One Year Pray for America Bible - Flipbook - Page 36
January 7
the ground, but he laughed to himself
in disbelief. “How could I become a
father at the age of 100?” he thought.
“And how can Sarah have a baby
when she is ninety years old?” 18 So
Abraham said to God, “May Ishmael
live under your special blessing!”
19 But God replied, “No— S ara h,
your wife, will give birth to a son for
you. You will name him Isaac,* and
I will confirm my covenant with him
and his descendants as an everlasting
covenant. 20 As for Ishmael, I will bless
him also, just as you have asked. I
will make him extremely fruitful and
multiply his descendants. He will become the father of twelve princes, and
I will make him a great nation. 21 But
my covenant will be confirmed with
Isaac, who will be born to you and Sar
ah about this time next year.” 22 When
God had finished speaking, he left
Abraham.
23 On that very day Abra
ham took
his son, Ishmael, and every male in
his household, including those born
there and those he had bought. Then
he circumcised them, cutting off their
foreskins, just as God had told him.
24 Abraham was ninety-nine years old
when he was circumcised, 25 and Ish
mael, his son, was thirteen. 26 Both
Abraham and his son, Ishmael, were
circumcised on that same day, 27 along
with all the other men and boys of the
household, whether they were born
there or bought as servants. All were
circumcised with him.
18:1 The Lord appeared again to Abra
ham near the oak grove belonging to
Mamre. One day Abraham was sitting
at the entrance to his tent during the
hottest part of the day. 2 He looked
up and noticed three men standing
nearby. When he saw them, he ran to
meet them and welcomed them, bowing low to the ground.
3 “My lord,” he said, “if it pleases
you, stop here for a while. 4 Rest in
the shade of this tree while water is
brought to wash your feet. 5 And since
you’ve honored your servant with
this visit, let me prepare some food
26
to refresh you before you continue on
your journey.”
“All right,” they said. “Do as you
have said.”
6 So Abra
ham ran back to the tent
and said to Sarah, “Hurry! Get three
large measures* of your best flour,
knead it into dough, and bake some
bread.” 7 Then Abraham ran out to the
herd and chose a tender calf and gave
it to his servant, who quickly prepared
it. 8 When the food was ready, Abra
ham took some yogurt and milk and
the roasted meat, and he served it to
the men. As they ate, Abraham waited
on them in the shade of the trees.
9 “Where is Sarah, your wife?” the
visitors asked.
“She’s inside the tent,” Abraham
replied.
10 Then one of them said, “I will return to you about this time next year,
and your wife, Sarah, will have a son!”
Sarah was listening to this conversation from the tent. 11 Abraham and
Sarah were both very old by this time,
and Sarah was long past the age of
having children. 12 So she laughed silently to herself and said, “How could
a w
orn-
out woman like me enjoy
such pleasure, especially when my
master—my husband—is also so old?”
13 Then the Lord said to Abraham,
“Why did Sarah laugh? Why did she
say, ‘Can an old woman like me have
a baby?’ 14 Is anything too hard for the
Lord? I will return about this time
next year, and Sarah will have a son.”
15 Sarah was afraid, so she denied it,
saying, “I didn’t laugh.”
But the Lord said, “No, you did
laugh.”
16:13 Hebrew El-roi.
17:5 Abram means “exalted
father”; Abraham sounds like a Hebrew term that
means “father of many.” 17:7 Hebrew seed; also
in 17:7b, 8, 9, 10, 19. 17:15 Sarai and Sarah both
mean “princess”; the change in spelling may reflect
the difference in dialect between Ur and Canaan.
17:19 Isaac means “he laughs.” 18:6 Hebrew
3 seahs, about half a bushel or 22 liters.
MATTHEW 6:124
“Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds
publicly, to be admired by others, for
you will lose the reward from your
Father in heaven. 2 When you give to
