Your father Abraham rejoiced as he looked forward to my coming. He saw it and was glad.”
Parallel translations
- WEB Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day. He saw it, and was glad.”
- KJV Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.
- BSB Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see My day. He saw it and was glad.”
- NKJV Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.”
- NASB Your father Abraham was overjoyed that he would see My day, and he saw it and rejoiced.”
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
Jesus says Abraham rejoiced to see his day and was glad. The patriarch looked forward in faith to the coming of Christ.
Overview
Jesus declares that Abraham, by faith, anticipated and rejoiced in the Messiah's coming, the fulfillment of God's promises. Faithful Christians have understood this as Abraham's prophetic foresight of Christ's day. The verse affirms that the gospel was promised beforehand and that Old Testament faith looked ahead to the Savior.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Heb 11:13These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them and embraced them from afar, and having confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
- Gal 3:7–9Know therefore that those who are of faith, the same are children of Abraham.
- Gen 22:18All the nations of the earth will be blessed by your offspring, because you have obeyed my voice.”
- Matt 13:17For most certainly I tell you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see the things which you see, and didn’t see them; and to hear the things which you hear, and didn’t hear them.
- John 8:39They answered him, “Our father is Abraham.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham.
- Luke 10:24for I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see the things which you see, and didn’t see them, and to hear the things which you hear, and didn’t hear them.”
- 1 Pet 1:10–12Concerning this salvation, the prophets sought and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you,
- Heb 11:39These all, having had testimony given to them through their faith, didn’t receive the promise,
- John 8:37I know that you are Abraham’s offspring, yet you seek to kill me, because my word finds no place in you.
- Luke 2:28–30then he received him into his arms, and blessed God, and said,
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
John declares him plainly: the eternal Word made flesh, the Lamb of God, the great 'I AM' — bread, light, door, shepherd, way, truth, life, resurrection — that you may believe and have life in his name.
How John 8:56 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.