16 This is why the promise is by faith, so that it may be according to grace,p to guarantee it to all the descendantsq—not only to the one who is of the lawD but also to the one who is of Abraham’s faith. He is the father of us all. 17 As it is written: I have made you the father of many nations—E,r in the presence of the God in whom he believed, the one who gives life to the deads and callst things into existence that do not exist.u 18 He believed, hoping against hope, so that he became the father of many nationsE,v according to what had been spoken: So will your descendants be.F,w