²⁰ For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made,^(A) so that people are without excuse.^(B)

²¹ For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.^{(C) 22} Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools^{(D) 23} and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images^(E) made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.

⁵ He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars^(A)—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring^[a] be.”^(B)

Abraham Tested

22 Some time later God tested^(A) Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!”

“Here I am,”^(B) he replied.

² Then God said, “Take your son^(C), your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah.^(D) Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering^(E) on a mountain I will show you.^(F)”

³ Early the next morning^(G) Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. ⁴ On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. ⁵ He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.^(H)”

⁶ Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac,^(I) and he himself carried the fire and the knife.^(J) As the two of them went on together, ⁷ Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?”

“Yes, my son?” Abraham replied.

“The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb^(K) for the burnt offering?”

⁸ Abraham answered, “God himself will provide^(L) the lamb^(M) for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.

⁹ When they reached the place God had told him about,^(N) Abraham built an altar^(O) there and arranged the wood^(P) on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar,^(Q) on top of the wood. ¹⁰ Then he reached out his hand and took the knife^(R) to slay his son.^{(S) 11} But the angel of the Lord^(T) called out to him from heaven,^(U) “Abraham! Abraham!”^(V)

“Here I am,”^(W) he replied.

¹² “Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God,^(X) because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.^(Y)”

¹³ Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram^[a] caught by its horns.^(Z) He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son.^{(AA) 14} So Abraham called^(AB) that place The Lord^(AC) Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.^(AD)”

¹⁵ The angel of the Lord^(AE) called to Abraham from heaven^(AF) a second time ¹⁶ and said, “I swear by myself,^(AG) declares the Lord, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son,^{(AH) 17} I will surely bless you^(AI) and make your descendants^(AJ) as numerous as the stars in the sky^(AK) and as the sand on the seashore.^(AL) Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies,^{(AM) 18} and through your offspring^[b] all nations on earth will be blessed,^[c](AN) because you have obeyed me.”^(AO)

¹⁹ Then Abraham returned to his servants, and they set off together for Beersheba.^(AP) And Abraham stayed in Beersheba.

Nahor’s Sons

²⁰ Some time later Abraham was told, “Milkah is also a mother; she has borne sons to your brother Nahor:^{(AQ) 21} Uz^(AR) the firstborn, Buz^(AS) his brother, Kemuel (the father of Aram), ²² Kesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph and Bethuel.^(AT)” ²³ Bethuel became the father of Rebekah.^(AU) Milkah bore these eight sons to Abraham’s brother Nahor.^{(AV) 24} His concubine,^(AW) whose name was Reumah, also had sons: Tebah, Gaham, Tahash and Maakah.

The Covenant of Circumcision

17 When Abram was ninety-nine years old,^(A) the Lord appeared to him^(B) and said, “I am God Almighty^[a];^(C) walk before me faithfully and be blameless.^{(D) 2} Then I will make my covenant between me and you^(E) and will greatly increase your numbers.”^(F)

³ Abram fell facedown,^(G) and God said to him, ⁴ “As for me, this is my covenant with you:^(H) You will be the father of many nations.^{(I) 5} No longer will you be called Abram^[b]; your name will be Abraham,^[c](J) for I have made you a father of many nations.^{(K) 6} I will make you very fruitful;^(L) I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you.^{(M) 7} I will establish my covenant^(N) as an everlasting covenant^(O) between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God^(P) and the God of your descendants after you.^{(Q) 8} The whole land of Canaan,^(R) where you now reside as a foreigner,^(S) I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you;^(T) and I will be their God.^(U)”

⁹ Then God said to Abraham, “As for you, you must keep my covenant,^(V) you and your descendants after you for the generations to come.^{(W) 10} This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised.^{(X) 11} You are to undergo circumcision,^(Y) and it will be the sign of the covenant^(Z) between me and you. ¹² For the generations to come^(AA) every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised,^(AB) including those born in your household or bought with money from a foreigner—those who are not your offspring. ¹³ Whether born in your household or bought with your money, they must be circumcised.^(AC) My covenant in your flesh is to be an everlasting covenant.^{(AD) 14} Any uncircumcised male, who has not been circumcised^(AE) in the flesh, will be cut off from his people;^(AF) he has broken my covenant.^(AG)”

¹⁵ God also said to Abraham, “As for Sarai^(AH) your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah.^{(AI) 16} I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her.^(AJ) I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations;^(AK) kings of peoples will come from her.”

¹⁷ Abraham fell facedown;^(AL) he laughed^(AM) and said to himself, “Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old?^(AN) Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?”^{(AO) 18} And Abraham said to God, “If only Ishmael^(AP) might live under your blessing!”^(AQ)

¹⁹ Then God said, “Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son,^(AR) and you will call him Isaac.^[d](AS) I will establish my covenant with him^(AT) as an everlasting covenant^(AU) for his descendants after him. ²⁰ And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers.^(AV) He will be the father of twelve rulers,^(AW) and I will make him into a great nation.^{(AX) 21} But my covenant^(AY) I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you^(AZ) by this time next year.”^{(BA) 22} When he had finished speaking with Abraham, God went up from him.^(BB)

²³ On that very day Abraham took his son Ishmael and all those born in his household^(BC) or bought with his money, every male in his household, and circumcised them, as God told him.^{(BD) 24} Abraham was ninety-nine years old^(BE) when he was circumcised,^{(BF) 25} and his son Ishmael^(BG) was thirteen; ²⁶ Abraham and his son Ishmael were both circumcised on that very day. ²⁷ And every male in Abraham’s household^(BH), including those born in his household or bought from a foreigner, was circumcised with him.