independentparticipialrelativepurposecausecomparativecontentconditionalphrase modifierdashed = verbless / suspended
Flush-left = a main (independent) clause. Each dependent line begins directly beneath the word it attaches to in the line above — the anchor word is dotted-underlined, and lights up when you hover its dependent clause; each tag also names the attachment. A dashed border marks verbless, elliptical, or suspended lines. Where a long sentence's staircase runs wider than the page, the diagram scrolls sideways. (In print, or without JavaScript, lines fall back to stepped indent columns.)
Reckoned, not earned — Abraham and David 4:1–8
vv. 1–3 — the test case: what did Abraham find?
1
Τί οὖν ἐροῦμεν εὑρηκέναι Ἀβραὰμ τὸν προπάτορα ἡμῶν κατὰ σάρκα;independent — the diatribe hinge (cf. 3:5) turned on the patriarch himself
2
εἰ γὰρ Ἀβραὰμ ἐξ ἔργων ἐδικαιώθη,conditional — protasis — leans on the apodosis below; the hypothesis to be overturned
ἔχει καύχημα·independent — apodosis — the boast conceded for argument's sake
ἀλλ' οὐ πρὸς θεόν.independent — the crushing rider — elliptical; boasting dies πρὸς θεόν (3:27)
3
τί γὰρ ἡ γραφὴ λέγει;independent — the appeal to Scripture — the diatribe's arbiter
Ἐπίστευσεν δὲ Ἀβραὰμ τῷ θεῷ,content — Gen 15:6 — the chapter's anchor text
καὶ ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ εἰς δικαιοσύνην.content — Gen 15:6 — λογίζομαι, the ledger word that rules the chapter
vv. 4–5 — wage versus gift
4
τῷ δὲ ἐργαζομένῳ ὁ μισθὸς οὐ λογίζεται κατὰ χάριν ἀλλὰ κατὰ ὀφείλημα·independent — the wage principle — pay is owed, not given
5
τῷ δὲ μὴ ἐργαζομένῳ, πιστεύοντι δὲ ἐπὶ τὸν δικαιοῦντα τὸν ἀσεβῆ, λογίζεται ἡ πίστις αὐτοῦ εἰς δικαιοσύνην,independent — the counter-case — God justifies the ἀσεβής: the scandal of grace
vv. 6–8 — David's second witness
6
καθάπερ καὶ Δαυὶδ λέγει τὸν μακαρισμὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπουcomparative — the second witness summoned — καθάπερ aligns David with Abraham
ᾧ ὁ θεὸς λογίζεται δικαιοσύνην χωρὶς ἔργων·relative — on ἀνθρώπου — crediting χωρὶς ἔργων, the point of contact
7
Μακάριοι ὧν ἀφέθησαν αἱ ἀνομίαιcontent — Ps 32:1 (LXX 31:1) — forgiveness as blessedness
καὶ ὧν ἐπεκαλύφθησαν αἱ ἁμαρτίαι,content — Ps 32:1 — the covering: atonement imagery
8
μακάριος ἀνὴρ οὗ οὐ μὴ λογίσηται κύριος ἁμαρτίαν.content — Ps 32:2 — οὐ μὴ λογίσηται: the negative side of the crediting
Before circumcision — the seal of faith-righteousness 4:9–12
vv. 9–10 — when was it credited?
9
ὁ μακαρισμὸς οὖν οὗτος ἐπὶ τὴν περιτομὴν ἢ καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν ἀκροβυστίαν;independent — the scope question — verbless
λέγομεν γάρ·independent — the premise re-entered
Ἐλογίσθη τῷ Ἀβραὰμ ἡ πίστις εἰς δικαιοσύνην.content — Gen 15:6 reprised — now to be dated
10
πῶς οὖν ἐλογίσθη;independent — the timing question
ἐν περιτομῇ ὄντι ἢ ἐν ἀκροβυστίᾳ;independent — the alternatives — Gen 15 versus Gen 17
οὐκ ἐν περιτομῇ ἀλλ' ἐν ἀκροβυστίᾳ·independent — the answer — the crediting antedates the rite by years
vv. 11–12 — the seal, and the double fatherhood
11
καὶ σημεῖον ἔλαβεν περιτομῆς,independent — circumcision reclassified — a σημεῖον, not a ground
σφραγῖδα τῆς δικαιοσύνης τῆς πίστεως τῆς ἐν τῇ ἀκροβυστίᾳ,phrase modifier — apposition — σφραγίς: the rite ratifies a righteousness already held
εἰς τὸ εἶναι αὐτὸν πατέρα πάντων τῶν πιστευόντων δι' ἀκροβυστίας,purpose — εἰς τὸ εἶναι — God's design in the timing: the first fatherhood
εἰς τὸ λογισθῆναι αὐτοῖς τὴν δικαιοσύνην,purpose — the chain's next link — the Gentiles receive Abraham's crediting
12
καὶ πατέρα περιτομῆς τοῖς οὐκ ἐκ περιτομῆς μόνον ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς στοιχοῦσιν τοῖς ἴχνεσιν τῆς ἐν ἀκροβυστίᾳ πίστεως τοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν Ἀβραάμ.phrase modifier — coordinate with πατέρα (v. 11) — the second fatherhood; the two articles read as one group: circumcised who also walk
The promise through faith, not law 4:13–17
vv. 13–15 — the promise not through law
13
Οὐ γὰρ διὰ νόμου ἡ ἐπαγγελία τῷ Ἀβραὰμ ἢ τῷ σπέρματι αὐτοῦ,independent — verbless thesis — οὐ διὰ νόμου
τὸ κληρονόμον αὐτὸν εἶναι κόσμου,content — epexegetic articular infinitive — the promise's content, cosmic in scope
ἀλλὰ διὰ δικαιοσύνης πίστεως·independent — the true channel — elliptical counterpart of διὰ νόμου
14
εἰ γὰρ οἱ ἐκ νόμου κληρονόμοι,conditional — protasis — verbless; leans on the apodosis below
κεκένωται ἡ πίστιςindependent — apodosis — κεκένωται, perfect: hollowed out for good
καὶ κατήργηται ἡ ἐπαγγελία·independent — apodosis doubled — κατήργηται (the verb of 3:3)
15
ὁ γὰρ νόμος ὀργὴν κατεργάζεται·cause — why law voids promise — it works ὀργή, not inheritance
οὗ δὲ οὐκ ἔστιν νόμος, οὐδὲ παράβασις.independent — the axiom — locative οὗ with elliptical apodosis: no law, no counted breach
vv. 16–17 — therefore of faith, that it be by grace
16
διὰ τοῦτο ἐκ πίστεως,independent — verbless hinge — διὰ τοῦτο ἐκ πίστεως
ἵνα κατὰ χάριν,purpose — elliptical ἵνα — faith and grace stand or fall together (cf. v. 4)
εἰς τὸ εἶναι βεβαίαν τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν παντὶ τῷ σπέρματι,purpose — εἰς τὸ εἶναι — only grace makes the promise βεβαία
οὐ τῷ ἐκ τοῦ νόμου μόνον ἀλλὰ καὶ τῷ ἐκ πίστεως Ἀβραάμ,phrase modifier — the seed defined — both families of v. 11–12 included
ὅς ἐστιν πατὴρ πάντων ἡμῶν,relative — the chapter's thesis compressed into a relative clause
17
καθὼς γέγραπταιcomparative — the warrant for 'father of us all'
ὅτι Πατέρα πολλῶν ἐθνῶν τέθεικά σε,content — Gen 17:5 — τέθεικα, the perfect of a standing appointment
κατέναντι οὗ ἐπίστευσεν θεοῦrelative — attracted relative (= κατέναντι θεοῦ ᾧ ἐπίστευσεν) — resumes ὅς ἐστιν πατήρ after the citation
τοῦ ζῳοποιοῦντος τοὺς νεκροὺς καὶ καλοῦντος τὰ μὴ ὄντα ὡς ὄντα·participial — the God so trusted — resurrection and creation out of nothing, the ground of vv. 19–21
Hope against hope 4:18–22
18
ὃς παρ' ἐλπίδα ἐπ' ἐλπίδι ἐπίστευσενindependent — relative connective ὅς — functionally a fresh start; παρ' ἐλπίδα, ἐπ' ἐλπίδι: the paradox
εἰς τὸ γενέσθαι αὐτὸν πατέρα πολλῶν ἐθνῶνpurpose — εἰς τὸ γενέσθαι — purpose shading into result; Gen 17:5 fulfilled
κατὰ τὸ εἰρημένον·phrase modifier — read with ἐπίστευσεν — his believing conformed to the spoken word
Οὕτως ἔσται τὸ σπέρμα σου·content — Gen 15:5 — the stars of heaven
19
καὶ μὴ ἀσθενήσας τῇ πίστει κατενόησεν τὸ ἑαυτοῦ σῶμα ἤδη νενεκρωμένον,independent — κατενόησεν without οὐ — faith looks the facts full in the face
ἑκατονταετής που ὑπάρχων,participial — why 'dead' — a centenarian's body
καὶ τὴν νέκρωσιν τῆς μήτρας Σάρρας,phrase modifier — the second object of κατενόησεν — a double νέκρωσις
20
εἰς δὲ τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν τοῦ θεοῦ οὐ διεκρίθη τῇ ἀπιστίᾳindependent — οὐ διεκρίθη — no divided verdict on the promise
ἀλλ' ἐνεδυναμώθη τῇ πίστει,independent — the divine passive — God strengthens; ἀπιστίᾳ answered by πίστει
δοὺς δόξαν τῷ θεῷparticipial — the shape of the strengthening — doxology
21
καὶ πληροφορηθεὶςparticipial — πληροφορηθείς — coordinate with δούς: full conviction
ὅτι ὃ ἐπήγγελται δυνατός ἐστιν καὶ ποιῆσαι.content — the conviction — ὃ ἐπήγγελται fronted: power equal to promise
22
διὸ καὶ ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ εἰς δικαιοσύνην.independent — διὸ καί — Gen 15:6 drawn as conclusion: faith of this kind is what God counts
Written for us also 4:23–25
23
Οὐκ ἐγράφη δὲ δι' αὐτὸν μόνονindependent — the hermeneutical turn — Scripture aims beyond Abraham
ὅτι ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ,content — Gen 15:6 one last time — the quoted words themselves the subject
24
ἀλλὰ καὶ δι' ἡμᾶςphrase modifier — the counterpart of δι' αὐτόν — elliptical
οἷς μέλλει λογίζεσθαι,relative — on ἡμᾶς — μέλλει: the crediting stands ready for us
τοῖς πιστεύουσιν ἐπὶ τὸν ἐγείραντα Ἰησοῦν τὸν κύριον ἡμῶν ἐκ νεκρῶν,phrase modifier — apposition on οἷς — our faith mirrors Abraham's: the God who raises the dead (v. 17)
25
ὃς παρεδόθη διὰ τὰ παραπτώματα ἡμῶνrelative — the first limb — παρεδόθη, the divine passive; Isa 53:12 echo
καὶ ἠγέρθη διὰ τὴν δικαίωσιν ἡμῶν.relative — the matching limb — the second διά prospective: raised with our acquittal in view
Analysis. Romans 4 is a midrash on one verse, and the layout makes that visible: Genesis 15:6 enters as a blue content line under λέγει at v. 3 and then keeps returning — quoted again under λέγομεν at v. 9, drawn as the conclusion at v. 22 (διὸ καὶ ἐλογίσθη, now a purple main clause because Paul speaks it as his own verdict), and cited one last time under ἐγράφη at v. 23. Around it the chapter alternates flush-left textures and hanging chains: the diatribe questions of vv. 1–3 and 9–10 sit at margin (several verbless, dashed), the wage/gift antithesis of vv. 4–5 stands as two parallel main clauses, David's beatitude (Ps 32:1–2) hangs as a three-line column under one word (λέγει, v. 6), and the two great purpose chains descend stepwise — the εἰς τὸ εἶναι … εἰς τὸ λογισθῆναι chain of the double fatherhood (vv. 11–12) and the ἵνα … εἰς τό chain of vv. 16–17, which runs six levels deep to the God who gives life to the dead. Interpretive choices the layout takes a side on: in v. 12 the two articles (τοῖς οὐκ ἐκ περιτομῆς μόνον ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς στοιχοῦσιν) are read as one group — circumcised Jews who also walk in Abraham's uncircumcised faith — not two; κατέναντι οὗ ἐπίστευσεν (v. 17) is taken as an attracted relative (= κατέναντι θεοῦ ᾧ ἐπίστευσεν) resuming ὅς ἐστιν πατὴρ πάντων ἡμῶν, so it hangs on ἐστιν rather than on the quotation; κατὰ τὸ εἰρημένον (v. 18) is read with ἐπίστευσεν (his believing conformed to the spoken word) rather than with γενέσθαι; v. 19 follows the text without οὐ — Abraham squarely considered his dead body and Sarah's dead womb, and believed anyway; and in v. 25 the second διά is taken prospectively (raised with our justification in view) against a flattening 'because of' in both limbs.