romans 3:10). Salvation comes as a gift, and it is guaranteed to all of Abraham's offspring: offspring defined by faith, not by legalism.

Paul has been careful to show that since Abraham was declared righteous by God for believing God, everyone who comes to God by faith is Abraham's offspring. This includes both Jews and Gentiles who believe in God. In that way, Abraham is the father of all believers.
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