40 Bible Verses about Abraham

The oath which He swore to Abraham our forefather,

Again, the promise that he should inherit the world did not come to Abraham or his posterity conditioned by Law, but by faith-righteousness.

My meaning is that Christ has become a servant to the people of Israel in vindication of God's truthfulness-- in showing how sure are the promises made to our forefathers--

What then shall we say that Abraham, our earthly forefather, has gained? For if he was held to be righteous on the ground of his actions, he has something to boast of; but not in the presence of God. For what says the Scripture? "And Abraham believed God, and this was placed to his credit as righteousness." read more.
But in the case of a man who works, pay is not reckoned a favour but a debt; whereas in the case of a man who pleads no actions of his own, but simply believes in Him who declares the ungodly free from guilt, his faith is placed to his credit as righteousness. In this way David also tells of the blessedness of the man to whose credit God places righteousness, apart from his actions. "Blessed," he says, "are those whose iniquities have been forgiven, and whose sins have been covered over. Blessed is the man of whose sin the Lord will not take account." This declaration of blessedness, then, does it come simply to the circumcised, or to the uncircumcised as well? For Abraham's faith--so we affirm--was placed to his credit as righteousness. What then were the circumstances under which this took place? Was it after he had been circumcised, or before? Before, not after. And he received circumcision as a sign, a mark attesting the reality of the faith-righteousness which was his while still uncircumcised, that he might be the forefather of all those who believe even though they are uncircumcised--in order that this righteousness might be placed to their credit; and the forefather of the circumcised, namely of those who not merely are circumcised, but also walk in the steps of the faith which our forefather Abraham had while he was as yet uncircumcised. Again, the promise that he should inherit the world did not come to Abraham or his posterity conditioned by Law, but by faith-righteousness. For if it is the righteous through Law who are heirs, then faith is useless and the promise counts for nothing. For the Law inflicts punishment; but where no Law exists, there can be no violation of Law. All depends on faith, and for this reason--that acceptance with God might be an act of pure grace, so that the promise should be made sure to all Abraham's true descendants; not merely to those who are righteous through the Law, but to those who are righteous through a faith like that of Abraham. Thus in the sight of God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and makes reference to things that do not exist, as though they did, Abraham is the forefather of all of us. As it is written, "I have appointed you to be the forefather of many nations." Under utterly hopeless circumstances he hopefully believed, so that he might become the forefather of many nations, in agreement with the words "Equally numerous shall your posterity be." And, without growing weak in faith, he could contemplate his own vital powers which had now decayed--for he was nearly 100 years old--and Sarah's barrenness. Nor did he in unbelief stagger at God's promise, but became mighty in faith, giving glory to God, and being absolutely certain that whatever promise He is bound by He is able also to make good. For this reason also his faith was placed to his credit as righteousness.

even as Abraham believed God, and his faith was placed to his account as righteousness? Notice therefore that those who possess faith are true sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that in consequence of faith God would declare the nations to be free from guilt, sent beforehand the Good News to Abraham, saying, "In you all the nations shall be blessed." read more.
So we see that it is those who possess faith that are blessed with believing Abraham.

Through faith Abraham, upon being called to leave home and go into a land which he was soon to receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing where he was going to. Through faith he came and made his home for a time in a land which had been promised to him, as if in a foreign country, living in tents together with Isaac and Jacob, sharers with him in the same promise; for he continually looked forward to the city which has the foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

Through faith Abraham, as soon as God put him to the test, offered up Isaac. Yes, he who had joyfully welcomed the promises was on the point of sacrificing his only son with regard to whom he had been told, "It is through Isaac that your posterity shall be traced." For he reckoned that God is even able to raise a man up from among the dead, and, figuratively speaking, it was from among the dead that he received Isaac again.

The reply of Stephen was, "Sirs--brethren and fathers--listen to me. God Most Glorious appeared to our forefather Abraham when he was living in Mesopotamia, before he settled in Haran, and said to him, "'Leave your country and your relatives, and go into whatever land I point out to you.'

and do not imagine that you can say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our forefather,' for I tell you that God can raise up descendants for Abraham from these stones.

And this woman, daughter of Abraham as she is, whom Satan had bound for no less than eighteen years, was she not to be loosed from this chain because it is the Sabbath day?"

"There will be the weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the Prophets in the Kingdom of God, and yourselves being driven far away.

Turning towards him, Jesus replied, "To-day salvation has come to this house, seeing that he too is a son of Abraham.

"We are descendants of Abraham," they answered, "and have never at any time been in slavery to any one. What do those words of yours mean, 'You shall become free'?" "In most solemn truth I tell you," replied Jesus, "that every one who commits sin is the slave of sin. Now a slave does not remain permanently in his master's house, but a son does. read more.
If then the Son shall make you free, you will be free indeed. You are descendants of Abraham, I know; but you want to kill me, because my teaching gains no ground within you. The words I speak are those I have learnt in the presence of the Father. Therefore you also should do what you have heard from your father." "Our father is Abraham," they said. "If you were Abraham's children," replied Jesus, "it is Abraham's deeds that you would be doing. But, in fact, you are longing to kill me, a man who has spoken to you the truth which I have heard from God. Abraham did not do that.

Through faith Abraham, as soon as God put him to the test, offered up Isaac. Yes, he who had joyfully welcomed the promises was on the point of sacrificing his only son

Was it, or was it not, because of his actions that he was declared to be righteous as the result of his having offered up his son Isaac upon the altar?

and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "And Abraham believed God, and his faith was placed to his credit as righteousness," and he received the name of 'God's friend.'

"There will be the weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the Prophets in the Kingdom of God, and yourselves being driven far away.

And I tell you that many will come from the east and from the west and will recline at table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of the Heavens,

"But in course of time the beggar died; and he was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died, and had a funeral. And in Hades, being in torment, he looked and saw Abraham in the far distance, and Lazarus resting in his arms. So he cried aloud, and said, "'Father Abraham, take pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.' read more.
"'Remember, my child,' said Abraham, 'that you had all your good things during your lifetime, and that Lazarus in like manner had his bad things. But, now and here, he is receiving consolation and you are in agony. And, besides all this, a vast chasm is immovably fixed between us and you, put there in order that those who desire to cross from this side to you may not be able, nor any be able to cross over from your side to us.' "'I entreat you then, father,' said he, 'to send him to my father's house. For I have five brothers. Let him earnestly warn them, lest they also come to this place of torment.' "'They have Moses and the Prophets,' replied Abraham; 'let them hear them.' "'No, father Abraham,' he pleaded; 'but if some one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' "'If they are deaf to Moses and the Prophets,' replied Abraham, 'they would not be led to believe even if some one should rise from the dead.'"

"Thereupon he left Chaldaea and settled in Haran till after the death of his father, when God caused him to remove into this country where you now live.

For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave-girl and one by the free woman. But we see that the child of the slave-girl was born in the common course of nature; but the child of the free woman in fulfilment of the promise. All this is allegorical; for the women represent two Covenants. One has its origin on Mount Sinai, and bears children destined for slavery. read more.
This is Hagar; for the name Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, which is in bondage together with her children. But the Jerusalem which is above is free, and *she* is *our* mother. For it is written, "Rejoice, thou barren woman that bearest not, break forth into a joyful cry, thou that dost not travail with child. For the desolate woman has many children--more indeed than she who has the husband." But you, brethren, like Isaac, are children born in fulfilment of a promise. Yet just as, at that time, the child born in the common course of nature persecuted the one whose birth was due to the power of the Spirit, so it is now. But what says the Scripture? "Send away the slave-girl and her son, for never shall the slave-girl's son share the inheritance with the son of the free woman."

For this man, Melchizedek, King of Salem and priest of the Most High God--he who when Abraham was returning after defeating the kings met him and pronounced a blessing on him-- to whom also Abraham presented a tenth part of all--being first, as his name signifies, King of righteousness, and secondly King of Salem, that is, King of peace: with no father or mother, and no record of ancestry: having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made a type of the Son of God--this man Melchizedek remains a priest for ever. read more.
Now think how great this priest-king must have been to whom Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth part of the best of the spoil. And those of the descendants of Levi who receive the priesthood are authorized by the Law to take tithes from the people, that is, from their brethren, though these have sprung from Abraham. But, in this instance, one who does not trace his origin from them takes tithes from Abraham, and pronounces a blessing on him to whom the promises belong. And beyond all dispute it is always the inferior who is blessed by the superior. Moreover here frail mortal men receive tithes: there one receives them about whom there is evidence that he is alive. And Levi too--if I may so speak--pays tithes through Abraham: for Levi was yet in the loins of his forefather when Melchizedek met Abraham.

For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave-girl and one by the free woman. But we see that the child of the slave-girl was born in the common course of nature; but the child of the free woman in fulfilment of the promise. All this is allegorical; for the women represent two Covenants. One has its origin on Mount Sinai, and bears children destined for slavery. read more.
This is Hagar; for the name Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, which is in bondage together with her children. But the Jerusalem which is above is free, and *she* is *our* mother. For it is written, "Rejoice, thou barren woman that bearest not, break forth into a joyful cry, thou that dost not travail with child. For the desolate woman has many children--more indeed than she who has the husband." But you, brethren, like Isaac, are children born in fulfilment of a promise. Yet just as, at that time, the child born in the common course of nature persecuted the one whose birth was due to the power of the Spirit, so it is now. But what says the Scripture? "Send away the slave-girl and her son, for never shall the slave-girl's son share the inheritance with the son of the free woman."

For this man, Melchizedek, King of Salem and priest of the Most High God--he who when Abraham was returning after defeating the kings met him and pronounced a blessing on him--

"Thereupon he left Chaldaea and settled in Haran till after the death of his father, when God caused him to remove into this country where you now live.

Through faith Abraham, as soon as God put him to the test, offered up Isaac. Yes, he who had joyfully welcomed the promises was on the point of sacrificing his only son

nor because they are Abraham's true children. But the promise was "Through Isaac shall your posterity be reckoned." In other words, it is not the children by natural descent who count as God's children, but the children made such by the promise are regarded as Abraham's posterity. For the words are the language of promise and run thus, "About this time next year I will come, and Sarah shall have a son." read more.
Nor is that all: later on there was Rebecca too. She was soon to bear two children to her husband, our forefather Isaac-- and even then, though they were not then born and had not done anything either good or evil, yet in order that God's electing purpose might not be frustrated, based, as it was, not on their actions but on the will of Him who called them, she was told, "The elder of them will be bondservant to the younger." This agrees with the other Scripture which says, "Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated."

"You are the heirs of the Prophets, and of the Covenant which God made with your forefathers when He said to Abraham, 'And through your posterity all the families of the world shall be blessed.'

He dealt pitifully with our forefathers, And remembered His holy covenant, The oath which He swore to Abraham our forefather, To grant us to be rescued from the power of our foes And so render worship to Him free from fear, read more.
In piety and uprightness before Him all our days.

(Now the promises were given to Abraham and to his seed. God did not say 'and to seeds,' as if speaking of many, but 'and to your seed,' since He spoke of only one--and this is Christ.)

Through faith Abraham, as soon as God put him to the test, offered up Isaac. Yes, he who had joyfully welcomed the promises was on the point of sacrificing his only son with regard to whom he had been told, "It is through Isaac that your posterity shall be traced." For he reckoned that God is even able to raise a man up from among the dead, and, figuratively speaking, it was from among the dead that he received Isaac again.

Through faith Abraham, upon being called to leave home and go into a land which he was soon to receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing where he was going to.

Abraham your forefather exulted in the hope of seeing my day: and he saw it, and was glad."

Nor did he in unbelief stagger at God's promise, but became mighty in faith, giving glory to God,

Under utterly hopeless circumstances he hopefully believed, so that he might become the forefather of many nations, in agreement with the words "Equally numerous shall your posterity be."

Abraham your forefather exulted in the hope of seeing my day: and he saw it, and was glad."

(Now the promises were given to Abraham and to his seed. God did not say 'and to seeds,' as if speaking of many, but 'and to your seed,' since He spoke of only one--and this is Christ.)

For assuredly it is not to angels that He is continually reaching a helping hand, but it is to the descendants of Abraham.

Abraham your forefather exulted in the hope of seeing my day: and he saw it, and was glad."

Was it, or was it not, because of his actions that he was declared to be righteous as the result of his having offered up his son Isaac upon the altar?

Through faith Abraham, as soon as God put him to the test, offered up Isaac. Yes, he who had joyfully welcomed the promises was on the point of sacrificing his only son with regard to whom he had been told, "It is through Isaac that your posterity shall be traced." For he reckoned that God is even able to raise a man up from among the dead, and, figuratively speaking, it was from among the dead that he received Isaac again.

And so, as the result of patient waiting, our forefather obtained what God had promised.

This declaration of blessedness, then, does it come simply to the circumcised, or to the uncircumcised as well? For Abraham's faith--so we affirm--was placed to his credit as righteousness.

For this reason also his faith was placed to his credit as righteousness.

from whom the whole family in Heaven and on earth derives its name,