⁸ It was by faith Abraham obeyed God’s call to go to another place ·God promised to give him [^Lhe would later receive as an inheritance; Gen. 12:1–4, 7]. He left his own country, not knowing where he was ·to go [going]. ⁹ It was by faith that he lived like a ·foreigner [stranger; resident alien] in the ·country God promised to give him [Promised Land]. He lived in tents with Isaac and Jacob, who ·had received [were co-heirs of] that same promise from God. ¹⁰ [^LFor] Abraham was waiting for the city [^Cthe heavenly Jerusalem, symbolic of the presence of God; Heb. 12:22; Rev. 21:2] that has real foundations—the city ·planned and built by [^Lwhose architect/designer and builder is] God.

¹¹ ·He was too old to have children, and Sarah [or Sarah was too old and] ·could not have children [was barren/sterile]. It was by faith that ·Abraham was made able to become a father, because he [or Sarah was made able to bear children, because she] ·trusted God [^Lconsidered God faithful/trustworthy] to do what he had promised^[a] [Gen. 21:2]. ¹² This man was so old he was ·almost [as good as] dead, but from ·him [^Lone man] ·came [^Lwere fathered/^Tbegotten] as many descendants as there are stars in the sky. Like the sand on the seashore, they could not be counted [Gen. 15:5; 22:17; 32:12].