He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
Parallel translations
- WEB Yet, looking to the promise of God, he didn’t waver through unbelief, but grew strong through faith, giving glory to God,
- BSB Yet he did not waver through disbelief in the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God,
- NKJV He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God,
- NASB yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God,
- NLT Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God.
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
Abraham did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God. Faith strengthens by focusing on God's promise.
Overview
Rather than doubting, Abraham 'grew strong through faith' and gave glory to God as he held to the divine promise. His confidence honored God's truthfulness and power. This shows that faith, far from being passive, actively glorifies God, and it points to the steadfast trust believers are to have in the gospel promises.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 19
- Luke 1:45And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.
- 1 Cor 16:13Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.
- Dan 10:19And said, O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace be unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong. And when he had spoken unto me, I was strengthened, and said, Let my lord speak; for thou hast strengthened me.
- 2 Cor 12:10Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
- 2 Tim 2:1Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
- Isa 35:4Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you.
- Isa 7:9And the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is Remaliah’s son. If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established.
- Zech 8:13And it shall come to pass, that as ye were a curse among the heathen, O house of Judah, and house of Israel; so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing: fear not, but let your hands be strong.
- Zech 8:9Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Let your hands be strong, ye that hear in these days these words by the mouth of the prophets, which were in the day that the foundation of the house of the LORD of hosts was laid, that the temple might be built.
- 2 Chr 20:15–20And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s.
- Hag 2:4Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith the LORD; and be strong, O Joshua, son of Josedech, the high priest; and be strong, all ye people of the land, saith the LORD, and work: for I am with you, saith the LORD of hosts:
- 2 Kgs 7:19And that lord answered the man of God, and said, Now, behold, if the LORD should make windows in heaven, might such a thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof.
- Jer 32:16–27Now when I had delivered the evidence of the purchase unto Baruch the son of Neriah, I prayed unto the LORD, saying,
- Dan 11:32And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.
- Luke 1:18And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.
- Num 11:13–23Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people? for they weep unto me, saying, Give us flesh, that we may eat.
- 2 Kgs 7:2Then a lord on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God, and said, Behold, if the LORD would make windows in heaven, might this thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof.
- Eph 6:10Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
- Matt 9:8But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Paul unfolds the gospel in full: Christ our righteousness received by faith, the second Adam in whom many are made righteous, in whose death and resurrection we are buried and raised.
How Romans 4:20 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.