Then God gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision, and 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.
Parallel translations
- WEB He gave him the covenant of circumcision. So Abraham became the father of Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day. Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob became the father of the twelve patriarchs.
- KJV And he gave him the covenant of circumcision: and so Abraham begat Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat the twelve patriarchs.
- NKJV Then He gave him the covenant of circumcision; and so Abraham begot Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day; and Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot the twelve patriarchs.
- NASB 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.
- NLT “God also gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision at that time. So when Abraham became the father of Isaac, he circumcised him on the eighth day. And the practice was continued when Isaac became the father of Jacob, and when Jacob became the father of the twelve patriarchs of the Israelite nation.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
God gave the covenant of circumcision, and the line ran through Isaac, Jacob, and the twelve patriarchs. God's covenant promises advance through the generations.
Overview
Circumcision marked the covenant people, and Stephen traces the promised line to the twelve tribes' founders. He affirms the covenant heritage his accusers claim, showing he honors it rightly. The faithful unfolding of the line testifies to God's reliability in keeping His word across generations.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 18
- Gen 17:9–14God also said to Abraham, “You must keep My covenant—you and your descendants in the generations after you.
- Gen 35:23–26The sons of Leah were Reuben the firstborn of Jacob, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun.
- Rom 9:9–13For this is what the promise stated: “At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son.”
- 1 Chr 2:1–2These were the sons of Israel: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun,
- Gal 3:17What I mean is this: The law that came 430 years later does not revoke the covenant previously established by God, so as to nullify the promise.
- Gal 3:15Brothers, let me put this in human terms. Even a human covenant, once it is ratified, cannot be canceled or amended.
- 1 Chr 1:34Abraham was the father of Isaac. The sons of Isaac: Esau and Israel.
- Gen 35:16Later, they set out from Bethel, and while they were still some distance from Ephrath, Rachel began to give birth, and her labor was difficult.
- Matt 1:2Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers.
- Gen 35:18And with her last breath—for she was dying—she named him Ben-oni. But his father called him Benjamin.
- Acts 2:29Brothers, I can tell you with confidence that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.
- Heb 7:4Consider how great Melchizedek was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder.
- Gen 25:21–26Later, Isaac prayed to the LORD on behalf of his wife, because she was barren. And the LORD heard his prayer, and his wife Rebekah conceived.
- Exod 1:1–4These are the names of the sons of Israel who went to Egypt with Jacob, each with his family:
- Gen 21:1–4Now the LORD attended to Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did for Sarah what He had promised.
- Rom 4:10In what context was it credited? Was it after his circumcision, or before? It was not after, but before.
- Gen 29:31When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.
- John 7:22But because Moses gave you circumcision, you circumcise a boy on the Sabbath (not that it is from Moses, but from the patriarchs.)
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Acts is the risen Christ continuing his work by the Spirit through the church, as the apostles preach that there is salvation in no other name under heaven.
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Original language
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