Isaac was the son of promise to Abraham and Sarah, and the half-brother of Ishmael (who became the father of the Arab people) and the father of Esau (from whom came the Edomites) and Jacob. Isaac was born of a mother beyond childbearing age by a miracle of Yahweh, and was a focus of the testing of Abraham and Sarah, his parents.
The name Isaac means "to laugh, or he laughs," which is based on the response of Sarah to Yahweh's statement to Abraham that she was to bear a son. Sarah was hiding out of sight when this announcement was made by the Angel of Yahweh, and upon hearing this statement, she laughed, which she denied later before the angel. Such an idea was considered impossible but happened as promised by the heavenly visitor. Later, Abraham's faith was tested when God commanded him to sacrifice his only son, Isaac. He followed through with this command of God but received him back alive, since Yahweh kept him from doing so, declaring that now He knew by experience (see the meaning of Hebrew yada') that Abraham did not withhold his son.
Later in Isaac's life, he married Rebekah, who bore him Jacob (biography) and Esau (his favorite), and was tricked by Jacob and Rebekah into giving his younger son Jacob his blessing.
Isaac was one of the sons of Abraham and Sarah, and brother of Ishmael. He was born to Abraham and Sarah, when she was beyond childbearing age, by the miracle of God. God instructed Abraham to sacrifice his son on Mt. Moriah, as a means to test the faith of Abraham. At the last moment before this sacrifice, God stopped Abraham from doing this, demonstrating His commitment to God. Isaac married Rebekah, through whom were born Esau and Jacob, the latter deceiving his father Isaac to receive the blessing of the firstborn, causing considerable animosity from Esau.
1When he came down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him. 2Behold, a leper came to him and worshiped him, saying, “Lord, if you want to, you can make me clean.”
3Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I want to. Be made clean.” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4Jesus said to him, “See that you tell nobody; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”
5When he came into Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking him for help, 6saying, “Lord, my servant lies in the house paralyzed, grievously tormented.”
7Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.”
8The centurion answered, “Lord, I’m not worthy for you to come under my roof. Just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9For I am also a man under authority, having under myself soldiers. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and tell another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and tell my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
10When Jesus heard it, he marveled and said to those who followed, “Most certainly I tell you, I haven’t found so great a faith, not even in Israel. 11I tell you that many will come from the east and the west, and will sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven, 12but the children of the Kingdom will be thrown out into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”13Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way. Let it be done for you as you have believed.” His servant was healed in that hour.
14When Jesus came into Peter’s house, he saw his wife’s mother lying sick with a fever. 15He touched her hand, and the fever left her. So she got up and served him. 16When evening came, they brought to him many possessed with demons. He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick, 17that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying, “He took our infirmities and bore our diseases.”
18Now when Jesus saw great multitudes around him, he gave the order to depart to the other side.
19A scribe came and said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.”
20Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.”
21Another of his disciples said to him, “Lord, allow me first to go and bury my father.”
22But Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.”
23When he got into a boat, his disciples followed him. 24Behold, a violent storm came up on the sea, so much that the boat was covered with the waves; but he was asleep. 25The disciples came to him and woke him up, saying, “Save us, Lord! We are dying!”
26He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then he got up, rebuked the wind and the sea, and there was a great calm.
27The men marveled, saying, “What kind of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
28When he came to the other side, into the country of the Gergesenes, two people possessed by demons met him there, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that nobody could pass that way. 29Behold, they cried out, saying, “What do we have to do with you, Jesus, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?” 30Now there was a herd of many pigs feeding far away from them. 31The demons begged him, saying, “If you cast us out, permit us to go away into the herd of pigs.”
32He said to them, “Go!”
They came out and went into the herd of pigs; and behold, the whole herd of pigs rushed down the cliff into the sea and died in the water. 33Those who fed them fled and went away into the city and told everything, including what happened to those who were possessed with demons. 34Behold, all the city came out to meet Jesus. When they saw him, they begged that he would depart from their borders.