Hebrews 11

¹Now, faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not apparent.

²For this reason, the ancients were given testimony.

³By faith, we understand the world to be fashioned by the Word of God, so that the visible might be made by the invisible.

⁴By faith, Abel offered to God a much better sacrifice than that of Cain, through which he obtained testimony that he was just, in that God offered testimony to his gifts. And through that sacrifice, he still speaks to us, though he is dead.

⁵By faith, Enoch was transferred, so that he would not see death, and he was not found because God had transferred him. For before he was transferred, he had testimony that he pleased God.

⁶But without faith, it is impossible to please God. For whoever approaches God must believe that he exists, and that he rewards those who seek him.

⁷By faith, Noah, having accepted an answer about those things which were not yet seen, being afraid, fashioned an ark for the salvation of his house. Through the ark, he condemned the world, and was established as the heir of the justice that occurs through faith.

⁸By faith, the one called Abraham obeyed, going out to the place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.

⁹By faith, he stayed in the Land of the Promise as if in a foreign land, dwelling in cottages, with Isaac and Jacob, co-heirs of the same promise.

¹⁰For he was awaiting a city having firm foundations, whose designer and builder is God.

¹¹By faith also, Sarah herself, being barren, received the ability to conceive offspring, even though she was past that age in life. For she believed him to be faithful, who had promised.

¹²Because of this, there were also born, from one who himself was as if dead, a multitude like the stars of heaven, who are, like the sand of the seashore, innumerable.

¹³All of these passed away, adhering to faith, not having received the promises, yet beholding them from afar and saluting them, and confessing themselves to be sojourners and guests upon the earth.

¹⁴For those who speak in this way are themselves indicating that they seek a homeland.

¹⁵And if, indeed, they had been mindful of the very place from which they departed, they certainly would have returned in time.

¹⁶But now they hunger for a better place, that is, Heaven. For this reason, God is not ashamed to be called their God. For he has prepared a city for them.

¹⁷By faith, Abraham, when he was tested, offered Isaac, so that he who had received the promises was offering up his only son.

¹⁸To him, it was said, “Through Isaac, shall your offspring be summoned,”

¹⁹indicating that God is even able to raise up from the dead. And thus, he also established him as a parable.

²⁰By faith, also, Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, concerning future events.

²¹By faith, Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph; and he reverenced the summit of his rod.

²²By faith, Joseph, as he was dying, recalled the departure of the sons of Israel, and gave a commandment concerning his bones.

²³By faith, Moses, after being born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they had seen that he was a graceful infant, and they did not fear the king’s edict.

²⁴By faith, Moses, after growing up, denied himself a place as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter,

²⁵choosing to be afflicted with the people of God, rather than to have the pleasantness of sin for a time,

²⁶valuing the reproach of Christ to be a greater wealth than the treasures of the Egyptians. For he looked forward to his reward.

²⁷By faith, he abandoned Egypt, not dreading the animosity of the king. For he pressed on, as if seeing him who is unseen.

²⁸By faith, he celebrated the Passover and the shedding of the blood, so that he who destroyed the firstborn might not touch them.

²⁹By faith, they crossed the Red Sea, as if on dry land, yet when the Egyptians attempted it, they were swallowed up.

³⁰By faith, the walls of Jericho collapsed, after being encircled for seven days.

³¹By faith, Rahab, the harlot, did not perish with the unbelievers, after receiving the spies with peace.

³²And what should I say next? For time is not sufficient for me to give an account of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the Prophets:

³³those who, by faith, conquered kingdoms, accomplished justice, obtained promises, closed the mouths of lions,

³⁴extinguished the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, recovered from infirmities, showed strength in battle, turned back the armies of foreigners.

³⁵Women received their dead by means of resurrection. But others suffered severe punishment, not yet receiving redemption, so that they would find a better resurrection.

³⁶Truly, others were tested by mocking and lashes, and moreover by chains and imprisonment.

³⁷They were stoned; they were cut; they were tempted. With the slaughter of the sword, they were killed. They wandered about in sheepskin and in goatskin, in dire need, in anguish afflicted.

³⁸Of them, the world was not worthy, wandering in solitude on mountains, in the caves and caverns of the earth.

³⁹And all these, having been proven by the testimony of faith, did not receive the Promise.

⁴⁰God’s Providence holds something better for us, so that not without us would they be perfected.

Hebrews 11

¹Now, faith is the substance of things to be hoped for, the evidence of things that appear not.

²For by this the ancients obtained a testimony.

³By faith we understand that the world was framed by the word of God: that from invisible things visible things might be made.

⁴By faith Abel offered to God a sacrifice exceeding that of Cain, by which he obtained a testimony that he was just, God giving testimony to his gifts. And by it he being dead yet speaketh.

⁵By faith Henoch was translated that he should not see death: and he was not found because God had translated him. For before his translation he had testimony that he pleased God.

⁶But without faith it is impossible to please God. For he that cometh to God must believe that he is: and is a rewarder to them that seek him.

⁷By faith Noe, having received an answer concerning those things which as yet were not seen, moved with fear, framed the ark for the saving of his house: by the which he condemned the world and was instituted heir of the justice which is by faith.

⁸By faith he that is called Abraham obeyed to go out into a place which he was to receive for an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing whither he went.

⁹By faith he abode in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in cottages, with Isaac and Jacob, the co-heirs of the same promise.

¹⁰For he looked for a city that hath foundations: whose builder and maker is God.

¹¹By faith also Sara herself, being barren, received strength to conceive seed, even past the time of age: because she believed that he was faithful who had promised,

¹²For which cause there sprung even from one (and him as good as dead) as the stars of heaven in multitude and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.

¹³All these died according to faith, not having received the promises but beholding them afar off and saluting them and confessing that they are pilgrims and strangers on the earth.

¹⁴For they that say these things do signify that they seek a country.

¹⁵And truly, if they had been mindful of that from whence they came out, they had doubtless, time to return.

¹⁶But now they desire a better, that is to say, a heavenly country. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

¹⁷By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,

¹⁸(To whom it was said: In Isaac shalt thy seed be called:)

¹⁹Accounting that God is able to raise up even from the dead. Whereupon also he received him for a parable.

²⁰By faith also of things to come Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau.

²¹By faith Jacob, dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph and adored the top of his rod.

²²By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the going out of the children of Israel and gave commandment concerning his bones.

²³By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months by his parents: because they saw he was a comely babe, and they feared not the king's edict.

²⁴By faith Moses, when he was grown up, denied himself to be the son of Pharao's daughter:

²⁵Rather choosing to be afflicted with the people of God than to have the pleasure of sin for a time:

²⁶Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasure of the Egyptians. For he looked unto the reward.

²⁷By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the fierceness of the king: for he endured, as seeing him that is invisible.

²⁸By faith he celebrated the pasch and the shedding of the blood: that he who destroyed the firstborn might not touch them.

²⁹By faith they passed through the Red Sea, as by dry land: which the Egyptians attempting, were swallowed up.

³⁰By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, by the going round them seven days.

³¹By faith Rahab the harlot perished not with the unbelievers, receiving the spies with peace.

³²And what shall I yet say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, Barac, Samson, Jephthe, David, Samuel, and the prophets:

³³Who by faith conquered kingdoms, wrought justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,

³⁴Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, recovered strength from weakness, became valiant in battle, put to flight the armies of foreigners.

³⁵Women received their dead raised to life again. But others were racked, not accepting deliverance, that they might find a better resurrection.

³⁶And others had trial of mockeries and stripes: moreover also of bands and prisons.

³⁷They were stoned, they were cut asunder, they were tempted, they were put to death by the sword, they wandered about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being in want, distressed, afflicted:

³⁸Of whom the world was not worthy: wandering in deserts, in mountains and in dens and in caves of the earth.

³⁹And all these, being approved by the testimony of faith, received not the promise:

⁴⁰God providing some better thing for us, that they should not be perfected without us.