⁷ “Blessed and to be envied,” he said, “are those whose sins are forgiven and put out of sight. ⁸ Yes, what joy there is for anyone whose sins are no longer counted against him by the Lord.”^[a]

⁹ Now then, the question: Is this blessing given only to those who have faith in Christ but also keep the Jewish laws, or is the blessing also given to those who do not keep the Jewish rules but only trust in Christ? Well, what about Abraham? We say that he received these blessings through his faith. Was it by faith alone, or because he also kept the Jewish rules?