It is written,“ I have made you a father of many nations.”( Genesis 17:5) God considers Abraham to be our father. The God that Abraham believed in gives life to the dead. Abraham’s God also creates things that did not exist before.

亚伯拉罕所信的，是那叫死人复活、使无变为有的神，他在主面前作我们世人的父。如经上所记：“我已经立你作多国的父。”

亚伯拉罕在上帝面前是我们所有人的父，正如圣经上说：“我已经立你为万族之父。”他所信的上帝是能够使死人复活、使无变有的上帝。

如经上所记：“我已经立了你作万国的父。”他所信的，是叫死人得生命、使无变为有的神。

正如经上所记：“我已经指派你为众多民族的父。”亚伯拉罕所信的那一位，就是叫死人得生命、使无变为有的神。

亞伯拉罕所信的，是那叫死人復活、使無變為有的神，他在主面前作我們世人的父。如經上所記：「我已經立你作多國的父。」

亞伯拉罕在上帝面前是我們所有人的父，正如聖經上說：「我已經立你為萬族之父。」他所信的上帝是能夠使死人復活、使無變有的上帝。

如經上所記：“我已經立了你作萬國的父。”他所信的，是叫死人得生命、使無變為有的神。

在亞伯拉罕所信的上帝面前，就是在那能叫死人活、能呼叫不存在的成為存在者、面前，亞伯拉罕是我眾人的父；正如經上所記：『我立了你做許多邦國的父』。

正如經上所記：「我已經指派你為眾多民族的父。」亞伯拉罕所信的那一位，就是叫死人得生命、使無變為有的神。

如經云、我立爾為萬邦之父、夫上帝即甦諸死者、命無為有者也、

經云、我命爾為萬民父焉、且上帝使死者生、變無為有亞伯拉罕篤信上帝、故在其前、得為吾眾之父、

蓋亞伯漢實為萬民之父。經曰：『吾使爾為萬邦之父』此之謂也。顧其所以能在天主之前為眾人之父者、亦曰篤信天主而已。蓋惟天主能予死者以生命、而出萬有於無有耳。

As it is written:“ I have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed— the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not.

as it is written,“ I have made you the father of many nations”— in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.

That is what the Scriptures mean when God told him,“ I have made you the father of many nations.” This happened because Abraham believed in the God who brings the dead back to life and who creates new things out of nothing.

As it is written: I have made you the father of many nations— in the presence of the God in whom he believed, the one who gives life to the dead and calls things into existence that do not exist.

( as it is written:“ I have made you a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed, that is, God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that do not exist.

( as it is written,“ I have made you a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed— God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did;

( as it is written, A father of many nations have I made thee) before him whom he believed, even God, who giveth life to the dead, and calleth the things that are not, as though they were.

in God’s sight. As it is written: I have made you the father of many nations. He believed in God, who gives life to the dead and calls things into existence that do not exist.

( As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed,[ even] God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.

( as it is written,“ I have made you the father of many nations”). He is our father in the presence of God whom he believed– the God who makes the dead alive and summons the things that do not yet exist as though they already do.

As it is written,“ I have made you a father of many nations.” This is in the presence of him whom he believed: God, who gives life to the dead, and calls the things that are not, as though they were.

God chose the things of this world that are common and looked down on. God chose things considered unimportant to do away with things considered important.

“ This is my covenant with you. You will be the father of many nations.You will not be called Abram anymore. Your name will be Abraham, because I have made you a father of many nations.

God planned that those he had chosen would become like his Son. In that way, Christ will be the first and most honored among many brothers and sisters.And those God has planned for, he has also appointed to be saved. Those he has appointed, he has made right with himself. To those he has made right with himself, he has given his glory.

The Father raises the dead and gives them life. In the same way, the Son gives life to anyone he wants to.

The Holy Spirit gives life. The body means nothing at all. The words I have spoken to you are full of the Spirit. They give life.

The Spirit of the God who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you. So the God who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your bodies. He will do this because of his Spirit who lives in you.

You were living in your sins and lawless ways. But in fact you were dead.You used to live as sinners when you followed the ways of this world. You served the one who rules over the spiritual forces of evil. He is the spirit who is now at work in those who don’t obey God.At one time we all lived among them. Our desires were controlled by sin. We tried to satisfy what they wanted us to do. We followed our desires and thoughts. God was angry with us like he was with everyone else. That’s because of the kind of people we all were.But God loves us deeply. He is full of mercy.So he gave us new life because of what Christ has done. He gave us life even when we were dead in sin. God’s grace has saved you.

Once you were not a people. But now you are the people of God. Once you had not received mercy. But now you have received mercy.

What I’m about to tell you is true. A time is coming for me to give life. In fact, it has already begun. The dead will hear the voice of the Son of God. Those who hear it will live.

“ My people, you will go out of Babylon with joy. You will be led out of it in peace. The mountains and hills will burst into song as you go. And all the trees in the fields will clap their hands.

Or is God the God of Jews only? Isn’t he also the God of Gentiles? Yes, he is their God too.

Abraham was past the time when he could have children. But many children came from that one man. They were as many as the stars in the sky. They were as many as the grains of sand on the seashore. No one could count them.

God gives life to everything. Christ Jesus told the truth when he was a witness in front of Pontius Pilate. In the sight of God and Christ, I give you a command.

They will come from far away. Some of them will come from the north. Others will come from the west. Still others will come from Aswan in the south.”

Noah had faith. So he built an ark to save his family. He built it because of his great respect for God. God had warned him about things that could not yet be seen. Because of his faith Noah showed the world that it was guilty. Because of his faith he was considered right with God.

Dear friends, here is one thing you must not forget. With the Lord a day is like a thousand years. And a thousand years are like a day.

Who is like me? Let him come forward and speak boldly. Let him tell me everything that has happened since I created my people long ago. And let him tell me what has not happened yet. Let him announce ahead of time what is going to take place.

I will give her my blessing. You can be sure that I will give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations. Kings of nations will come from her.”

Did he become right with God because of something he did? If so, he could brag about it. But he couldn’t brag to God.

With my own hand I laid the foundations of the earth. With my right hand I spread out the heavens. When I send for them, they come and stand ready to obey me.

He also says,“ Once it was said to them,‘ You are not my people.’ In that very place they will be called‘ children of the living God.’ ”( Hosea 1:10)

It is written,“ The first man Adam became a living person.”( Genesis 2:7) The last Adam became a spirit that gives life.

I will say to the north,‘ Let them go!’ And I will say to the south,‘ Do not hold them back.’ Bring my sons from far away. Bring my daughters from the farthest places on earth.

May the Mighty God bless you. May he give you children. May he make your family larger until you become a community of nations.

Don’t think you can say to yourselves,‘ Abraham is our father.’ I tell you, God can raise up children for Abraham even from these stones.

I have heard what you said about Ishmael. I will surely bless him. I will make his family very large. He will be the father of 12 rulers. And I will make him into a great nation.

Abraham had married another woman. Her name was Keturah.She had Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak and Shuah by Abraham.Jokshan was the father of Sheba and Dedan. The children of Dedan were the Ashurites, the Letushites and the Leummites.The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanok, Abida and Eldaah. All of them were members of Keturah’s family line.Abraham left everything he owned to Isaac.But while he was still living, he gave gifts to the sons of his concubines. Then he sent them away from his son Isaac. He sent them to the land of the east.Abraham lived a total of 175 years.He took his last breath and died when he was very old. He had lived a very long time. Then he joined the members of his family who had already died.Abraham’s sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him. They put his body in the cave of Machpelah near Mamre. It was in the field of Ephron, the son of Zohar the Hittite.Abraham had bought the field from the Hittites. He was buried there with his wife Sarah.After Abraham died, God blessed his son Isaac. At that time Isaac was living near Beer Lahai Roi.Here is the story of the family line of Abraham’s son Ishmael. Hagar gave birth to Ishmael by Abraham. Hagar was Sarah’s slave from Egypt.Here are the names of the sons of Ishmael. They are listed in the order they were born. Nebaioth was Ishmael’s oldest son. Then came Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam,Mishma, Dumah, Massa,Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish and Kedemah.All of them were Ishmael’s sons. They were rulers of 12 tribes. They all lived in their own settlements and camps.Ishmael lived a total of 137 years. Then he took his last breath and died. He joined the members of his family who had already died.His children settled in the area between Havilah and Shur. It was near the eastern border of Egypt, as you go toward Ashur. Ishmael’s children weren’t friendly toward any of the tribes related to them.Here is the story of the family line of Abraham’s son Isaac. Abraham was the father of Isaac.Isaac was 40 years old when he married Rebekah. She was the daughter of Bethuel, the Aramean from Paddan Aram. She was also the sister of Laban, the Aramean.Rebekah couldn’t have children. So Isaac prayed to the Lord for her. And the Lord answered his prayer. His wife Rebekah became pregnant.The babies struggled with each other inside her. She said,“ Why is this happening to me?” So she went to ask the Lord what she should do.The Lord said to her,“ Two nations are in your body. Two tribes that are now inside you will be separated. One nation will be stronger than the other. The older son will serve the younger one.”The time came for Rebekah to have her babies. There were twin boys in her body.The first one to come out was red. His whole body was covered with hair. So they named him Esau.Then his brother came out. His hand was holding onto Esau’s heel. So he was named Jacob. Isaac was 60 years old when Rebekah had them.The boys grew up. Esau became a skillful hunter. He liked the open country. But Jacob was content to stay at home among the tents.Isaac liked the meat of wild animals. So Esau was his favorite son. But Rebekah’s favorite was Jacob.One day Jacob was cooking some stew. Esau came in from the open country. He was very hungry.He said to Jacob,“ Quick! I’m very hungry! Let me have some of that red stew!” That’s why he was also named Edom.Jacob replied,“ First sell me the rights that belong to you as the oldest son in the family.”“ Look, I’m dying of hunger,” Esau said.“ What good are those rights to me?”But Jacob said,“ First promise to sell me your rights.” So Esau promised to do it. He sold Jacob all the rights that belonged to him as the oldest son.Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. Esau ate and drank. Then he got up and left. So Esau didn’t value the rights that belonged to him as the oldest son.

The Lord does things that have been known from long ago.