1. Some time later God put Abraham to the test. He said to him, "Abraham!" "Here I am," Abraham replied.
2. Then God said, "Take your son, your only son. He is the one you love. Take Isaac. Go to Moriah. Give him to me there as a burnt offering. Sacrifice him on one of the mountains I will tell you about."
3. Early the next morning Abraham got up. He put a saddle on his donkey. He took two of his servants and his son Isaac with him. He cut enough wood for the burnt offering. Then he started out for the place God had told him about.
4. On the third day Abraham looked up. He saw the place a long way off.
5. He said to his servants, "Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will go over there and worship. Then we'll come back to you."
6. Abraham put the wood for the burnt offering on his son Isaac. He himself carried the fire and the knife. The two of them walked on together.
7. Then Isaac spoke up. He said to his father Abraham, "Father?" "Yes, my son?" Abraham replied. "The fire and wood are here," Isaac said. "But where is the lamb for the burnt offering?"
8. Abraham answered, "God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son." The two of them walked on together.
9. They reached the place God had told Abraham about. There Abraham built an altar. He arranged the wood on it. He tied up his son Isaac. He placed him on the altar, on top of the wood.
10. Then he reached out his hand. He took the knife to kill his son.
11. But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven. He said, "Abraham! Abraham!" "Here I am," Abraham replied.
12. "Do not lay a hand on the boy," he said. "Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you have respect for God. You have not held back from me your son, your only son."