Abraham (sources)
Survey of ancient sources on Abraham.
- See Abraham (arts) -- Abraham (research)
Overview
Early Christian sources
Gospel of Mark
Mark 12:26 -- And as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’?
Gospel of Matthew
Genealogy of Jesus -- Matthew 1:1 -- The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. [2] Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers... [17] So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations.
Matthew 3:9 -- And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham.
Matthew 8:11 -- I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven,
Matt.22.32 -- ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not God of the dead, but of the living.”
Gospel of Luke
Luke.1.55 as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”
Luke.1.73 the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us
Luke.3.8 Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham.
Luke.3.34 the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor,
Luke.13.16 And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?”
Luke.13.28 In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out.
Luke.16.22 -- The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried, [23] and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. [24] And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’ [25] But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish... [29] But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ [30] And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’
Luke 19:9 -- And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham.
Luke 20:37 -- But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed, in the passage about the bush, where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.
Gospel of John
John 8:33 -- They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?”... [37] I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you... [39] They answered him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing what Abraham did, [40] but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did... [52] The Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.’ [53] Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be?”... [56] Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” [57] So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” [58] Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”
Acts of Apostles
Acts.3.13 The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him.
Acts.3.25 You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’
Acts.7.2 And Stephen said: “Brothers and fathers, hear me. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran,
Acts.7.8 And he gave him the covenant of circumcision. And so Abraham became the father of Isaac, and circumcised him on the eighth day, and Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob of the twelve patriarchs.
Acts.7.16 and they were carried back to Shechem and laid in the tomb that Abraham had bought for a sum of silver from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.
Acts.7.17 “But as the time of the promise drew near, which God had granted to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt
Acts.7.32 ‘I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob.’ And Moses trembled and did not dare to look.
Acts.13.26 “Brothers, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to us has been sent the message of this salvation.
Romans
Rom.4.1 What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh?
Rom.4.2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God.
Rom.4.3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.”
Rom.4.9 Is this blessing then only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? We say that faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness.
Rom.4.12 and to make him the father of the circumcised who are not merely circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.
Rom.4.13 For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith.
Rom.4.16 That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all,
Rom.9.7 and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.”
Rom.11.1 I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin.
2 Corinthians
2Cor.11.22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they offspring of Abraham? So am I.
Galatians
Gal.3.6 just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”?
Gal.3.7 Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham.
Gal.3.8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.”
Gal.3.9 So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.
Gal.3.14 so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.
Gal.3.16 Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ.
Gal.3.18 For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a promise.
Gal.3.29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.
Gal.4.22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave woman and one by a free woman.
Hebrews
Heb.2.16 For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham.
Heb.6.13 For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself,
Heb.6.15 And thus Abraham, having patiently waited, obtained the promise.
Heb.7.1 For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,
Heb.7.2 and to him Abraham apportioned a tenth part of everything. He is first, by translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, that is, king of peace.
Heb.7.4 See how great this man was to whom Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth of the spoils!
Heb.7.5 And those descendants of Levi who receive the priestly office have a commandment in the law to take tithes from the people, that is, from their brothers, though these also are descended from Abraham.
Heb.7.6 But this man who does not have his descent from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises.
Heb.7.9 One might even say that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham,
Heb.11.8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.
Heb.11.17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son,
Letter of James
Jas.2.21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar?
Jas.2.23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”— and he was called a friend of God.
1 Peter
1Pet.3.6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening.