¹⁶ Therefore, the promise^[a] is based on faith, so that it may be a matter of grace and may be guaranteed for all of Abraham’s^[b] descendants—not only for those who were given the Law,^[c] but also for those who share the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all. ¹⁷ As it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations.”^[d] Abraham^[e] acted in faith when he stood in the presence of God, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence things that don’t yet exist. ¹⁸ Hoping in spite of hopeless circumstances, he believed that he would become “the father of many nations,”^[f] just as he had been told:^[g] “This is how many descendants you will have.”^[h]