The Meaning of Romans 4:10 Explained

Romans 4:10

KJV: How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.

YLT: how then was it reckoned? he being in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision;

Darby: How then has it been reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.

ASV: How then was it reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

How  was it  then  reckoned?  when he was  in  circumcision,  or  in  uncircumcision?  Not  in  circumcision,  but  in  uncircumcision. 

What does Romans 4:10 Mean?

Context Summary

Romans 4:9-15 - This Blessedness Is For All
In Abraham's case it is clear that he was justified when he was still a Gentile. The initial badge of Judaism was stamped upon him long after he had believed God. The Apostle lays great stress on this order of time: first faith, then obedience, and afterward circumcision, that made him the father and founder of the Jewish people. Justification is imputed to him in the first stage-not in circumcision, not even in obedience, but in the simple act of believing God, as we have it in Genesis 15:6. We do not hear of circumcision till Genesis 17:1-27.
Clearly, then, if we Gentiles have Abraham's faith, we may also claim the same justifying righteousness, though we have not received any outward rite. And also, we may be reckoned among his children. If we enter into the meaning of these earlier stages of the patriarch's life, we may claim the promises made to him in uncircumcision. Count them up; they are yours. We, too, may become heirs of the world; in us also, because we are his seed, all mankind may be blessed. [source]

Chapter Summary: Romans 4

1  Abraham's faith was credited to him as righteousness;
10  before he was circumcised
13  By faith only he and his seed received the promise
16  Abraham is the father of all who believe
24  Our faith also shall be credited to us as righteousness

Greek Commentary for Romans 4:10

When he was in circumcision [εν περιτομηι οντι]
Dative masculine singular of the present active participle of ειμι — eimi “to him being in a state of circumcision or in a state of uncircumcision?” A pertinent point that the average Jew had not noticed. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Romans 4:10

Colossians 2:12 Having been buried with him in baptism [συνταπεντες αυτωι εν τωι βαπτισματι]
Second aorist passive participle of συνταπτω — sunthaptō old word, in N.T. only here and Romans 6:4, followed by associative instrumental case Thayer‘s Lexicon says: “For all who in the rite of baptism are plunged under the water, thereby declare that they put faith in the expiatory death of Christ for the pardon of their past sins.” Yes, and for all future sins also. This word gives Paul‘s vivid picture of baptism as a symbolic burial with Christ and resurrection also to newness of life in him as Paul shows by the addition “wherein ye were also raised with him” “In which baptism” First aorist passive indicative of συνεγειρω — sunegeirō late and rare verb (Plutarch for waking up together), in lxx, in N.T. only in Colossians 2:12; Colossians 3:1; Ephesians 2:6. In the symbol of baptism the resurrection to new life in Christ is pictured with an allusion to Christ‘s own resurrection and to our final resurrection. Paul does not mean to say that the new life in Christ is caused or created by the act of baptism. That is grossly to misunderstand him. The Gnostics and the Judaizers were sacramentalists, but not so Paul the champion of spiritual Christianity. He has just given the spiritual interpretation to circumcision which itself followed Abraham‘s faith (Romans 4:10-12). Cf. Galatians 3:27. Baptism gives a picture of the change already wrought in the heart “through faith” (δια της πιστεως — dia tēs pisteōs). [source]
James 2:21 Justified by works [εχ εργων εδικαιωτη]
First aorist passive indicative of δικαιοω — dikaioō (see Galatians and Romans for this verb, to declare righteous, to set right) in a question with ουκ — ouk expecting an affirmative answer. This is the phrase that is often held to be flatly opposed to Paul‘s statement in Romans 4:1-5, where Paul pointedly says that it was the faith of Abraham (Romans 4:9) that was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness, not his works. But Paul is talking about the faith of Abraham before his circumcision (Romans 4:10) as the basis of his being set right with God, which faith is symbolized in the circumcision. James makes plain his meaning also. [source]

What do the individual words in Romans 4:10 mean?

How then was it credited In circumcision being or uncircumcision Not but
πῶς οὖν ἐλογίσθη ἐν περιτομῇ ὄντι ἀκροβυστίᾳ οὐκ ἀλλ’

πῶς  How 
Parse: Adverb
Root: πῶς  
Sense: how, in what way.
ἐλογίσθη  was  it  credited 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: λογίζομαι  
Sense: to reckon, count, compute, calculate, count over.
περιτομῇ  circumcision 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: περιτομή  
Sense: circumcised.
ὄντι  being 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: εἰμί  
Sense: to be, to exist, to happen, to be present.
ἀκροβυστίᾳ  uncircumcision 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: ἀκροβυστία  
Sense: having the foreskin, uncircumcised.