¹⁸ Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations,^(A) just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”^[a](B)

²⁴ For in this hope we were saved.^(A) But hope that is seen is no hope at all.^(B) Who hopes for what they already have?

⁵ He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars^(A)—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring^[a] be.”^(B)

⁶ Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.^(C)

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

²⁵ So keep up your courage,^(A) men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me.^(B)

³⁵ While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader.^(A) “Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why bother the teacher anymore?”

³⁶ Overhearing^[a] what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”

¹¹ Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’^(A)

¹¹ But Naomi said, “Return home, my daughters. Why would you come with me? Am I going to have any more sons, who could become your husbands?^{(A) 12} Return home, my daughters; I am too old to have another husband. Even if I thought there was still hope for me—even if I had a husband tonight and then gave birth to sons— ¹³ would you wait until they grew up?^(B) Would you remain unmarried for them? No, my daughters. It is more bitter^(C) for me than for you, because the Lord’s hand has turned against me!^(D)”