¹⁹ He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was ^(A)as good as dead (^(B)since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered ^(C)the barrenness^[a] of Sarah's womb.

¹⁷ Then Abraham ^(A)fell on his face ^(B)and laughed and said to himself, “Shall a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?”

¹¹ By faith ^(A)Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered ^(B)him faithful who had promised. ¹² Therefore from one man, and ^(C)him as good as dead, were born descendants ^(D)as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.

¹³ These all died in faith, ^(E)not having received the things promised, but ^(F)having seen them and greeted them from afar, and ^(G)having acknowledged that they were ^(H)strangers and exiles on the earth. ¹⁴ For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. ¹⁵ If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, ^(I)they would have had opportunity to return. ¹⁶ But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed ^(J)to be called their God, for ^(K)he has prepared for them a city.

¹⁷ By faith ^(L)Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, ¹⁸ of whom it was said, ^(M)“Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” ^19 (N)He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.

^21 (A)It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble.^[a]

²⁰ No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, ²¹ fully convinced that ^(A)God was able to do what he had promised.