Verse 16

Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his descendant. Scripture does not say,“and to the descendants,” referring to many, but“and to your descendant,” referring to one, who is Christ.

Referenced Verses

  • Gen 12:7 : 7 The LORD appeared to Abram and said,“To your descendants I will give this land.” So Abram built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him.
  • Rom 4:13 : 13 For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would inherit the world was not fulfilled through the law, but through the righteousness that comes by faith.
  • Rom 4:16 : 16 For this reason it is by faith so that it may be by grace, with the result that the promise may be certain to all the descendants– not only to those who are under the law, but also to those who have the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all
  • Gen 49:10 : 10 The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs; the nations will obey him.
  • Luke 1:55 : 55 as he promised to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”
  • Acts 3:25 : 25 You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your ancestors, saying to Abraham,‘And in your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed.’
  • Gen 12:3 : 3 I will bless those who bless you, but the one who treats you lightly I must curse, so that all the families of the earth may receive blessing through you.”
  • Rom 12:5 : 5 so we who are many are one body in Christ, and individually we are members who belong to one another.
  • 1 Cor 12:12 : 12 Different Members in One Body For just as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body– though many– are one body, so too is Christ.
  • 1 Cor 12:27 : 27 Now you are Christ’s body, and each of you is a member of it.
  • Gal 3:8 : 8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, proclaimed the gospel to Abraham ahead of time, saying,“All the nations will be blessed in you.”
  • Gal 3:27-29 : 27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female– for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to the promise.
  • Eph 4:15-16 : 15 But practicing the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Christ, who is the head. 16 From him the whole body grows, fitted and held together through every supporting ligament. As each one does its part, the body builds itself up in love.
  • Eph 5:29-30 : 29 For no one has ever hated his own body, but he feeds it and takes care of it, just as Christ also does the church, 30 because we are members of his body.
  • Eph 5:32 : 32 This mystery is great– but I am actually speaking with reference to Christ and the church.
  • Col 2:19 : 19 He has not held fast to the head from whom the whole body, supported and knit together through its ligaments and sinews, grows with a growth that is from God.
  • Col 3:11 : 11 Here there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all and in all.
  • Gen 13:15-16 : 15 I will give all the land that you see to you and your descendants forever. 16 And I will make your descendants like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone is able to count the dust of the earth, then your descendants also can be counted.
  • Gen 15:5 : 5 The LORD took him outside and said,“Gaze into the sky and count the stars– if you are able to count them!” Then he said to him,“So will your descendants be.”
  • Gen 17:7-8 : 7 I will confirm my covenant as a perpetual covenant between me and you. It will extend to your descendants after you throughout their generations. I will be your God and the God of your descendants after you. 8 I will give the whole land of Canaan– the land where you are now residing– to you and your descendants after you as a permanent possession. I will be their God.”
  • Gen 21:12 : 12 But God said to Abraham,“Do not be upset about the boy or your slave wife. Do all that Sarah is telling you because through Isaac your descendants will be counted.
  • Gen 22:17-18 : 17 I will indeed bless you, and I will greatly multiply your descendants so that they will be as countless as the stars in the sky or the grains of sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the strongholds of their enemies. 18 Because you have obeyed me, all the nations of the earth will pronounce blessings on one another using the name of your descendants.’”
  • Gen 26:3-4 : 3 Stay in this land. Then I will be with you and will bless you, for I will give all these lands to you and to your descendants, and I will fulfill the solemn promise I made to your father Abraham. 4 I will multiply your descendants so they will be as numerous as the stars in the sky, and I will give them all these lands. All the nations of the earth will pronounce blessings on one another using the name of your descendants.
  • Gen 28:13-14 : 13 and the LORD stood at its top. He said,“I am the LORD, the God of your grandfather Abraham and the God of your father Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the ground you are lying on. 14 Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west, east, north, and south. And so all the families of the earth may receive blessings through you and through your descendants.