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.
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.
- BSB 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.
- 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 17:9–14And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations.
- Gen 35:23–26The sons of Leah; Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, and Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Zebulun:
- Rom 9:9–13For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son.
- 1 Chr 2:1–2These are the sons of Israel; Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun,
- Gal 3:17And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.
- Gal 3:15Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man’s covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto.
- 1 Chr 1:34And Abraham begat Isaac. The sons of Isaac; Esau and Israel.
- Gen 35:16And they journeyed from Bethel; and there was but a little way to come to Ephrath: and Rachel travailed, and she had hard labour.
- Matt 1:2Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren;
- Gen 35:18And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Benoni: but his father called him Benjamin.
- Acts 2:29Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.
- Heb 7:4Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.
- Gen 25:21–26And Isaac intreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren: and the LORD was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.
- Exod 1:1–4Now these are the names of the children of Israel, which came into Egypt; every man and his household came with Jacob.
- Gen 21:1–4And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as he had spoken.
- Rom 4:10How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.
- Gen 29:31And when the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren.
- John 7:22Moses therefore gave unto you circumcision; (not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers;) and ye on the sabbath day circumcise a man.
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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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