Abraham in the Bible

Meaning: father of a great multitude

Exact Match

Here is what I am saying: The Agreement originally made by God [with Abraham], with its attending promises, was not canceled when the law of Moses was given some four hundred and thirty years later.

Verse Concepts100 Years And MoreGod's Covenant With The PatriarchsThe Law Given To Israelthe Law of moses

Now the mediator or go-between [in a transaction] is not [needed] for just one party; whereas God is only one [and was the only One giving the promise to Abraham, but the Law was a contract between two, God and Israel; its validity depended on both].

Verse ConceptsGod, Unity OfUnity, God's Goal OfGod Is One

Now, brothers, you [Christians] are children of the promise [made to Abraham. See 3:29] just like Isaac, [Abraham's son] was.

Verse ConceptsGod, Faithfulness OfNames And Titles For The ChristianGod's Promise To Abraham

What does the Scripture say about this matter? [It says, Gen. 21:10-12], "Get rid of the slave woman [Hagar], with her son [Ishmael]; for the son of the slave woman [Ishmael] will not inherit [what God promised to Abraham and his descendants], along with the son of the free woman [i.e., Isaac]."

Verse ConceptsConcubinesInheritance, MaterialRevenge, Examples Ofdiscriminationsonship

Thematic Bible














Therefore, the inheritance is by faith, that it may be according to grace, in order that the promise may be sure to all his posterity, not to those only who are of the law, but to those, also, who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, (as it is written: I have made you a father of many nations,) in the sight of him in whom he believed, even God, who makes the dead alive, and calls those things which are not, as though they were. He, against hope, confidently believed that he would become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken: So shall your posterity be.

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And the scripture was fulfilled, which says, Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness: and he was called the friend of God.




the oath which he swore to Abraham our father,

For the promise that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, nor to his posterity, through law, but through the righteousness of faith.

Now, I say, that Jesus Christ, as a minister, was of the circumcision for the sake of the truth of God, in order to con firm the promises made to the fathers,

For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he swore by himself, saying: Most surely will I abundantly bless you, and abundantly multiply you.

even as Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness. Know, therefore, that those who are of faith are the sons of Abraham. For the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached beforehand the gospel to Abraham, saying: In you shall all the nations be blessed. read more.
So, then, those who are of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham. For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that does not continue in all things written in the book of the law to do them. But that no one is justified by law in the sight of God, is evident: for the just by faith shall live. The law, indeed, is not of faith; but he that does these things shall live by them. Christ has bought us off from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us: (for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangs on a tree:) in order that the blessing of Abraham may come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we may receive the promise of the Spirit through the faith. Brethren, I speak of things common among men: No one sets a covenant aside, or enjoins any thing additional after it is confirmed, though it be a man's covenant. Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his offspring; he does not say: And to offsprings, as if he spoke of many; but as of one, And to your offspring, which is Christ. And this I affirm, that the covenant which had been before confirmed by God with respect to Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, could not annul so as to make the promise of no effect. For if the inheritance be by law, it is no longer by promise: but God bestowed it on Abraham by promise.

And if you are Christ s, then you are Abraham's posterity, and heirs according to the promise.

For it is written, that Abraham had two sons; one by a bondmaid, and one by a free woman. But the one by the bondmaid was born according to the flesh; the other, by the free woman, was by promise. These things are allegorized: for these women are the two covenants; the one from the Mount Sinai that brings forth for bondage, which is Hagar. read more.
For Hagar represents Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in bondage with her children. But Jerusalem which is above is free; and she is the mother of us all. For it is written: Rejoice you barren, that do not bear: break forth and cry aloud, you that travail not: for many more are the children of the deserted, than of her that had the husband of the deserted. We, indeed, brethren, like Isaac, are children of promise. But as then, he that was born according to the flesh persecuted him that was born ac cording to the Spirit, so even now. But what says the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son; for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the free-woman. Therefore, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free- woman.



What, then, shall we say that Abraham our father has found, as it respects the flesh? For if Abraham was. justified by works, he has cause for boasting, but not before God. For what says the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness. read more.
Now to him that works, the reward is not counted as a favor, but as a debt: but to him that works not, but believes on him that justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also speaks of the blessedness of the man to whom God counts righteousness without works, saying: Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins. are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not charge sin. Comes this blessedness then on those who are circumcised only, or on those who are uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was counted to Abraham for righteousness. Under what circumstances, then, was it counted? After he was circumcised? Or, while he was uncircumcised? Not after he was circumcised, but while he was uncircumcised. And he received the sign of circumcision, as a seal of the righteousness of the faith that he had while he was uncircumcised, in order that he might be the father of all that believe, even in a state of uncircumcision, so that righteousness might be counted to them also; and the father of circumcision to those who are not only circumcised, but who, also, walk in the steps of that faith which our father Abraham had while he was yet uncircumcised. For the promise that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, nor to his posterity, through law, but through the righteousness of faith. For if they that are of the law be heirs, the faith is made powerless, and the promise is unmeaning; for the law inflicts punishment; for where no law is, there is no transgression. Therefore, the inheritance is by faith, that it may be according to grace, in order that the promise may be sure to all his posterity, not to those only who are of the law, but to those, also, who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, (as it is written: I have made you a father of many nations,) in the sight of him in whom he believed, even God, who makes the dead alive, and calls those things which are not, as though they were. He, against hope, confidently believed that he would become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken: So shall your posterity be. And not being weak in faith, he considered not his own body, which was already dead, (for he was about a hundred years old,) nor the deadness of Sarah's womb; and he doubted not, through unbelief, with respect to the promise of God, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully persuaded that what he had promised he was able also to perform. For this reason, it was counted to him for righteousness.

even as Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness. Know, therefore, that those who are of faith are the sons of Abraham. For the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached beforehand the gospel to Abraham, saying: In you shall all the nations be blessed. read more.
So, then, those who are of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.

By faith Abraham, when called to go out into a place that he should afterward receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: for he looked for a city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: even his first-born, did he that had received the promises, offer up, of which first-born it was said: In Isaac shall your posterity be called: for he concluded that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; wherefore he received him even in like manner.

Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? Do you see that faith was the moving principle in his works, and by works his faith was made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled, which says, Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness: and he was called the friend of God. read more.
Do you see that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only?






He replied: Brethren and fathers, hear: The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham, while he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran, and said to him: Get out from your land, and from your kindred, and come into a land that I will show you.

By faith Abraham, when called to go out into a place that he should afterward receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.


and think not to say within yourselves, "We have Abraham for our father; for I say to you that God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham.

And ought not this woman, who is a daughter of Abra ham, whom Satan has bound, lo, these eighteen years, to be loosed from this bond on the sabbath-day?

There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but your selves cast out.

And Jesus said to him: To-day has salvation come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham.

They answered him: We are the posterity of Abraham, and have never been in bondage to any one. How say you, You shall be made free? Jesus answered them: Verily, verily I say to you, whoever works sin is the servant of sin. The servant continues not in the house forever; but the Son continues forever. read more.
Therefore, if the Son make you free, you shall be free indeed. I know that you are the posterity of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me, because my word has no place in you. I speak what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have seen with your father. They answered and said to him: Abra ham is our father. Jesus said to them: If you were the children of Abraham, you would do the works of Abraham. But now you seek to kill me, a man that has spoken to you the truth, which I have heard from God; this Abraham did not.








By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: even his first-born, did he that had received the promises, offer up,

Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?









And the scripture was fulfilled, which says, Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness: and he was called the friend of God.


There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but your selves cast out.

I also say to you, That many shall come from the east and the west, and shall recline with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven;

And it came to pass, that the poor man died, and was carried by angels to Abra ham's bosom. The rich man also died, and was buried; and in hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus iii his bosom. And he called to him and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. read more.
But Abraham said, Son, remember that, in your lifetime, you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus his evil things. But now he is comforted, and you are tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, so that they that would pass hence to you, can not; nor can they that would, pass thence to us. Then he said, I beseech you, therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house; for I have five brothers; that he may earnestly admonish them, lest they also come to this place of torment. Abraham said to him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. But he said, Not so, Father Abraham; but if one should go to them from the dead, they would repent. But he said to him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, they will not be persuaded, though one should rise from the dead.














Then he departed from the land of the Chaldeans, and dwelt in Charran; and thence, after his father died, he removed into this land, in which you now dwell.







For it is written, that Abraham had two sons; one by a bondmaid, and one by a free woman. But the one by the bondmaid was born according to the flesh; the other, by the free woman, was by promise. These things are allegorized: for these women are the two covenants; the one from the Mount Sinai that brings forth for bondage, which is Hagar. read more.
For Hagar represents Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in bondage with her children. But Jerusalem which is above is free; and she is the mother of us all. For it is written: Rejoice you barren, that do not bear: break forth and cry aloud, you that travail not: for many more are the children of the deserted, than of her that had the husband of the deserted. We, indeed, brethren, like Isaac, are children of promise. But as then, he that was born according to the flesh persecuted him that was born ac cording to the Spirit, so even now. But what says the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son; for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the free-woman.



For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him, to whom also Abraham gave a tenth of all, being, first, by interpretation, King of righteousness, and then, also, King of Salem, which means King of peace, without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life, but being made to resemble the Son of God, remains a priest forever. read more.
Now consider how great this man was, to whom even the patriarch Abraham gave a tenth of the spoils. And those of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham: but he who does not count his genealogy from them, received tithes from Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises. And, without any contradiction, the less is blessed by the better. And in the one instance, men that die receive tithes; but in the other, he receives them who has the testimony that he lives. And so to speak, even Levi, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham; for he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him.



For it is written, that Abraham had two sons; one by a bondmaid, and one by a free woman. But the one by the bondmaid was born according to the flesh; the other, by the free woman, was by promise. These things are allegorized: for these women are the two covenants; the one from the Mount Sinai that brings forth for bondage, which is Hagar. read more.
For Hagar represents Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in bondage with her children. But Jerusalem which is above is free; and she is the mother of us all. For it is written: Rejoice you barren, that do not bear: break forth and cry aloud, you that travail not: for many more are the children of the deserted, than of her that had the husband of the deserted. We, indeed, brethren, like Isaac, are children of promise. But as then, he that was born according to the flesh persecuted him that was born ac cording to the Spirit, so even now. But what says the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son; for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the free-woman.






For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him,














Then he departed from the land of the Chaldeans, and dwelt in Charran; and thence, after his father died, he removed into this land, in which you now dwell.















By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: even his first-born, did he that had received the promises, offer up,










































































Nor, because they are the posterity of Abraham, are they all children: but in Isaac shall your posterity be called. That is, the children of the flesh are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted for the posterity. For the word of the promise is this: At this time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son. read more.
Not only so, but when Rebecca had conceived by one, even our father Isaac, (the children, indeed, having not yet been born, and having done neither good nor evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calls,) it was said to her: The elder shall serve the younger; as it is written: Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.




You are the sons of the prophets, and of the covenant that God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.



in order to show the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant, the oath which he swore to Abraham our father, that he would grant to us, that being delivered from the hands of our enemies, we might serve him without fear, read more.
in holiness and righteousness before him, all our days.

Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his offspring; he does not say: And to offsprings, as if he spoke of many; but as of one, And to your offspring, which is Christ.




By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: even his first-born, did he that had received the promises, offer up, of which first-born it was said: In Isaac shall your posterity be called: for he concluded that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; wherefore he received him even in like manner.

By faith Abraham, when called to go out into a place that he should afterward receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.









Abraham, your father, rejoiced that he could see my day; and he saw it, and was glad.








and he doubted not, through unbelief, with respect to the promise of God, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God,













He, against hope, confidently believed that he would become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken: So shall your posterity be.


Abraham, your father, rejoiced that he could see my day; and he saw it, and was glad.


Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his offspring; he does not say: And to offsprings, as if he spoke of many; but as of one, And to your offspring, which is Christ.


For, verily, he does not take hold of angels, but he takes hold of the posterity of Abraham.



























Abraham, your father, rejoiced that he could see my day; and he saw it, and was glad.




Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?






and said to him: Get out from your land, and from your kindred, and come into a land that I will show you. Then he departed from the land of the Chaldeans, and dwelt in Charran; and thence, after his father died, he removed into this land, in which you now dwell. And he gave him no inheritance in it, not a foot breadth: and yet he promised to give it for a possession to him, and to his posterity after him, when as yet he had no child. read more.
And God spoke thus: That his posterity should sojourn in a strange land, and they should enslave them and afflict them, for four hundred years. And the nation to which they shall be in bondage I will judge, said God; and after that, they shall come forth and serve me in this place. And he gave him the covenant of circumcision, and thus he begot Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot the twelve patriarchs.

By faith Abraham, when called to go out into a place that he should afterward receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: for he looked for a city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. read more.
By faith also Sarah herself received strength for the conception of seed, and brought forth a child when past the time of life, because she counted him faithful who had promised. Therefore, there were born of one, who was dead as it respects these things, a posterity like the stars of heaven in multitude, and like the sand on the sea-shore, innumerable. All these died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off. and having embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and sojourners in the land. For those who say such things, declare plainly that they seek a country. And if indeed they had been mindful of that from which they came, they could have had an opportunity to return. But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country; wherefore God is not ashamed of them, that he should be called their God: for he has prepared for them a city. By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: even his first-born, did he that had received the promises, offer up,





By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: even his first-born, did he that had received the promises, offer up, of which first-born it was said: In Isaac shall your posterity be called: for he concluded that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; wherefore he received him even in like manner.







And so, when he had waited patiently, he received the promises.


























Comes this blessedness then on those who are circumcised only, or on those who are uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was counted to Abraham for righteousness.

For this reason, it was counted to him for righteousness.















from whom the whole family in heaven and on earth is named,








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