¹⁶ Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one.^(A) Therefore God is not ashamed^(B) to be called their God,^(C) for he has prepared a city^(D) for them.

²⁴ That night the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am the God of your father Abraham.^(A) Do not be afraid,^(B) for I am with you;^(C) I will bless you and will increase the number of your descendants^(D) for the sake of my servant Abraham.”^(E)

¹³ There above it^[a] stood the Lord,^(A) and he said: “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac.^(B) I will give you and your descendants the land^(C) on which you are lying.^(D)