The Message Bible MSG
New International Version NIV
1 After all these things, this word of God came to Abram in a vision: "Don't be afraid, Abram. I'm your shield. Your reward will be grand!"
1
After this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield,your very great reward. ”
2 Abram said, "God, Master, what use are your gifts as long as I'm childless and Eliezer of Damascus is going to inherit everything?"
2
But Abram said, “Sovereign LORD, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?”
3 Abram continued, "See, you've given me no children, and now a mere house servant is going to get it all."
3
And Abram said, “You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.”
4 Then God's Message came: "Don't worry, he won't be your heir; a son from your body will be your heir."
4
Then the word of the LORD came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.”
5 Then he took him outside and said, "Look at the sky. Count the stars. Can you do it? Count your descendants! You're going to have a big family, Abram!"
5
He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”
6 And he believed! Believed God! God declared him "Set-Right-with-God."
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Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.
7 God continued, "I'm the same God who brought you from Ur of the Chaldees and gave you this land to own."
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He also said to him, “I am the LORD, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to take possession of it.”
8 Abram said, "Master God, how am I to know this, that it will all be mine?"
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But Abram said, “Sovereign LORD, how can I know that I will gain possession of it?”
9 God said, "Bring me a heifer, a goat, and a ram, each three years old, and a dove and a young pigeon."
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So the LORD said to him, “Bring me a heifer, a goat and a ram, each three years old, along with a dove and a young pigeon.”
10 He brought all these animals to him, split them down the middle, and laid the halves opposite each other. But he didn't split the birds.
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Abram brought all these to him, cut them in two and arranged the halves opposite each other; the birds, however, he did not cut in half.
11 Vultures swooped down on the carcasses, but Abram scared them off.
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Then birds of prey came down on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.