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

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

¹⁹ Then God said, “Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son,^(K) and you will call him Isaac.^[a](L) I will establish my covenant with him^(M) as an everlasting covenant^(N) 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.^(O) He will be the father of twelve rulers,^(P) and I will make him into a great nation.^{(Q) 21} But my covenant^(R) I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you^(S) by this time next year.”^{(T) 22} When he had finished speaking with Abraham, God went up from him.^(U)

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

The Three Visitors

18 The Lord appeared to Abraham^(AB) near the great trees of Mamre^(AC) while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent^(AD) in the heat of the day. ² Abraham looked up^(AE) and saw three men^(AF) standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.^(AG)

³ He said, “If I have found favor in your eyes,^(AH) my lord,^[b] do not pass your servant^(AI) by. ⁴ Let a little water be brought, and then you may all wash your feet^(AJ) and rest under this tree. ⁵ Let me get you something to eat,^(AK) so you can be refreshed and then go on your way—now that you have come to your servant.”

“Very well,” they answered, “do as you say.”

⁶ So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah. “Quick,” he said, “get three seahs^[c] of the finest flour and knead it and bake some bread.”^(AL)

⁷ Then he ran to the herd and selected a choice, tender calf^(AM) and gave it to a servant, who hurried to prepare it. ⁸ He then brought some curds^(AN) and milk^(AO) and the calf that had been prepared, and set these before them.^(AP) While they ate, he stood near them under a tree.

⁹ “Where is your wife Sarah?”^(AQ) they asked him.

“There, in the tent,^(AR)” he said.

¹⁰ Then one of them said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year,^(AS) and Sarah your wife will have a son.”^(AT)

Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him. ¹¹ Abraham and Sarah were already very old,^(AU) and Sarah was past the age of childbearing.^{(AV) 12} So Sarah laughed^(AW) to herself as she thought, “After I am worn out and my lord^(AX) is old, will I now have this pleasure?”

¹³ Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?’^{(AY) 14} Is anything too hard for the Lord?^(AZ) I will return to you at the appointed time next year,^(BA) and Sarah will have a son.”^(BB)

¹⁵ Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, “I did not laugh.”

But he said, “Yes, you did laugh.”

⁵ Abraham was a hundred years old^(A) when his son Isaac was born to him.

⁶ Sarah said, “God has brought me laughter,^(B) and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.” ⁷ And she added, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.”^(C)

¹⁶ For I am not ashamed of the gospel,^(A) because it is the power of God^(B) that brings salvation to everyone who believes:^(C) first to the Jew,^(D) then to the Gentile.^(E)

¹⁸ I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened^(A) in order that you may know the hope to which he has called^(B) you, the riches^(C) of his glorious inheritance^(D) in his holy people,^{(E) 19} and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power^(F) is the same as the mighty strength^{(G) 20} he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead^(H) and seated him at his right hand^(I) in the heavenly realms,^(J)

¹¹ being strengthened with all power^(A) according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience,^(B)

¹¹ being strengthened with all power^(A) according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience,^(B)