4:11a–b

And he received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith: There are two ways to interpret the relationship between the word sign and the word seal :

(1) The word seal further explains here what circumcision is. For example:

And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith (New International Version)

(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible, New Revised Standard Version, New American Standard Bible, New American Bible, Revised Edition, King James Version, English Standard Version, NET Bible, Revised English Bible)

(2) The word seal means the same thing as sign here. For example:

He was circumcised later, and his circumcision was a sign to show that because of his faith God had accepted him as righteous before he had been circumcised. (Good News Translation)

(Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, New Living Translation (2004), New Century Version)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), because the word seal adds the meaning of “confirm as true.”

4:11a

he received the sign of circumcision: In English, received indicates that someone gave but the word “take” does not. In some languages there is only one word that means both “receive” and “take.” If your word would mean “take” here, translate in a way that indicates that God gave this sign. For example:

He was given the sign of circumcision
-or-

⌊God⌋ gave the sign of circumcision to him

sign: This word refers to something that has a symbolic meaning. Circumcision was a sign that Abraham and his descendants had a relationship with God. Here are other ways to translate this word:

mark (God’s Word)
-or-
Abraham was marked with the sign of circumcision

4:11b

a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith: Here the word seal refers to a way to confirm that God had declared Abraham righteous. God told Abraham to be circumcised. That circumcision was visual evidence that God had declared Abraham righteous. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

hallmark of that righteousness which faith had given him (Revised English Bible)
-or-
a guarantee that the faith which he had while still uncircumcised was reckoned to him as uprightness (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
a sign which confirmed that God’s counting him as righteous was on account of his faith

the righteousness that he had by faith: These words refer to Abraham believing in God and so God declared him righteous. See the examples above.

faith: This word refers to believing in God. In some languages, this word must be a verb. Also, in some languages, whom is believed in must be said. For example:

believing ⌊in God⌋

4:11c

while he was still uncircumcised: Here Paul made it clear that Abraham was an uncircumcised man when he believed and God declared him right in His sight.

4:11d

So then, he is: The Greek is literally “for him to be.” It probably indicates purpose here. Here are other ways to translate these words:

In this way, Abraham was to be (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
so that he would become (NET Bible)

This purpose has become true already. In some languages a purpose clause implies that it has not yet become true. If that is true in your language, translate it as result. For example:

So Abraham is (New Century Version)

the father of all: The word father is a metaphor here. God uses Abraham as an example of an uncircumcised person who truly believed in God, and his story occurs early in the Bible. So in that way he like a father (or ancestor) to those who later believe and are not circumcised. Abraham is not the physical ancestor of those people.

In some languages translating father literally would indicate only an actual ancestor. If that is true in your language, indicate that it has a figurative meaning. For example:

⌊like⌋ the father of all
-or-

⌊to be thought of as a⌋ father of all
-or-
the ancestor/leader of all
-or-
we all consider Abraham as father
-or-
the ⌊spiritual⌋ father of all

4:11e

in order that righteousness might be credited to them:
Here the phrase in order that introduces the purpose of Abraham becoming the father of all believers who are not circumcised. Here are other ways to translate this clause:

so that they might be reckoned as upright (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
that they too could have righteousness credited to them (NET Bible)

However, if you translated 4:11d as a result clause, you should do the same here. For example:

and so righteousness is also counted to them
-or-
and are accepted as righteous by him (Good News Translation)
-or-
and God declares them to be righteous also

righteousness might be credited to them: This clause is passive. Some languages must use an active clause. For example:

⌊God⌋ might credit righteousness to them

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