Bible / Genesis

Genesis 17

World English Bible, Catholic edition, in plain modern English. About the translations

1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty. Walk before me and be blameless.

2 I will make my covenant between me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.”

3 Abram 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.

5 Your 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.

6 I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of you. Kings will come out of you.

7 I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God to you and to your offspring after you.

8 I 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.”

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

10 This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your offspring after you. Every male among you shall be circumcised.

11 You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin. It will be a token of the covenant between me and you.

12 He who is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every male throughout your generations, he who is born in the house, or bought with money from any foreigner who is not of your offspring.

13 He who is born in your house, and he who is bought with your money, must be circumcised. My covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.

14 The uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that soul shall be cut off from his people. He has broken my covenant.”

15 God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but her name shall be Sarah.

16 I will bless her, and moreover I will give you a son by her. Yes, I will bless her, and she will be a mother of nations. Kings of peoples will come from her.”

17 Then Abraham fell on his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, “Will a child be born to him who is one hundred years old? Will Sarah, who is ninety years old, give birth?”

18 Abraham said to God, “Oh that Ishmael might live before you!”

19 God said, “No, but Sarah, your wife, will bear you a son. You shall call his name Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant for his offspring after him.

20 As for Ishmael, I have heard you. Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly. He will become the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation.

21 But I will establish my covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this set time next year.”

22 When he finished talking with him, God went up from Abraham.

23 Abraham took Ishmael his son, all who were born in his house, and all who were bought with his money: every male among the men of Abraham’s house, and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the same day, as God had said to him.

24 Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.

25 Ishmael, his son, was thirteen years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.

26 In the same day both Abraham and Ishmael, his son, were circumcised.

27 All the men of his house, those born in the house, and those bought with money from a foreigner, were circumcised with him.

This chapter in the Catechism and the early Church

Where the Catechism of the Catholic Church cites these verses (from its footnotes on vatican.va), and where the earliest Church Fathers quote them (Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1, public domain). Short quotes only; follow the links for the full text. The Catechism uses modern verse numbers, so these are listed by chapter.

  1. Genesis 17:1 in modern BiblesCCC 2571
    Read the Catechism
    • CCC 2571 “Because Abraham believed in God and walked in his presence and in covenant with him, The patriarch is ready to welcome a…”
  2. Genesis 17:4 in modern BiblesCCC 1819
    Read the Catechism
    • CCC 1819 “Christian hope takes up and fulfills the hope of the chosen people which has its origin and model in the hope of…”
  3. Genesis 17:5 in modern BiblesCCC 1819 CCC 59
    Read the Catechism
    • CCC 1819 “Christian hope takes up and fulfills the hope of the chosen people which has its origin and model in the hope of…”
    • CCC 59 “In order to gather together scattered humanity God calls Abram from his country, his kindred and his father's house, and makes him…”
  4. Genesis 17:6 in modern BiblesCCC 1819
    Read the Catechism
    • CCC 1819 “Christian hope takes up and fulfills the hope of the chosen people which has its origin and model in the hope of…”
  5. Genesis 17:7 in modern BiblesCCC 1819
    Read the Catechism
    • CCC 1819 “Christian hope takes up and fulfills the hope of the chosen people which has its origin and model in the hope of…”
  6. Genesis 17:8 in modern BiblesCCC 1819
    Read the Catechism
    • CCC 1819 “Christian hope takes up and fulfills the hope of the chosen people which has its origin and model in the hope of…”
  7. Genesis 17:9 in modern Bibles
    Read the Fathers
    • “For it declares: "God said unto Abraham, Every male among you shall be circumcised; and ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskins, as a token of the covenant between Me and you.”

      Quoted in Against Heresies, Book IV, St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. AD 180), Chapter XVI. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1

  8. Genesis 17:10 in modern Bibles
    Read the Fathers
    • “For it declares: "God said unto Abraham, Every male among you shall be circumcised; and ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskins, as a token of the covenant between Me and you.”

      Quoted in Against Heresies, Book IV, St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. AD 180), Chapter XVI. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1

  9. Genesis 17:11 in modern Bibles
    Read the Fathers
    • “For it declares: "God said unto Abraham, Every male among you shall be circumcised; and ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskins, as a token of the covenant between Me and you.”

      Quoted in Against Heresies, Book IV, St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. AD 180), Chapter XVI. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1

  10. Genesis 17:17 in modern Bibles
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    • “… Son of God would be a man among men, by whose advent his seed should be as the stars of heaven, he desired to see that day, so that he might himself also embrace Christ; and, seeing it through the spirit of prophecy, he rejoiced.”

      Quoted in Against Heresies, Book IV, St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. AD 180), Chapter VII. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1

  11. Genesis 17:26 in modern Bibles
    Read the Fathers
    • “For [the Scripture] saith, "And Abraham circumcised ten, and eight, and three hundred men of his household.”

      Quoted in The Letter of Barnabas, Unknown author (early 2nd century), Chapter IX. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1

  12. Genesis 17:27 in modern Bibles
    Read the Fathers
    • “For [the Scripture] saith, "And Abraham circumcised ten, and eight, and three hundred men of his household.”

      Quoted in The Letter of Barnabas, Unknown author (early 2nd century), Chapter IX. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1