And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and magnify your name, and you will be blessed.
I will bless those who bless you, and curse those who curse you, and in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.”
And so Abram departed just as the Lord had instructed him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.
And he took his wife Sarai, and Lot, the son of his brother, and all the substance which they had come to possess, and the lives which they had acquired in Haran, and they departed in order to go to the land of Canaan. And when they arrived in it,
Abram passed through the land even to the place of Shechem, as far as the famous steep valley. Now at that time, the Canaanite was in the land.
Then the Lord appeared to Abram, and he said to him, “To your offspring, I will give this land.” And there he built an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him.
And passing on from there to a mountain, which was opposite the east of Bethel, he pitched his tent there, having Bethel to the west, and Hai on the east. He also built an altar there to the Lord, and he called upon his name.
The Faith of the Fathers
For this reason, the ancients were given testimony. By faith, we understand the world to be fashioned by the Word of God, so that the visible might be made by the invisible. By faith, Abel offered to God a much better sacrifice than that of Cain, through which he obtained testimony that he was just, in that God offered testimony to his gifts. And through that sacrifice, he still speaks to us, though he is dead.
By faith, Enoch was transferred, so that he would not see death, and he was not found because God had transferred him. For before he was transferred, he had testimony that he pleased God.
But without faith, it is impossible to please God. For whoever approaches God must believe that he exists, and that he rewards those who seek him.
By faith, Enoch was transferred, so that he would not see death, and he was not found because God had transferred him. For before he was transferred, he had testimony that he pleased God.
But without faith, it is impossible to please God. For whoever approaches God must believe that he exists, and that he rewards those who seek him.
By faith, Noah, having accepted an answer about those things which were not yet seen, being afraid, fashioned an ark for the salvation of his house. Through the ark, he condemned the world, and was established as the heir of the justice that occurs through faith.
By faith, the one called Abraham obeyed, going out to the place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.
By faith, he stayed in the Land of the Promise as if in a foreign land, dwelling in cottages, with Isaac and Jacob, co-heirs of the same promise.
For he was awaiting a city having firm foundations, whose designer and builder is God.
By faith also, Sarah herself, being barren, received the ability to conceive offspring, even though she was past that age in life. For she believed him to be faithful, who had promised.
Because of this, there were also born, from one who himself was as if dead, a mulititude like the stars of heaven, who are, like the sand of the seashore, innumerable.
All of these passed away, adhering to faith, not having received the promises, yet beholding them from afar and saluting them, and confessing themselves to be sojourners and guests upon the earth.
For those who speak in this way are themselves indicating that they seek a homeland.
And if, indeed, they had been mindful of the very place from which they departed, they certainly would have returned in time.
But now they hunger for a better place, that is, Heaven. For this reason, God is not ashamed to be called their God. For he has prepared a city for them.
By faith, Abraham, when he was tested, offered Isaac, so that he who had received the promises was offering up his only son.
To him, it was said, “Through Isaac, shall your offspring be summoned,” indicating that God is even able to raise up from the dead. And thus, he also established him as a parable.
By faith, also, Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, concerning future events.
By faith, Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph; and he reverenced the summit of his rod.
By faith, Joseph, as he was dying, recalled the departure of the sons of Israel, and gave a commandment concerning his bones.
By faith, the one called Abraham obeyed, going out to the place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.
By faith, he stayed in the Land of the Promise as if in a foreign land, dwelling in cottages, with Isaac and Jacob, co-heirs of the same promise.
For he was awaiting a city having firm foundations, whose designer and builder is God.
By faith also, Sarah herself, being barren, received the ability to conceive offspring, even though she was past that age in life. For she believed him to be faithful, who had promised.
Because of this, there were also born, from one who himself was as if dead, a mulititude like the stars of heaven, who are, like the sand of the seashore, innumerable.
All of these passed away, adhering to faith, not having received the promises, yet beholding them from afar and saluting them, and confessing themselves to be sojourners and guests upon the earth.
For those who speak in this way are themselves indicating that they seek a homeland.
And if, indeed, they had been mindful of the very place from which they departed, they certainly would have returned in time.
But now they hunger for a better place, that is, Heaven. For this reason, God is not ashamed to be called their God. For he has prepared a city for them.
By faith, Abraham, when he was tested, offered Isaac, so that he who had received the promises was offering up his only son.
To him, it was said, “Through Isaac, shall your offspring be summoned,” indicating that God is even able to raise up from the dead. And thus, he also established him as a parable.
By faith, also, Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, concerning future events.
By faith, Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph; and he reverenced the summit of his rod.
By faith, Joseph, as he was dying, recalled the departure of the sons of Israel, and gave a commandment concerning his bones.
By faith, Moses, after being born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they had seen that he was a graceful infant, and they did not fear the king’s edict.
By faith, Moses, after growing up, denied himself a place as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing to be afflicted with the people of God, rather than to have the pleasantness of sin for a time, valuing the reproach of Christ to be a greater wealth than the treasures of the Egyptians. For he looked forward to his reward.
By faith, he abandoned Egypt, not dreading the animosity of the king. For he pressed on, as if seeing him who is unseen.
By faith, he celebrated the Passover and the shedding of the blood, so that he who destroyed the firstborn might not touch them.
By faith, they crossed the Red Sea, as if on dry land, yet when the Egyptians attempted it, they were swallowed up.
By faith, the walls of Jericho collapsed, after being encircled for seven days.
By faith, Rahab, the harlot, did not perish with the unbelievers, after receiving the spies with peace.
By faith, Moses, after growing up, denied himself a place as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing to be afflicted with the people of God, rather than to have the pleasantness of sin for a time, valuing the reproach of Christ to be a greater wealth than the treasures of the Egyptians. For he looked forward to his reward.
By faith, he abandoned Egypt, not dreading the animosity of the king. For he pressed on, as if seeing him who is unseen.
By faith, he celebrated the Passover and the shedding of the blood, so that he who destroyed the firstborn might not touch them.
By faith, they crossed the Red Sea, as if on dry land, yet when the Egyptians attempted it, they were swallowed up.
By faith, the walls of Jericho collapsed, after being encircled for seven days.
By faith, Rahab, the harlot, did not perish with the unbelievers, after receiving the spies with peace.
Faith, promise and inheritance
Because of this, it is from faith according to grace that the Promise is ensured for all posterity, not only for those who are of the law, but also for those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all before God, in whom he believed, who revives the dead and who calls those things that do not exist into existence. For it is written: “I have established you as the father of many nations.”
And he believed, with a hope beyond hope, so that he might become the father of many nations, according to what was said to him: “So shall your posterity be.”
And he was not weakened in faith, nor did he consider his own body to be dead (though he was then almost one hundred years old), nor the womb of Sarah to be dead.
And then, in the Promise of God, he did not hesitate out of distrust, but instead he was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, knowing most fully that whatever God has promised, he is also able to accomplish.
And for this reason, it was reputed to him unto justice.
Now this has been written, that it was reputed to him unto justice, not only for his sake, but also for our sake. For the same shall be reputed to us, if we believe in him who raised up our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead, who was handed over because of our offenses, and who rose again for our justification.
Therefore, having been justified by faith, let us be at peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ.
For through him we also have access by faith to this grace, in which we stand firm, and to glory, in the hope of the glory of the sons of God.
For through him we also have access by faith to this grace, in which we stand firm, and to glory, in the hope of the glory of the sons of God.
Jesus source of faith
Let us gaze upon Jesus, as the Author and the completion of our faith, who, having joy laid out before him, endured the cross, disregarding the shame, and who now sits at the right hand of the throne of God.
So then, meditate upon him who endured such adversity from sinners against himself, so that you may not become weary, failing in your souls.
For you have not yet resisted unto blood, while striving against sin.
Saved by faith
It is just as it was written: “Abraham believed God, and it was reputed to him unto justice.”
Therefore, know that those who are of faith, these are the sons of Abraham.
Thus Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, foretold to Abraham: “All nations shall be blessed in you.”
And so, those who are of faith shall be blessed with faithful Abraham.
For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse. For it has been written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all the things that have been written in the book of the Law, so as to do them.”
And, since in the law no one is justified with God, this is manifest: “For the just man lives by faith.”
But the law is not of faith; instead, “he who does these things shall live by them.”
Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, since he became a curse for us. For it is written: “Cursed is anyone who hangs from a tree.”
This was so that the blessing of Abraham might reach the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, in order that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
Thus Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, foretold to Abraham: “All nations shall be blessed in you.”
And so, those who are of faith shall be blessed with faithful Abraham.
For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse. For it has been written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all the things that have been written in the book of the Law, so as to do them.”
And, since in the law no one is justified with God, this is manifest: “For the just man lives by faith.”
But the law is not of faith; instead, “he who does these things shall live by them.”
Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, since he became a curse for us. For it is written: “Cursed is anyone who hangs from a tree.”
This was so that the blessing of Abraham might reach the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, in order that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
