1. After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, "Don't be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward."

2. Abram said, "Lord God, what will you give me, since I go childless, and he who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?"

3. Abram said, "Behold, to me you have given no children: and, behold, one born in my house is my heir."

4. Behold, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, "This man will not be your heir, but he who will come out of your own body will be your heir."

5. The LORD brought him outside, and said, "Look now toward the sky, and count the stars, if you are able to count them." He said to Abram, "So will your offspring be."

6. He believed in The LORD, who credited it to him for righteousness.

7. He said to Abram, "I am the LORD who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give you this land to inherit it."

8. He said, "Lord God, how will I know that I will inherit it?"

9. He said to him, "Bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtledove, and a young pigeon."

10. He brought him all these, and divided them in the middle, and laid each half opposite the other; but he didn't divide the birds.

11. The birds of prey came down on the carcasses, and Abram drove them away.

12. When the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram. Now terror and great darkness fell on him.

13. He said to Abram, "Know for sure that your offspring will live as foreigners in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them. They will afflict them four hundred years.

14. I will also judge that nation, whom they will serve. Afterward they will come out with great wealth,

15. but you will go to your fathers in peace. You will be buried at a good old age.

16. In the fourth generation they will come here again, for the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet full."

17. It came to pass that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold, a smoking furnace, and a flaming torch passed between these pieces.

18. In that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, "I have given this land to your offspring, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates:

19. the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites,

20. the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim,

21. the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites."

1. When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, "I am God Almighty. Walk before me, and be blameless.

2. I will make my covenant between me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly."

3. Abram fell on his face. God talked with him, saying,

4. "As for me, behold, my covenant is with you. You will be the father of a multitude of nations.

5. Your name will no more be called Abram, but your name will be ABRAHAM; for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations.

6. I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of you. Kings will come out of you.

7. I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God to you and to your offspring after you.

8. I will give to you, and to your offspring after you, the land where you are traveling, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession. I will be their God."

9. God said to ABRAHAM, "As for you, you will keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations.

10. This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your offspring after you. Every male among you shall be circumcised.

11. You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin. It will be a token of the covenant between me and you.

12. He who is eight days old will be circumcised among you, every male throughout your generations, he who is born in the house, or bought with money from any foreigner who is not of your offspring.

13. He who is born in your house, and he who is bought with your money, must be circumcised. My covenant will be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.

14. The uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that soul shall be cut off from his people. He has broken my covenant."

15. God said to ABRAHAM, "As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but her name will be Sarah.

16. I will bless her, and moreover I will give you a son by her. Yes, I will bless her, and she will be a mother of nations. Kings of peoples will come from her."

17. Then ABRAHAM fell on his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, "Will a child be born to him who is one hundred years old? Will Sarah, who is ninety years old, give birth?"

18. ABRAHAM said to God, "Oh that Ishmael might live before you!"

19. God said, "No, but Sarah, your wife, will bear you a son. You shall call his name Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant for his offspring after him.

20. As for Ishmael, I have heard you. Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly. He will become the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation.

21. But my covenant I establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this set time next year."

22. When he finished talking with him, God went up from ABRAHAM.

You will give truth to Jacob,and mercy to ABRAHAM,as you have sworn to our fathers from the days of old.

the oath which he swore to ABRAHAM, our father,

For the promise to ABRAHAM and to his offspring that he should be heir of the world wasn't through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.

Now I say that Christ has been made a servant of the circumcision for the truth of God, that he might confirm the promises given to the fathers,