Romans 4:18
New International Version
Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”

New Living Translation
Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping—believing that he would become the father of many nations. For God had said to him, “That’s how many descendants you will have!”

English Standard Version
In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.”

Berean Standard Bible
Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.”

Berean Literal Bible
who against hope, in hope believed, for him to become the father of many nations, according to that having been spoken, "So shall your offspring be."

King James Bible
Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations; according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.

New King James Version
who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, “So shall your descendants be.”

New American Standard Bible
In hope against hope he believed, so that he might become a father of many nations according to that which had been spoken, “SO SHALL YOUR DESCENDANTS BE.”

NASB 1995
In hope against hope he believed, so that he might become a father of many nations according to that which had been spoken, “SO SHALL YOUR DESCENDANTS BE.”

NASB 1977
In hope against hope he believed, in order that he might become a father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, “SO SHALL YOUR DESCENDANTS BE.”

Legacy Standard Bible
In hope against hope he believed, so that he might become a father of many nations according to that which had been spoken, “SO SHALL YOUR SEED BE.”

Amplified Bible
In hope against hope Abraham believed that he would become a father of many nations, as he had been promised [by God]: “SO [numberless] SHALL YOUR DESCENDANTS BE.”

Christian Standard Bible
He believed, hoping against hope, so that he became the father of many nations according to what had been spoken: So will your descendants be.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
He believed, hoping against hope, so that he became the father of many nations according to what had been spoken: So will your descendants be.

American Standard Version
Who in hope believed against hope, to the end that he might become a father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, So shall thy seed be.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And without hope he believed in hope that he would be the father to the multitude of the nations according to what is written: “Thus shall your seed be.”

Contemporary English Version
God promised Abraham a lot of descendants. And when it all seemed hopeless, Abraham still had faith in God and became the ancestor of many nations.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Who against hope believed in hope; that he might be made the father of many nations, according to that which was said to him: So shall thy seed be.

English Revised Version
Who in hope believed against hope, to the end that he might become a father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, So shall thy seed be.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
When there was nothing left to hope for, Abraham still hoped and believed. As a result, he became a father of many nations, as he had been told: "That is how many descendants you will have."

Good News Translation
Abraham believed and hoped, even when there was no reason for hoping, and so became "the father of many nations." Just as the scripture says, "Your descendants will be as many as the stars."

International Standard Version
Hoping in spite of hopeless circumstances, he believed that he would become "the father of many nations," just as he had been told: "This is how many descendants you will have."

Literal Standard Version
Who, against hope, believed in hope, for his becoming father of many nations according to that spoken: “So will your seed be”;

Majority Standard Bible
Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.”

New American Bible
He believed, hoping against hope, that he would become “the father of many nations,” according to what was said, “Thus shall your descendants be.”

NET Bible
Against hope Abraham believed in hope with the result that he became the father of many nations according to the pronouncement, "so will your descendants be."

New Revised Standard Version
Hoping against hope, he believed that he would become “the father of many nations,” according to what was said, “So numerous shall your descendants be.”

New Heart English Bible
Who hoped in spite of hopeless circumstances, with the result that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, "so will your descendants be."

Webster's Bible Translation
Who against hope believed with hope, that he should become the father of many nations; according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.

Weymouth New Testament
Under utterly hopeless circumstances he hopefully believed, so that he might become the forefather of many nations, in agreement with the words "Equally numerous shall your posterity be."

World English Bible
Against hope, Abraham in hope believed, to the end that he might become a father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, “So will your offspring be.”

Young's Literal Translation
Who, against hope in hope did believe, for his becoming father of many nations according to that spoken: 'So shall thy seed be;'

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Abraham Receives the Promise
17As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the presence of God, in whom he believed, the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being what does not yet exist. 18Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.” 19Without weakening in his faith, he acknowledged the decrepitness of his body (since he was about a hundred years old) and the lifelessness of Sarah’s womb.…

Cross References
Genesis 15:5
And the LORD took him outside and said, "Now look to the heavens and count the stars, if you are able." Then He told him, "So shall your offspring be."

Romans 4:17
As it is written: "I have made you a father of many nations." He is our father in the presence of God, in whom he believed, the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being what does not yet exist.

Romans 8:24
For in this hope we were saved; but hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he can already see?

Hebrews 6:19
We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain,


Treasury of Scripture

Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall your seed be.

against.

Romans 4:19
And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb:

Romans 5:5
And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

Romans 8:24
For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?

So shall.

Genesis 15:5,6
And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be…

Jump to Previous
Abraham Agreement Believe Believed Circumstances Descendants End Equally Faith Forefather Hope Hopefully Hopeless Hoping Nations Numerous Posterity Reason Seed Utterly Words
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Abraham Agreement Believe Believed Circumstances Descendants End Equally Faith Forefather Hope Hopefully Hopeless Hoping Nations Numerous Posterity Reason Seed Utterly Words
Romans 4
1. Abraham's faith was credited to him as righteousness;
10. before he was circumcised.
13. By faith only he and his seed received the promise.
16. Abraham is the father of all who believe.
24. Our faith also shall be credited to us as righteousness.














(18-22) Extended description of the faith of Abraham.

(18) Who.--It must be noticed that the relative here refers to Abraham, whereas in the previous verse it referred to God.

Believed in hope.--The force of the preposition gives rather to the sentence the meaning of "grounded his faith upon hope"--that internal subjective hope that was strong within him, though there were no objective grounds for hoping.

That he might become.--So as by exercise of faith to carry out God's purpose.

Verses 18-21. - Who against hope in hope believed (παρ ἐλπίδα ἐπ ἐλπίδι - an oxymoron. For a similar use of ἐπ ἐλπίδι, see 1 Corinthians 9:10; also below, Romans 5:2. Its position in the Authorized Version might suggest its dependence on "believed," which is grammatically possible (cf. Romans 9:33; Romans 10:11), but unallowable here, since hope cannot well be regarded as the object of belief) to the end he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be (Genesis 15:5, viz. "as the stars"). And being not weak in faith, he considered not (i.e. paid no regard to as a hindrance to faith. The codices relied on by our recent Revisers omit οὐ before κατενόησεν, and they accordingly translate, "he considered his own body," thus making the idea to be that he was fully aware of the apparent impossibility of his having a son, but believed notwithstanding. But the reading of the Textus Receptus has good support, and especially that of the Greek Fathers, and gives the best sense) his own body now dead (already deadened - νενεκρώμενον ( ι.ε. with respect to virility. So, with the same reference, Hebrews 11:12), when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb; but he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong (rather, was strengthened) in faith, giving glory to God; and being fully persuaded that what he had promised he was able also to perform. With regard to the construction of ver. 20, we may observe that, though in the Authorized Version, which is followed above, the prepositions put before "unbelief" and "faith" are varied, both words are datives without a preposition in the Greek, and apparently with the same force of the dative in both cases, the sense being, "With regard to the promise, etc., unbelief did not cause him to waver (οὑ διεκρίθη τῇ ἀπιστία), but faith made him strong ἐνεδυναμώθη τῇ πίστει)." The purport of the whole passage is to show, with reference to Genesis 17:15-22; Genesis 18:9-16, how Abraham's faith in the promise of a seed through Sarah, which seemed impossible in the natural course of things, corresponded in essence to our faith in "him that raised Jesus our Lord from the dead" (ver. 24). It was faith in a Divine power above nature, able to quicken into supernatural life that which humanly is dead. And as Abraham's faith in this promised birth of Isaac involved a further faith in the fulfilment through him of all the promises, so our faith in the resurrection of Christ involves faith in all that is signified and assured to us thereby - in "the power of a Divine life" in him, to bring life out of death, to regenerate and quicken the spiritually dead, and finally in "eternal redemption" and the "restitution of all things" (cf. John 3:6; John 5:25; Romans 6:3-12; 1 Corinthians 3:21-23; Ephesians 1:18-23; Ephesians 2:4-8; Revelation 1:18; to which many other similarly significant passages might be added). It may be observed that, not only in the instance here adduced, but in his whole life as recorded in Genesis, Abraham stands forth as an exemplification of habitual faith in a Divine order beyond sight, and trust in Divine promises. In this consists the religious meaning of that record for us all. Notably so (as is especially set forth in Hebrews 11:17, etc.) in his willingness to sacrifice the son through whom the promise was to be fulfilled, retaining still his faith in the fulfilment.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
Against
παρ’ (par’)
Preposition
Strong's 3844: Gen: from; dat: beside, in the presence of; acc: alongside of.

all hope,
ἐλπίδα (elpida)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1680: Hope, expectation, trust, confidence. From a primary elpo; expectation or confidence.

[Abraham]
ὃς (hos)
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3739: Who, which, what, that.

in
ἐπ’ (ep’)
Preposition
Strong's 1909: On, to, against, on the basis of, at.

hope
ἐλπίδι (elpidi)
Noun - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1680: Hope, expectation, trust, confidence. From a primary elpo; expectation or confidence.

believed
ἐπίστευσεν (episteusen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 4100: From pistis; to have faith, i.e. Credit; by implication, to entrust.

and so
εἰς (eis)
Preposition
Strong's 1519: A primary preposition; to or into, of place, time, or purpose; also in adverbial phrases.

became
γενέσθαι (genesthai)
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Middle
Strong's 1096: A prolongation and middle voice form of a primary verb; to cause to be, i.e. to become, used with great latitude.

[the] father
πατέρα (patera)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3962: Father, (Heavenly) Father, ancestor, elder, senior. Apparently a primary word; a 'father'.

of many
πολλῶν (pollōn)
Adjective - Genitive Neuter Plural
Strong's 4183: Much, many; often.

nations,
ἐθνῶν (ethnōn)
Noun - Genitive Neuter Plural
Strong's 1484: Probably from etho; a race, i.e. A tribe; specially, a foreign one.

just as
κατὰ (kata)
Preposition
Strong's 2596: A primary particle; down, in varied relations (genitive, dative or accusative) with which it is joined).

he had been told,
εἰρημένον (eirēmenon)
Verb - Perfect Participle Middle or Passive - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 2046: Probably a fuller form of rheo; an alternate for epo in certain tenses; to utter, i.e. Speak or say.

“So
Οὕτως (Houtōs)
Adverb
Strong's 3779: Thus, so, in this manner. Or (referring to what precedes or follows).

{shall} your
σου (sou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

offspring
σπέρμα (sperma)
Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 4690: From speiro; something sown, i.e. Seed; by implication, offspring; specially, a remnant.

be.”
ἔσται (estai)
Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.


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NT Letters: Romans 4:18 Who in hope believed against hope (Rom. Ro)
Romans 4:17
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