Verse (Click for Chapter) 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. 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. 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." 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.” 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 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.” Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionWho, against hope, believed in hope, for his becoming father of many nations according to that spoken: “So will your seed 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." 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;' Smith's Literal Translation Who against hope believed upon hope, for him to become father of many nations, according to that said, So shall thy seed be. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleWho 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. Catholic Public Domain Version And he believed, with a hope beyond hope, so that he might become the father of many nations, according to what was said to him: “Thus shall your posterity shall 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.” 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.” Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleFor he who was hopeless trusted in hope, that he might become the father of many peoples, as it is written, So shall your 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.” NT Translations Anderson New TestamentHe, against hope, confidently believed that he would become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken: So shall your posterity be. Godbey New Testament who against hope confided in hope, that he should be the father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, So shall thy seed be: Haweis New Testament Who contrary to hope, in hope believed, that he should be the father of many nations, according to what was said, “So shall thy seed be.” Mace New Testament he it was who against hope believed in hope, that he should become the father of many nations, according to what was told him, "so shall thy posterity 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." Worrell New Testament who, past hope, believed against hope, to the end that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, "So shall your seed be." Worsley New Testament who against hope believed, with hope, that he should be the father of many nations, according to that which was said unto him, "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.” Hebrews 11:11-12 By faith Sarah, even though she was barren and beyond the proper age, was enabled to conceive a child, because she considered Him faithful who had promised. / And so from one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore. Genesis 17:5 No longer will you be called Abram, but your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. Genesis 22:17 I will surely bless you, and I will multiply your descendants like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will possess the gates of their enemies. Galatians 3:6-9 So also, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” / Understand, then, that those who have faith are sons of Abraham. / The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and foretold the gospel to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.” ... Hebrews 6:13-15 When God made His promise to Abraham, since He had no one greater to swear by, He swore by Himself, / saying, “I will surely bless you and multiply your descendants.” / And so Abraham, after waiting patiently, obtained the promise. Genesis 21:12 But God said to Abraham, “Do not be distressed about the boy and your maidservant. Listen to everything that Sarah tells you, for through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned. James 2:21-23 Was not our father Abraham justified by what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? / You see that his faith was working with his actions, and his faith was perfected by what he did. / And the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called a friend of God. Genesis 12:2-3 I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. / I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you; and all the families of the earth will be blessed through you.” Galatians 4:28 Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise. Genesis 18:14 Is anything too difficult for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you—in about a year—and Sarah will have a son.” Hebrews 11:17-19 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac on the altar. He who had received the promises was ready to offer his one and only son, / even though God had said to him, “Through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned.” / Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and in a sense, he did receive Isaac back from death. Genesis 13:16 I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if one could count the dust of the earth, then your offspring could be counted. Galatians 3:29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise. Genesis 26:4 I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky, and I will give them all these lands, and through your offspring all nations of the earth will be blessed, 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 WordsJump to Next Abraham Agreement Believe Believed Circumstances Descendants End Equally Faith Forefather Hope Hopefully Hopeless Hoping Nations Numerous Posterity Reason Seed Utterly WordsRomans 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. Against all hope This phrase captures the seemingly impossible situation Abraham faced. The Greek word for "hope" here is "ἐλπίς" (elpis), which denotes a confident expectation. Abraham's circumstances were dire; he was old, and Sarah was barren. Yet, against all human reasoning and expectation, he maintained a divine hope. This highlights the Christian belief that faith often transcends human logic and understanding, relying instead on God's promises. Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations just as he had been told 'So shall your offspring be.' (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 Againstπαρ’ (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. Links Romans 4:18 NIVRomans 4:18 NLT Romans 4:18 ESV Romans 4:18 NASB Romans 4:18 KJV Romans 4:18 BibleApps.com Romans 4:18 Biblia Paralela Romans 4:18 Chinese Bible Romans 4:18 French Bible Romans 4:18 Catholic Bible NT Letters: Romans 4:18 Who in hope believed against hope (Rom. Ro) |
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