The Jews said to Him, “Now we know that You have a demon. Abraham died, and the prophets as well; and yet You say, ‘If anyone follows My word, he will never taste of death.’

You are not greater than our father Abraham, who died, are You? The prophets died too. Whom do You make Yourself out to be?”

Your father Abraham was overjoyed that he would see My day, and he saw it and rejoiced.”

So the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and You have seen Abraham?”

Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.”

The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His servant Jesus, the one whom you handed over and disowned in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release Him.

It is you who are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant which God ordained with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’

And Stephen said, “Listen to me, brothers and fathers! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran,

And He gave him the covenant of circumcision; and so Abraham fathered Isaac, and circumcised him on the eighth day; and Isaac fathered Jacob, and Jacob, the twelve patriarchs.

And they were brought back from there to Shechem and laid in the tomb which Abraham had purchased for a sum of money from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.

“But as the time of the promise which God had assured to Abraham was approaching, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt,

‘I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob.’ Moses shook with fear and did not dare to look closely.

“Brothers, sons of Abraham’s family, and those among you who fear God, to us the message of this salvation has been sent.

Abraham’s Justification by Faith

What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found?

For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about; but not before God.

For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”

Is this blessing then on the circumcised, or on the uncircumcised also? For we say, “Faith was credited to Abraham as righteousness.”

and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also follow in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham which he had while uncircumcised.

For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would be heir of the world was not through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith.

For this reason it is by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the Law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all,

nor are they all children because they are Abraham’s descendants, but: “through Isaac your descendants shall be named.”

Israel Has Not Been Rejected

I say then, God has not rejected His people, has He? Far from it! For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.

Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I.

Just as Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.

Therefore, recognize that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham.