¹⁸ Hoping against hope, he believed that he would become “the father of many nations,” according to what was said, “So shall your descendants be.”

²⁴ For in^[a] hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope, for who hopes for what one already sees?

²⁵ So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told.^(A)

³⁵ While he was still speaking, some people came from the synagogue leader’s house to say, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any further?” ³⁶ But overhearing^[a] what they said, Jesus said to the synagogue leader, “Do not be afraid; only believe.”

⁵ He brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your descendants be.”^{(A) 6} And he believed the Lord, and the Lord^[a] reckoned it to him as righteousness.

⁵ and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.^(A)

¹⁷ as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”), in the presence of the God in whom he believed,^[a] who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.^(A)

¹⁸ Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I know that this will happen? For I am an old man, and my wife is getting on in years.”^(A)

¹¹ Then he said to me, “Mortal, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely.’^(A)