Brothers, I would like to speak very plainly about the patriarch David [Note: A patriarch was the ruling father of the family]. He died and was buried and his grave can be seen today.

Now consider how great this man was, to whom even Abraham, the patriarch, gave a tenth out of the best spoils.

And with Abraham He made the sacred compact of circumcision, and he became the father of Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day, and Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob of the twelve patriarchs.

And the patriarchs became jealous of Joseph and sold him as a slave into Egypt. But God was with him

the patriarchs, and from them by natural descent the Christ has come, who is exalted over all, God blessed forever. Amen!

Now Moses gave you the law of circumcision, (not that it is originally from Moses, but from the patriarchs,) and ye circumcise even on the sabbath:

Now if the first-fruits of the dough Abraham and the Patriarchs are holy, so also is the whole mass their descendants. And if the root of a tree Abraham is holy, so also are the branches his descendants.

From the stand-point of the Good News, the Jews are God's enemies on your account; but from the stand-point of God's selection, they are dear to him on account of the Patriarchs.

For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the circumcised to show God's truth, to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs,

And around God's throne there were twenty-four [other] thrones, with twenty-four elders sitting on them. [Note: These "elders" are generally considered to represent all the saved of both covenants. The number twenty-four is thought to be derived from the twelve patriarchs and the twelve apostles]. They were dressed in white clothing and had golden crowns on their heads.