希伯來書 11
1 德是所希望之事的擔保，是未見之事的確證。
It is because people trust [God] that they are sure that they will receive the things that they confidently expect [God to give them]. They are also certain [that they will see those things], though no one sees them yet.
2 因這信德，先人們都曾得了褒揚。
It was because our ancestors trusted in God that they pleased him.
It is because we trust in God that we understand that he formed the universe by commanding [it to exist]. The result is that the things that we see were not made from things that already existed. (aiōn g165)
4 因著信德，亞伯爾向天主奉獻了比加音因高貴的祭品；因著信德，因著信德，亞伯爾被褒揚為義人，因為有天主為衪的供品作證；因這信德，衪雖死了，卻仍發言。
It was because [Adam’s son] Abel trusted God that he sacrificed something better to God than what [his older brother] Cain offered to God. Because Abel did that, when God spoke well about what Abel sacrificed, God declared that Abel was righteous. And although Abel is dead, we still learn from him [about trusting God].
5 因著信德，哈諾客被接去了，叫他不見死亡，世人也找不著他了，因為天主已將他接去；原來被接去之前，已有了中悅天主的明證
It was because Enoch believed [God that God] took him [up to heaven]. The result was that he did not die. No one found him, because he was taken up {[God] had removed him} from the earth [to heaven]. Before [God] took him away, [he] testified that Enoch pleased him well.
6 沒有信德是不可能中悅天主的因為凡接近天主的人，應該信衪存在，且信衪對信衪的人是賞報者。
It is possible for people to please God only if they trust God, because anyone who wants to come to God must first believe that God exists and that he rewards those who seek [to know] him.
7 因著信德，諾厄對尚未見得的事得了啟示，懷著敨畏製造了方舟，為自己的家庭；因著信德，衪定了世界的罪，且成了由信德得正義的承繼者。
It was because Noah trusted [God] that after he was warned by God {after [God] warned him} about [a flood that] had not yet happened, Noah [showed that he] revered God by building a huge ship to save his family. By doing that, he [showed all the people who did not believe him] [MTY] [that they deserved to be condemned] {[that God would] condemn them}. He was someone whom God declared to be righteous because of his trusting in God.
8 因著信德，亞巴郎一蒙召選，就聽命往他將要承受為產業的地方去了：他出走時，還不知道要到那裏去。
It was because Abraham trusted God that when he was told to go {when [God] told him to go}, he obeyed [God], he left [his own country], and went to a place that God would give him. Abraham left his own country, even though he did not know where he would be going.
9 因著信德，他旅居在所應許的地域，好像是在外邦，與有同樣恩許的承繼人依撒格和雅各伯寄居在帳幕內，
It was because Abraham trusted God that he lived as though he was a foreigner in the land that [God] had promised to him. Abraham lived in tents, and his son Isaac and his grandson Jacob did also. God promised to give to Isaac and Jacob the same things that he promised to give Abraham.
10 因為他期待著那有堅固基礎的城，此城的工程師和建築師是天主。
Abraham was waiting to live in a city [in heaven] that would exist forever [MET]. It was a city that God is building [DOU].
11 因著信德，連石女撒辣雖然過了適當的年齡，也蒙受了懷孕生子的能力，因為她相信那應許者是忠信的。
It was because Abraham trusted God that God gave Abraham strength so that he [was] able to produce a son. Even though his wife Sarah was past the age [when women bear children], [God] promised [that he would give her a son], and Abraham considered that God would do what he promised to do.
12 為此由一個人，且是由一個已近於死的人，生了子孫，有如天上的星辰那麼多，又如海岸上的沙粒那麼不可勝數。
So, although Abraham was also too old to have children, so many people descended from that one man that they were as numerous as the stars in the sky and are as countless as the grains of sand along the seashore, [just like God promised him].
13 這些人都懷著信德死了，沒有獲得所恩許的，只由遠處觀望，表示歡迎明認自己在世上只是外方人和旅客。
It was while they still trusted in God that all those people died. Even though they had not yet received the things that God had promised to give them, [it was as though] they saw those things in a distance. They were glad [to know] about what God promised. It was as though they admitted that they were not from this earth, but that they were only here temporarily.
14 的確，那些說這樣話的人，表示自己是在尋求一個家鄉。
As for those people who talk like that, they clearly show that they long for [a place that will become] their true native land.
15 如果他們是懷念所離開的家鄉，他們還有返回的機會；
If they had been thinking about [that place being] the place from which they had come, they would have taken the opportunity to return there.
16 其實他們如今所渴望的，實是一個更美麗的家鄉，即天上的家鄉。為此，天主自稱是他們的天主，不以他們為羞恥，因為衪已給他們準備了一座城。
But, instead, they desired a better [place in which to live]; that is, they desired [a home] in heaven. So God has prepared a city for them to live [with him], and he is pleased [LIT] for them to say that he is their God.
17 因著信德，亞巴郎在受試探的時候，獻上了依撒格，就是那承受了恩許的人，獻上了自己的獨生子；
It was because Abraham trusted [God] that he [was ready to] kill his son Isaac as a sacrifice when [God] tested him. This same man to whom [God] promised [to give] ([a son/many descendants]) was going to sacrifice [that same son], the only son [whom his own wife had borne]!
18 原來天主曾向他說過：『只有由依撒格所生的，才稱為你的後裔。』
It was to Abraham that God said, “It is [only] from Isaac that I will consider your family to descend.”
19 他想天主也有使人從死者中復活的能力，為此他又把依撒格得了回來以作預像。
Abraham considered that [to fulfill that promise], God could make [Isaac] live again [even if] he had died [after Abraham sacrificed him]! The result was that when Abraham did receive Isaac back [after God told him not to harm Isaac], it was as though he received him back even after he died.
20 因著信德，依撒格也關於未來的事是有福的，因為祝福了雅各伯和厄撒烏。
It was because Isaac trusted God that he [prayed that after he died, God would] bless [his] sons Jacob and Esau.
21 因著信德，臨死的雅各伯祝福了若瑟的每一個兒子，也扶著若瑟的扙頭朝拜了天主。
It was because Jacob trusted God that, as he was dying, he [prayed that God would] bless each of the sons of [his own son Joseph]. He worshipped God as he leaned upon his walking stick [before he died].
22 因著信德，臨終的若瑟提及以色列子民出離埃及的事，並對他自己的骨骸有所吩咐。
It was because Joseph trusted God that, when he was about to die [in Egypt], he anticipated the time when the Israelis would leave Egypt; and he instructed [that] his people [should carry] his bones [with them when they] ([left Egypt/returned to Canaan]).
23 因著信德，梅瑟一誕生就被他父母隱藏了三個月，因為他們見嬰孩俊美，便不怕君王的諭令。
It was because Moses’ father and mother trusted God that they hid [their son] for three months shortly after he was born, because they saw that he was so beautiful. They were not afraid of [disobeying] what the king of Egypt had commanded, [namely, that all the Jewish male babies must be killed].
24 因著信德，梅瑟長大以後，拒絕被稱為法郎公主的兒子，
The daughter of the [king, whom they called] Pharaoh, [raised] Moses, but when he had grown up, it was because he trusted God that he refused to [accept the privileges that would have been his if people] considered that he was (the son of the king’s daughter/the king’s own grandson).
25 他寧願同天主的百姓一起受苦，也不願有犯罪的暫時享受，
He decided that it was better for others to mistreat him for a time along with the Israeli people, than to temporarily enjoy living sinfully [in the King’s palace].
26 因為他以默西亞的恥辱比埃及的寶藏更為寶貴，因為他所注目的是天主的賞報。
This is because he decided that if he suffered for the Messiah, it would be worth far more [in God’s sight] than his owning all the treasures of Egypt [that he would receive as Pharaoh’s heir. He decided that] because he looked forward to the time when [God would give him] an [eternal] reward.
27 因著信德，他不害怕君王的憤怒，而離開了埃及，因為他好像看見了那看不見的一位，而堅定不移。
It was because he trusted God that he left Egypt. He was not afraid that the king would be angry [because of his doing that]. He (kept going/did not turn back) because [it was as though] he kept seeing [God], whom no one can see.
28 因著信德，他舉行了逾越節，行了灑血禮，免得那消滅首生者觸犯以色列子民的首生者。
It was because Moses believed [that God would save his own people] that he instituted the [festival called] Passover. He did that [by commanding that the people should kill lambs and] sprinkle their blood [on their] doorposts. They did that in order that [the angel who] causes people to die would not kill [EUP] the oldest male Israelites [when he killed the oldest sons in each Egyptian family].
29 因著信德，他們渡過了紅海，如過旱地；埃及人一嘗試，就被淹沒了。
It was because they trusted God that [when] the [Israelite] people walked through [where] the Red Sea [had been, it was] as [though they walked] on dry land! But, when the [army of] Egypt also attempted to [cross that same water], they drowned, because [the sea came back and flooded them]!
30 因著信德，耶利哥城牆，被繞行七天之後，就倒塌了。
It was because the [Israeli] people trusted God that the walls around Jericho [city] collapsed, after the Israelis marched around the walls for seven days.
31 因著信德，妓女辣哈布平安地接待了偵探，沒有同抗命的人一起滅亡。
Rahab [had been] a prostitute, but because she trusted God, she did not perish with those [inside Jericho] who disobeyed [God. Joshua sent some spies] into the city [in order] to find ways to destroy it, but God saved her because she welcomed those spies [peaceably].
32 此外，我還說什麼呢﹖我的確沒有足夠時間再論述基德紅、巴辣克、三松、依弗大、達味和撒慕爾以及眾先知的事：
I do not know what more I should say [RHQ] [about others who trusted in God]. It would take too much time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the [other] prophets.
33 他們藉著信德征服列國，執行正義，得到恩許，杜往獅子的口，
It was because they trusted God that some of them [did great things for him]. Some conquered lands ruled by powerful men. Some ruled [Israel] and justly [punished those men and nations who rebelled against God]. Some obtained [from God] the things that he promised to give them [MTY].
34 熄滅烈火的威力，逃脫利劍，轉弱為強，成為戰爭中的英雄，擊潰外國的軍隊。
Some forced lions to keep their mouths shut. Some escaped from being destroyed by fire. Some of those people escaped from [being killed with] a sword [MTY]. Some of those [people who trusted God] were made strong {became mighty} again after they had once been weak. Some became powerful when they fought wars. Some caused armies [that came from foreign lands] to run away from them.
35 有些女人得了她們的復活，有些人受了酷刑拷打，不願接受釋放，為獲得更好的復活；
Some women [who trusted God] received [their relatives] back again when [God] ([made them live again after they had died/raised them from the dead]). But [others who trusted God] were tortured until they died. They were tortured because they refused to agree when [their captors said, “We will] release you [if you deny that you believe in God.” They refused to do that], because they wanted to live with God forever, which is better than [continuing to live on earth] after having almost died.
36 另有些人受了淩辱和鞭打，甚至鎖押和監禁，
Other [people who trusted God] were mocked; [some had their backs] cut [open by being struck] with leaded whips. Some were chained and put in prison.
37 被石頭砸死，被鋸死死，被拷問，被利劍殺死，披著山羊皮到處流浪，受貧乏，受磨難，受虐待。
[Some of] those believers were stoned to death {People [killed some of those believers by] throwing stones at them}. Others were cut completely in two. Others were killed with swords. Others of these people who trusted God wandered around the land [wearing garments made only of] skins from sheep and goats. They did not have any money. They were continually oppressed and tormented {People continuously oppressed them and tormented them}.
38 世界原配不上他們，他們遂在曠野、山嶺、山洞和地中穴中漂流無定。
[The people on earth who caused those who trusted in God to suffer were so bad that] they did not deserve [to live with people who trusted God. Some who trusted God] wandered in deserts and on mountains. Some lived in caves and in other [large] holes in the ground.
39 這一切人雖然因著信德獲得了褒揚，但是沒有獲得恩許的，
Although all these people were commended [by God] {[God] commended all these people} because they trusted him, God did not give them all that he promised them [while they were alive].
40 因為天主早己為我們預備了一種更好的事，以致若沒有我們，他們決得不到成全。
God knew ahead of time that what he would give us and them [later] would be better than giving [them immediately what he promised]. What God intends is that only when they and we are together will we have all that God intends us to have.
