Abraham Tested

22 Some time later God tested^(A) Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!”

“Here I am,”^(B) he replied.

² Then God said, “Take your son^(C), your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah.^(D) Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering^(E) on a mountain I will show you.^(F)”

³ Early the next morning^(G) Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. ⁴ On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. ⁵ He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.^(H)”

⁶ Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac,^(I) and he himself carried the fire and the knife.^(J) As the two of them went on together, ⁷ Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?”

“Yes, my son?” Abraham replied.

“The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb^(K) for the burnt offering?”

⁸ Abraham answered, “God himself will provide^(L) the lamb^(M) for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.

⁹ When they reached the place God had told him about,^(N) Abraham built an altar^(O) there and arranged the wood^(P) on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar,^(Q) on top of the wood. ¹⁰ Then he reached out his hand and took the knife^(R) to slay his son.^(S)

¹⁸ Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations,^(A) just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”^{[a](B) 19} Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead^(C)—since he was about a hundred years old^(D)—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead.^{(E) 20} Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened^(F) in his faith and gave glory to God,^{(G) 21} being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.^(H)

⁸ By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance,^(A) obeyed and went,^(B) even though he did not know where he was going. ⁹ By faith he made his home in the promised land^(C) like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents,^(D) as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise.^{(E) 10} For he was looking forward to the city^(F) with foundations,^(G) whose architect and builder is God.^{(H) 11} And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age,^(I) was enabled to bear children^(J) because she^[a] considered him faithful^(K) who had made the promise. ¹² And so from this one man, and he as good as dead,^(L) came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.^(M)

¹³ All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised;^(N) they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance,^(O) admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth.^{(P) 14} People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. ¹⁵ If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return.^{(Q) 16} Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one.^(R) Therefore God is not ashamed^(S) to be called their God,^(T) for he has prepared a city^(U) for them.

¹⁷ By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice.^(V) He who had embraced the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, ¹⁸ even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.”^{[b](W) 19} Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead,^(X) and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death.