Faithful Abraham^(A)

⁸ By faith ^(B)Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. ⁹ By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, ^(C)dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, ^(D)the heirs with him of the same promise; ¹⁰ for he waited for ^(E)the city which has foundations, ^(F)whose builder and maker is God.

¹¹ By faith ^(G)Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and ^(H)she^[a] bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him ^(I)faithful who had promised. ¹² Therefore from one man, and him as good as ^(J)dead, were born as many as the ^(K)stars of the sky in multitude—innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.

The Faith of the Patriarchs^(A)

¹⁷ By faith Abraham, ^(B)when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, ^18 [a]of whom it was said, ^(C)“In Isaac your seed shall be called,” ¹⁹ concluding that God ^(D)was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.

⁶ just as Abraham ^(A)“believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” ⁷ Therefore know that only ^(B)those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. ⁸ And ^(C)the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, ^(D)“In you all the nations shall be blessed.” ⁹ So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.

^14 (A)that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the ^(B)Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive ^(C)the promise of the Spirit through faith.

The Changeless Promise^(D)

¹⁵ Brethren, I speak in the manner of men: ^(E)Though it is only a man’s covenant, yet if it is confirmed, no one annuls or adds to it. ¹⁶ Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of ^(F)one, ^(G)“And to your Seed,” who is ^(H)Christ. ¹⁷ And this I say, that the law, ^(I)which was four hundred and thirty years later, cannot annul the covenant that was confirmed before by God ^[a]in Christ, ^(J)that it should make the promise of no effect. ¹⁸ For if ^(K)the inheritance is of the law, ^(L)it is no longer of promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise.

Sons and Heirs

²⁶ For you ^(A)are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. ²⁷ For ^(B)as many of you as were baptized into Christ ^(C)have put on Christ. ^28 (D)There is neither Jew nor Greek, ^(E)there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all ^(F)one in Christ Jesus. ²⁹ And ^(G)if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s ^(H)seed, and ^(I)heirs according to the promise.

²¹ Was not Abraham our father justified by works ^(A)when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? ²² Do you see ^(B)that faith was working together with his works, and by ^(C)works faith was made ^[a]perfect? ²³ And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, ^(D)“Abraham believed God, and it was ^[b]accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called ^(E)the friend of God. ²⁴ You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.