The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Romans was written from Corinth about A.D. 58. The purpose of the letter is to secure the active support of the church in Rome for his missionary program. Paul stresses the universality of man’s sin but that God saves all men through faith in Christ. He discusses the place of Israel in God’s plan of salvation and how Christians should conduct themselves.

Romans 4

4:17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.