look to Abraham,(A) your father,
    and to Sarah, who gave you birth.
When I called him he was only one man,
    and I blessed him and made him many.(B)

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24 “Son of man, the people living in those ruins(A) in the land of Israel are saying, ‘Abraham was only one man, yet he possessed the land. But we are many;(B) surely the land has been given to us as our possession.’(C)

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So those who rely on faith(A) are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.(B)

10 For all who rely on the works of the law(C) are under a curse,(D) as it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.”[a](E) 11 Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God,(F) because “the righteous will live by faith.”[b](G) 12 The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, “The person who does these things will live by them.”[c](H) 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law(I) by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.”[d](J) 14 He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus,(K) so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.(L)

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Footnotes

  1. Galatians 3:10 Deut. 27:26
  2. Galatians 3:11 Hab. 2:4
  3. Galatians 3:12 Lev. 18:5
  4. Galatians 3:13 Deut. 21:23

By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance,(A) obeyed and went,(B) even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised land(C) like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents,(D) as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise.(E) 10 For he was looking forward to the city(F) with foundations,(G) whose architect and builder is God.(H) 11 And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age,(I) was enabled to bear children(J) because she[a] considered him faithful(K) who had made the promise. 12 And so from this one man, and he as good as dead,(L) came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.(M)

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Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 11:11 Or By faith Abraham, even though he was too old to have children—and Sarah herself was not able to conceive—was enabled to become a father because he

Abraham Justified by Faith

What then shall we say(A) that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh,(B) discovered in this matter? If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God.(C) What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”[a](D)

Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift(E) but as an obligation. However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness.(F)

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 4:3 Gen. 15:6; also in verse 22

22 Therefore this is what the Lord, who redeemed(A) Abraham,(B) says to the descendants of Jacob:

“No longer will Jacob be ashamed;(C)
    no longer will their faces grow pale.(D)

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But I took your father Abraham from the land beyond the Euphrates and led him throughout Canaan(A) and gave him many descendants.(B) I gave him Isaac,(C)

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35 The Lord has blessed(A) my master abundantly,(B) and he has become wealthy.(C) He has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, male and female servants, and camels and donkeys.(D)

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Isaac and Rebekah

24 Abraham was now very old,(A) and the Lord had blessed(B) him in every way.(C)

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17 I will surely bless you(A) and make your descendants(B) as numerous as the stars in the sky(C) and as the sand on the seashore.(D) Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies,(E)

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11 Abraham and Sarah were already very old,(A) and Sarah was past the age of childbearing.(B) 12 So Sarah laughed(C) to herself as she thought, “After I am worn out and my lord(D) 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?’(E)

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Then the word of the Lord came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.(A) He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars(B)—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring[a] be.”(C)

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 15:5 Or seed

The Lord’s Covenant With Abram

15 After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram(A) in a vision:(B)

“Do not be afraid,(C) Abram.
    I am your shield,[a](D)
    your very great reward.[b](E)

But Abram said, “Sovereign Lord,(F) what can you give me since I remain childless(G) and the one who will inherit[c] my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?(H)

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 15:1 Or sovereign
  2. Genesis 15:1 Or shield; / your reward will be very great
  3. Genesis 15:2 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.

14 The Lord said to Abram after Lot had parted from him, “Look around from where you are, to the north and south, to the east and west.(A) 15 All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring[a] forever.(B) 16 I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted.(C) 17 Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land,(D) for I am giving it to you.”(E)

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 13:15 Or seed; also in verse 16

The Call of Abram

12 The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household(A) to the land(B) I will show you.(C)

“I will make you into a great nation,(D)
    and I will bless you;(E)
I will make your name great,
    and you will be a blessing.[a](F)
I will bless those who bless you,
    and whoever curses you I will curse;(G)
and all peoples on earth
    will be blessed through you.(H)[b]

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 12:2 Or be seen as blessed
  2. Genesis 12:3 Or earth / will use your name in blessings (see 48:20)

16 Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace(A) and may be guaranteed(B) to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all.(C) 17 As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.”[a](D) He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life(E) to the dead and calls(F) into being things that were not.(G)

18 Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations,(H) just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”[b](I) 19 Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead(J)—since he was about a hundred years old(K)—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead.(L) 20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened(M) in his faith and gave glory to God,(N) 21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.(O) 22 This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.”(P) 23 The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, 24 but also for us,(Q) to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him(R) who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.(S)

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 4:17 Gen. 17:5
  2. Romans 4:18 Gen. 15:5

“You are the Lord God, who chose Abram(A) and brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans(B) and named him Abraham.(C) You found his heart faithful to you, and you made a covenant with him to give to his descendants the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Jebusites and Girgashites.(D) You have kept your promise(E) because you are righteous.(F)

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