The KJV renders the same Greek word as “to count” in Romans 4:3, 5 and “to reckon” in Romans 4:4, 9, 10[1]—an inconsistency that obscures Paul’s argument rather than clarifying it.
The underlying Greek term is logízomai, which carries a consistent meaning across all these occurrences. Since the meaning “to reckon” is closest to the Greek word, modern versions render it consistently in all of these references[1]. This matters because Paul is building an extended argument about how God accounts or credits faith to Abraham, and switching between “count” and “reckon” creates the false impression that different concepts are at work.
Paul employs “catchwords” throughout Romans 4, particularly “it is reckoned” (logízomai) and faith-related terminology, which are sprinkled liberally throughout the chapter to indicate intense concentration on the Genesis 15:6 text[2]. When translators vary their English rendering of the same Greek word, they undermine this rhetorical strategy and confuse readers about whether Paul is making the same theological point or introducing distinctions that don’t exist in the original.
A good version must endeavor to achieve consistency in rendering theological words, since literary excellence may demand variety, but serious study demands consistency and accuracy[1]. The KJV’s vacillation between “count” and “reckon” for logízomai exemplifies how translation choices can either illuminate or obscure an author’s carefully constructed argument—in this case, making Paul’s logic about justification by faith harder to follow than the Greek original intended.
[2] Palmer O. Robertson, “Genesis 15:6: New Covenant Expositions of an Old Covenant Text,” Westminster Theological Journal (1979), 270.
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