How many times is Abraham mentioned in the Bible?
The word Abraham appears 231 times in the King James Version, in 216 verses. Counting every form (Abraham, Abraham's, Abram, Abram's), it appears 311 times in 277 verses across 27 of the 66 books. The World English Bible uses Abraham 230 times (315 with every form).
Abram is his name until Genesis 17:5, where God renames him Abraham. Both names are counted.
Abraham in the King James Version and the World English Bible
Each form of Abraham counted in each translation.
| Form | KJV | WEB |
|---|---|---|
| Abraham | 231 | 230 |
| Abraham's | 19 | 21 |
| Abram | 54 | 57 |
| Abram's | 7 | 7 |
| Total | 311 | 315 |
Which books mention Abraham most
Abraham appears in 27 books of the 66 in the King James Version. Genesis has the most (193), then Luke (15) and John (11).
Also in: Nehemiah (2), James (2), Leviticus (1), Numbers (1), 1 Kings (1), 2 Kings (1), Jeremiah (1), Ezekiel (1), Micah (1), Mark (1), 2 Corinthians (1), 1 Peter (1).
First and last mention of Abraham
And Terah lived seventy years, and begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran.
Even as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.
The verse that uses it most is Genesis 16:3, 3 times (tied with John 8:39):
And Sarai Abram’s wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.
Where the two translations differ
0 verses match in the KJV but not in the World English Bible, and 4 verses match only in the World English Bible, usually because the other translation chose a different word there.
Genesis 14:20: counted in the World English Bible only
And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.
and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” Abram gave him a tenth of all.
Genesis 15:5: counted in the World English Bible only
And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.
Yahweh brought him outside, and said, “Look now toward the sky, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” He said to Abram, “So will your offspring be.”
Verses with Abraham on our topic pages
12 verses that use Abraham in the World English Bible are in our topic collections.
and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” Abram gave him a tenth of all.
On: Tithing
Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah, and said, “Quickly prepare three seahs of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes.”
On: Hospitality
Abraham ran to the herd, and fetched a tender and good calf, and gave it to the servant. He hurried to dress it.
On: Hospitality
For I have known him, to the end that he may command his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of Yahweh, to do righteousness and justice; to the end that Yahweh may bring on Abraham that which he has spoken of him.”
On: Family
‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?’ God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.”
On: Resurrection
In Hades, he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far off, and Lazarus at his bosom.
On: Hell
Jesus said to him, “Today, salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham.
On: Hospitality
Besides hope, Abraham in hope believed, to the end that he might become a father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, “So will your offspring be.”
On: Hope
For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of God Most High, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,
On: Tithing
to whom also Abraham divided a tenth part of all (being first, by interpretation, “king of righteousness”, and then also “king of Salem”, which means “king of peace”;
On: Tithing
They indeed of the sons of Levi who receive the priest’s office have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brothers, though these have come out of the body of Abraham,
On: Tithing
By faith, Abraham, when he was called, obeyed to go out to the place which he was to receive for an inheritance. He went out, not knowing where he went.
On: Faith
Common questions
How many times is Abraham in the Old Testament and the New Testament?
In the King James Version, counting every form, 237 of the 311 uses are in the Old Testament and 74 in the New Testament. Abraham appears in 27 books of the 66 in the King James Version. Genesis has the most (193), then Luke (15) and John (11).
Where is Abraham first mentioned in the Bible?
The first use in the King James Version is Genesis 11:26: "And Terah lived seventy years, and begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran." The last is 1 Peter 3:6.
More word counts: Mary, Paul, Peter, seven, forty, twelve, wine, drunk, or all 107 words.
Counted by Bible Says About from the full public-domain text of the King James Version (1769 edition) and the World English Bible. Verse text only: headings and psalm titles are left out. A word is a run of letters: a hyphenated name like Beer-sheba counts as two, and an apostrophe stays inside its word (LORD'S is one). Matching ignores capital letters. Data compiled 2026-10-02.