(as it is written,"A FATHEROF MANYNATIONSHAVE I MADEYOU") in the presenceof Him whomhe believed,[even] God,who gives lifeto the deadand callsinto being that which does not exist.
"I will blessher, and indeedI will giveyou a sonby her. Then I will blessher, and she shall be [a mother of] nations;kingsof peopleswill comefrom her."
"As for Ishmael,I have heardyou; behold,I will blesshim, and will makehim fruitfuland will multiplyhim exceedingly.He shall becomethe fatherof twelveprinces,and I will makehim a greatnation.
"May GodAlmightyblessyou and makeyou fruitfuland multiplyyou, that you may becomea companyof peoples.
"I will sayto the north,'Give[them] up!' And to the south,'Do not hold[them] back.'BringMy sonsfrom afarAnd My daughtersfrom the endsof the earth,
Whois likeMe? Let him proclaimand declareit; Yes, let him recountit to Me in order,From the time that I establishedthe ancientnation.And let them declareto them the thingsthat are comingAnd the events that are going to takeplace.
"SurelyMy handfoundedthe earth,And My righthandspreadout the heavens;When I callto them, they standtogether.
"Behold,thesewill comefrom afar;And lo,these[will come] from the northand from the west,And thesefrom the landof Sinim."
"Lookto Abrahamyour fatherAnd to Sarahwho gavebirthto you in pain;When[he] [was but] oneI calledhim, Then I blessedhim and multipliedhim."
"For you will goout with joyAnd be ledforthwith peace;The mountainsand the hillswill breakforthinto shoutsof joybeforeyou, And allthe treesof the fieldwill clap[their] hands.
and do not supposethat you can sayto yourselves,We haveAbrahamfor our father;for I sayto you that from thesestonesGodis ableto raiseup childrento Abraham.
"For justas the Fatherraisesthe deadand givesthem life,evensothe Sonalsogives lifeto whomHe wishes.
"Truly,truly,I sayto you, an houris comingand nowis, whenthe deadwill hearthe voiceof the Sonof God,and thosewho hearwill live.
"It is the Spiritwho gives life;the fleshprofitsnothing;the wordsthat I have spokento you are spiritand are life.
SAYSTHE LORD,WHO MAKESTHESE THINGSKNOWNFROM LONG AGO.
Oris God[the God] of Jewsonly?Is He not [the God] of Gentilesalso?Yes,of Gentilesalso,
In hopeagainsthopehe believed,sothat he might becomea fatherof manynationsaccordingto that which had been spoken,"SOSHALL YOUR DESCENDANTSBE."
For ifAbrahamwas justifiedby works,he hassomething to boast about,but not beforeGod.
But ifthe Spiritof Him who raisedJesusfrom the deaddwellsin you, He who raisedChristJesusfrom the deadwill alsogive lifeto your mortalbodiesthroughHis Spiritwho dwellsin you.
for though [the twins] were not yetbornand had not doneanythinggoodorbad,sothat God'spurposeaccordingto [His] choicewould stand,not becauseof worksbut becauseof Him who calls,
"AND IT SHALL BE THAT IN THE PLACEWHEREIT WAS SAIDTO THEM, 'YOU ARE NOT MY PEOPLE,'THERETHEY SHALL BE CALLEDSONSOF THE LIVINGGOD."
and the base thingsof the worldand the despisedGodhas chosen,the things that are not, sothat He may nullifythe things that are,
Soalsoit is written,"The firstMAN,Adam,BECAMEA LIVINGSOUL."The lastAdam[became] a life-givingspirit.
I chargeyou in the presenceof God,who gives lifeto all things,and of ChristJesus,who testifiedthe goodconfessionbeforePontiusPilate,
Thereforethere was bornevenof one man,and him as good as deadat that, [as many descendants] AS THE STARSOF HEAVENIN NUMBER,AND INNUMERABLEAS THE SANDWHICH IS BY THE SEASHORE.
By faithwe understandthat the worldswere preparedby the wordof God,sothat what is seenwas not madeout of things which are visible.
By faithNoah,being warned[by God] aboutthings not yetseen,in reverencepreparedan arkfor the salvationof his household,by whichhe condemnedthe world,and becamean heirof the righteousnesswhich is accordingto faith.
for you oncewere NOT A PEOPLE,but nowyou are THE PEOPLEOF GOD;you had NOT RECEIVEDMERCY,but nowyou have RECEIVED MERCY.
But do not let thisone[fact] escape your notice,beloved,that with the Lordonedayis likea thousandyears,and a thousandyearslikeoneday.
