Thursday 2 April 2020

3Abram fell on his face.God talked with him, saying,4“As for me, behold, my covenant is with you.You will be the father of a multitude of nations.5Your name will no more be called Abram,but your name will be Abraham;for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations.6I will make you exceedingly fruitful,and I will make nations of you.Kings will come out of you.7I will establish my covenant between me and youand your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant,to be a God to you and to your offspring after you.8I will give to you,and to your offspring after you,the land where you are traveling,all the land of Canaan,for an everlasting possession.I will be their God.”

9God said to Abraham,“As for you, you shall keep my covenant,you and your offspring after you throughout their generations.

4Seek the Lord and his strength.Seek his face forever more.5Remember his marvelous works that he has done:his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth,

6you offspring of Abraham, his servant,you children of Jacob, his chosen ones.7He is the Lord, our God.His judgments are in all the earth.

8He has remembered his covenant forever,the word which he commanded to a thousand generations,9the covenant which he made with Abraham,his oath to Isaac,

51Most certainly, I tell you,if a person keeps my word,he will never see death.”

52Then the Jews said to him,“Now we know that you have a demon.Abraham died, as did the prophets;and you say, ‘If a man keeps my word,he will never taste of death.’53Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died?The prophets died.Who do you make yourself out to be?”

54Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing.It is my Father who glorifies me,of whom you say that he is our God.55You have not known him, but I know him.If I said, ‘I don’t know him,’I would be like you, a liar.But I know him and keep his word.56Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day.He saw it and was glad.”

57The Jews therefore said to him,“You are not yet fifty years old!Have you seen Abraham?”

58Jesus said to them,“Most certainly, I tell you,before Abraham came into existence, I AM.”

59Therefore they took up stones to throw at him,but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple,having gone through the middle of them, and so passed by.