Abraham Receives the Promise

(Genesis 15:8–21)

13 For the promise to Abraham [and] his offspring that he would be heir of the world was not [given] through [the] law, but through [the] righteousness that comes by faith. 14 For if those [who live by] [the] law [are] heirs, faith is useless and the promise is worthless, 15 because the law brings wrath. For[fn] where there is no law, [there is] no transgression.

16 Therefore, [the promise comes] by faith, so that [it] may rest on grace [and] may be guaranteed to all [Abraham’s] offspring—not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of [the] faith of Abraham. [He] is [the] father of us all. 17 As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.”[fn] [He is our father] in the presence of God, in whom he believed, the [God who] gives life to the dead and calls [into] being what {does} not yet exist.

18 Against all hope, [Abraham] in hope believed and so became [the] father of many nations, just as he had been told, “So {shall} your offspring be.”[fn] 19 Without weakening in [his] faith, he acknowledged neither[fn] the decrepitness of his body (since he was about a hundred years old) nor[fn] the lifelessness of Sarah’s womb. 20 Yet he did not waver through disbelief in the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith [and] gave glory to God, 21 being fully persuaded that [God] was able to do what He had promised. 22 This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.”[fn]

23 Now [the words] “it was credited to him” were written not only for [Abraham], 24 but also for us, to whom [righteousness] will be credited—for us who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from [the] dead. 25 [He] was delivered over to death for our trespasses and was raised to life for our justification.