40 Bible Verses about Abraham

the oath which he made to our father Abraham, to grant us this favour,

Besides, the promise that he should possess the world, was not made to Abraham, or to his posterity in consideration of the law, but with regard to the righteousness by faith.

for I tell you, that Jesus Christ was a minister to the Jews, to manifest the veracity of God in fulfilling the promises made to the fathers:

How then can we assert, "that Abraham our father obtained this from circumcision?" for if Abraham was justified by works, he had matter of pretension, whereas he had no such claim from God. for what saith the scripture? "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness." read more.
the reward is not counted as a favour to him that has done good actions, but as a debt: whereas he that trusts in God to be made righteous, tho' he has not done such actions, shall find his faith accounted as righteousness. even as David also speaks of the happiness of the man whom God accounted righteous independently of his works, " happy are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. happy is the man to whom the Lord will not account sin." Is this happiness then for the circumcised only, or for the uncircumcised also? for we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness. how was it then accounted? whilst he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? he was not then circumcised, but uncircumcised: and he received the sign of circumcision, as a seal of the justification by that faith, which the uncircumcised have: that he might be the father of all those who believe, tho' they are uncircumcised, that it might be accounted to them also for righteousness: and the father of the circumcised, that is of those who are not barely circumcised, but who imitate that faith which our father Abraham had, being yet uncircumcised. Besides, the promise that he should possess the world, was not made to Abraham, or to his posterity in consideration of the law, but with regard to the righteousness by faith. for if they only who are of the law have right of possession, faith is made useless, and the promise becomes of no effect. because the effect of the law is punishment: for if there had been no law, there could have been no transgression. therefore the inheritance is of faith, that it might be meerly of favour, to the end the promise might be assured to all his posterity, not to that part only who have the law, but to that also who have the faith of Abraham, the father of us all, as it is written, " I have made thee a father of many nations," then existing in the sight of God, whom he believed, who gives life to the dead, and calls forth things that are not, as if they were: he it was who against hope believed in hope, that he should become the father of many nations, according to what was told him, "so shall thy posterity be:" far from being weak in faith, unconcern'd at his own bodily decay, being then about an hundred years old, and at Sarah's incapacity of child-bearing, he was not incredulously diffident of the divine promise; but was strong in faith, and did honour to God, by the full persuasion he had, that what he had promised, he was able also to perform. and therefore it was accounted to him for righteousness.

As Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness: so hence ye know, that it is they who believe who are the children of Abraham. and the scripture insinuating, that God would justify the Gentiles thro' faith, gave Abraham an intimation of the gospel in these words, " in thee shall all nations be blessed." read more.
so that it is they who believe, who are blessed with Abraham, who did believe.

'Twas by faith that he who was named Abraham, showed his obedience in travelling to a foreign country, which he was afterwards to inherit; and began his journey without knowing where he was going. 'twas by faith that he sojourned in a land that was promised, as in a strange country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, who were equally entitled to the same promise. for he had in view the city, whose foundations are sure, the architect and founder being God.

'Twas by faith that Abraham, when put to the trial, offered up Isaac: HE offered up his darling son, to whose posterity the promises were to be made good: of whom it was said, "only the descendants of Isaac shall be counted your posterity:" concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the grave; from whence, in a figurative sense, be may be said to have been recover'd.

Stephen answer'd, my brethren, and you my fathers, lend your attention. The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran, and said to him, quit your country, and your kindred, to go to the land which I shall shew thee.

and don't pretend to say within your selves, We have Abraham for our father: for I tell you, that God is able out of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham:

and must not this daughter of Abraham, whom satan has held bound these eighteen years, be disengag'd from this bond, on a sabbath-day?

there will be weeping, and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.

then said Jesus, speaking of him, this day is salvation come to this family, since he is now become a true son of Abraham.

they answered him, we are Abraham's offspring, and were never slaves to any man: why then do you say, "ye shall be made free?" Jesus answered them, I declare unto you, whosoever committeth sin, is a slave to sin. a slave has no right to be in the house for life: but the son is settled there. read more.
if the son therefore shall make you free, you will be free indeed. I know you are Abraham's offspring; but ye seek to kill me, because my doctrine doth not penetrate into you. what I have learnt from my father, that I tell: and what you have learnt from your father, that you do. they answered him, Abraham is our father. if you were Abraham's children, said Jesus, you would act like Abraham. but now ye seek to kill me, the man who has told you the truth, such as I have learnt it of God: Abraham did not act thus.

'Twas by faith that Abraham, when put to the trial, offered up Isaac: HE offered up his darling son, to whose posterity the promises were to be made good:

was not our father Abraham treated as just, in consequence of his actions, when he had attempted to sacrifice his son upon the altar?

it was then, that those words of scripture were accomplished, "Abraham believed God, and he was regarded for it as a man of virtue, and was the favourite of God."

there will be weeping, and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.

and I declare unto you, that many shall come from the east and from the west, and shall sit at table with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob in the heavenly kingdom.

at length the beggar died: and was conveyed by the angels to Abraham's bower. the rich man died too, and was buried. and being in the infernal regions of torments, he lift up his eyes, and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bower. and he cry'd out, saying, father Abraham, take pity on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water to cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. read more.
but Abraham said, son, remember you had your enjoyments, when you were alive, and Lazarus his misfortunes: but now he has his consolation, and you your torments. besides this, there is an unalterable chasm between us and you, so that the passage from one place to the other is impracticable to those who should attempt it. upon which he said, father, I beg it of you, that you would send him to my father's family, where I have five brothers, to give them warning, lest they also come into this place of torment. but Abraham replied, they have Moses and the prophets, let them mind them. no, father Abraham, said he, they will not: but if any of the dead went to them, they will certainly repent. Abraham replied, if they disregard Moses and the prophets, they will not believe any one, though he rose from the dead.

thereupon he went out of Chaldea, and dwelt in Charran: from thence, after his father's death, he removed him to this very country where you now dwell.

for it is there written, Abraham had two sons, the one by a bond-maid, the other by a free-woman. he, who was of the bond-woman, was born according to the ordinary course of nature; but he, who was of the free-woman, was born by virtue of the promise. these things have an allegorical meaning: the two women signify the two covenants, the one from mount Sinai, which is represented by Agar, whose children were born in a state of servitude. read more.
this Agar answers to the Jerusalem now in being, for she is in servitude with her children: but the heavenly Jerusalem is represented by the free-woman, who is the mother of us all. for it is written, "rejoice thou barren, that bearest not; break out into loud acclamations, thou that hast not the travels of childbirth, for more are the children of the desolate, than of her that hath an husband." Now we, my brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of the promise. but as then, he that was born in the ordinary course of nature, persecuted him, who was born by an extraordinary power; even so it is now. but what saith the scripture? "cast out the bond-woman and her son; for the son of the bond-woman shall not share the inheritance with the son of the free-woman."

For this Melchisedec was both king of Salem, and a priest of the most high God; 'twas he who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him: to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of the whole booty: first, being by the signification of his name king of justice, and in fact king of Salem, which is, king of peace; without father, without mother, without genealogy; his days have no beginning, and his life no end; but like the son of God, he was a perpetual priest. read more.
Now consider the dignity of this person, to whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils. 'tis true they of the race of Levi, who assume the office of the priesthood, have a right by law to take tithes of the people, that is, of their brethren, though they all issued from Abraham: but he who was not of their pedigree, received tithes from Abraham, and blessed him to whom the promises were made. now 'tis past dispute, he that is blessed is inferior to him that blesses: besides here they that receive tithes are men who die: but there 'twas he of whom it is testified that he liveth. and even Levi who received tithes, pay'd tithes, if I may so say, in the person of Abraham. for he was even then in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him.

for it is there written, Abraham had two sons, the one by a bond-maid, the other by a free-woman. he, who was of the bond-woman, was born according to the ordinary course of nature; but he, who was of the free-woman, was born by virtue of the promise. these things have an allegorical meaning: the two women signify the two covenants, the one from mount Sinai, which is represented by Agar, whose children were born in a state of servitude. read more.
this Agar answers to the Jerusalem now in being, for she is in servitude with her children: but the heavenly Jerusalem is represented by the free-woman, who is the mother of us all. for it is written, "rejoice thou barren, that bearest not; break out into loud acclamations, thou that hast not the travels of childbirth, for more are the children of the desolate, than of her that hath an husband." Now we, my brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of the promise. but as then, he that was born in the ordinary course of nature, persecuted him, who was born by an extraordinary power; even so it is now. but what saith the scripture? "cast out the bond-woman and her son; for the son of the bond-woman shall not share the inheritance with the son of the free-woman."

For this Melchisedec was both king of Salem, and a priest of the most high God; 'twas he who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him:

thereupon he went out of Chaldea, and dwelt in Charran: from thence, after his father's death, he removed him to this very country where you now dwell.

'Twas by faith that Abraham, when put to the trial, offered up Isaac: HE offered up his darling son, to whose posterity the promises were to be made good:

neither are they who are the race of Abraham, all children: but 'tis said, "in Isaac shall thy posterity be called." that is, the children by natural descent are not thereby the children of God: but the children of the promise are alone considered as his posterity. for the words of the promise run thus, "at this time I will come, and Sara shall have a son." read more.
this appears too from the case of Rebecca, who conceived twins by our father Isaac. for before they were born, and had done neither good or evil, that the distinction which God had purposed to make might appear to be, not in consideration of their actions, but of his own free call, it was said to her, "the elder shall serve the younger." as it is written, "Jacob have I loved, but Esau I have discarded."

ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, when he said to Abraham, "all the families of the earth shall be blessed in your posterity."

to show regard to our forefathers, in performing his holy covenant, the oath which he made to our father Abraham, to grant us this favour, that we should be delivered from the power of our enemies, and serve him with security, read more.
in the sincere practice of holiness and justice, all our days.

now to Abraham and his offspring were the promises made. he does not say, "to offsprings," as if he spoke of many; but as speaking of one, "and to thy offspring," which means Christ.

'Twas by faith that Abraham, when put to the trial, offered up Isaac: HE offered up his darling son, to whose posterity the promises were to be made good: of whom it was said, "only the descendants of Isaac shall be counted your posterity:" concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the grave; from whence, in a figurative sense, be may be said to have been recover'd.

'Twas by faith that he who was named Abraham, showed his obedience in travelling to a foreign country, which he was afterwards to inherit; and began his journey without knowing where he was going.

your father Abraham long'd to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.

he was not incredulously diffident of the divine promise; but was strong in faith, and did honour to God,

he it was who against hope believed in hope, that he should become the father of many nations, according to what was told him, "so shall thy posterity be:"

your father Abraham long'd to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.

now to Abraham and his offspring were the promises made. he does not say, "to offsprings," as if he spoke of many; but as speaking of one, "and to thy offspring," which means Christ.

for he is not the deliverer of angels; but the deliverer of Abraham's posterity.

your father Abraham long'd to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.

was not our father Abraham treated as just, in consequence of his actions, when he had attempted to sacrifice his son upon the altar?

'Twas by faith that Abraham, when put to the trial, offered up Isaac: HE offered up his darling son, to whose posterity the promises were to be made good: of whom it was said, "only the descendants of Isaac shall be counted your posterity:" concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the grave; from whence, in a figurative sense, be may be said to have been recover'd.

and after he had patiently waited, he obtained what was promised.

Is this happiness then for the circumcised only, or for the uncircumcised also? for we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness.

and therefore it was accounted to him for righteousness.

from whom the whole family in heaven and earth are denominated his children: