The Promise of an Heir

15 After these events the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision. He said, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.”

² Abram said, “Lord God^[a] what can you give me, since I remain childless, and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?” ³ Abram also said, “Look, you have given me no offspring, so a servant born in my house will be my heir.”

⁴ Just then, the word of the Lord came to him. God said, “This man will not be your heir, but instead one who will come out of your own body will be your heir.” ⁵ The Lord then brought him outside and said, “Now look toward the sky and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” He said to Abram, “This is what your descendants will be like.” ⁶ Abram believed in^[b] the Lord, and the Lord credited it to him as righteousness.

Faith

11 Faith is being sure about what we hope for, being convinced about things we do not see. ² For by this faith the ancients were commended in Scripture.^[a]

³ By faith we know that the universe was created by God’s word, so that what is seen did not come from visible things.

⁸ By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go to a place that he was going to receive as an inheritance, and he left without knowing where he was going.

⁹ By faith he lived as a stranger in the Promised Land, as if it did not belong to him, dwelling in tents along with Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. ¹⁰ For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

¹¹ By faith Abraham also received the ability to conceive children, even though Sarah herself was barren and he was past the normal age, because he considered him faithful who made the promise.^{[a] 12} And so from one man, and he as good as dead, descendants were born as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand along the seashore.

¹³ One by one, all of these died in faith, without having received the things that were promised, but they saw and welcomed them from a distance. They confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. ¹⁴ Indeed, people who say things like that make it clear that they are looking for a land of their own. ¹⁵ And if they were remembering the land they had come from, they would have had an opportunity to return. ¹⁶ Instead, they were longing for a better land—a heavenly one. For that reason, God is not ashamed to be called their God, because he prepared a city for them.

Warning Against Hypocrisy

12 Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands gathered together so that they were trampling on one another, he began to speak first to his disciples: “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. ² There is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be made known. ³ So then, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.

Fear God, Not People

⁴ “I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that are not able to do any more. ⁵ But I will show you the one you should fear. Fear him who, after he has killed the body, has authority to throw it into hell.^[a] Yes, I tell you, fear him!

⁶ “Are not five sparrows sold for two small coins?^[b] And not one of them is forgotten in God’s sight. ⁷ Why, even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So stop being afraid. You are worth more than many sparrows.

Confess Christ

⁸ “I tell you, whoever confesses me before other people, the Son of Man will also confess him before the angels of God. ⁹ But whoever denies me in the presence of other people will be denied in the presence of the angels of God. ¹⁰ Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven. But anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. ¹¹ When they bring you before synagogues, rulers, and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourself, or what you will say, ¹² for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you should say.”