Hebrews 11
1 Now faith is the foundation of hoping, the evidence of events not being seen.
Faith is the realisation of things hoped for – the proof of things not seen.
2 For by this the ancients were well reported.
And it was for faith that the people of old were renowned.
3 By faith we understand the ages to have been prepared by the word of God. For the things that are seen do not come to be from that which is visible. (aiōn g165)
Faith enables us to perceive that the universe was created at the bidding of God – so that we know that what we see was not made out of visible things. (aiōn g165)
4 By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, because of which he was reported to be righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through it, he who died still speaks.
Faith made the sacrifice which Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain’s, and won him renown as a righteous man, God himself establishing his renown by accepting his gifts; and it is by the example of his faith that Abel, though dead, still speaks.
5 By faith Enoch was transferred to not see death, and he was not found, because God transferred him. For before his removal he was reported to be pleasing to God.
Faith led to Enoch’s removal from earth, so that he might not experience death. “He could not be found because God had removed him.” For, before his removal, he was renowned as having pleased God;
6 And apart from faith it is impossible to please him. For he who comes to God must believe that he is, and becomes a rewarder of those who search for him.
but without faith it is impossible to please him, for he who comes to God must believe that God exists, and that he rewards those who seek for him.
7 By faith Noah, being divinely warned about things not yet seen, moved with awe, prepared an ark for the salvation of his house, through which he condemned the world, and became an heir of righteousness according to faith.
It was faith that enabled Noah, after he had received the divine warning about what could not then be foreseen, to build, in reverent obedience, an ark in which to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world, and became possessed of that righteousness which follows on faith.
8 By faith Abraham, when called, obeyed to go out to the place that he was going to take for an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.
It was faith that enabled Abraham to obey the call that he received, and to set out for the place which he was afterwards to obtain as his own; and he set out not knowing where he was going.
9 By faith he lived alien in the land of promise as a foreigner, having dwelt in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the fellow heirs of the same promise.
It was faith that made him go to live as an emigrant in the promised land – as in a strange country – living there in tents with Isaac and Jacob, who shared the promise with him.
10 For he anticipated the city that has the foundations, whose builder and architect is God.
For he was looking for the city with the sure foundations, whose architect and builder is God.
11 By faith even Sarah herself received power for conception of seed, and she gave birth beyond the time of age, because she considered him faithful who promised.
Again, it was faith that enabled Sarah to conceive (though she was past the age for childbearing), because she felt sure that he who had given her the promise would not fail her.
12 And therefore from one man, and these things having become deadened, were begotten as the stars of the heaven for multitude, and as the sand of the seashore, countless.
And so from one man – and that when his powers were dead – there sprang a people as numerous “as the stars in the heavens or the countless grains of sand on the shore.”
13 All these died in faith, not having taken the promises, but who saw and greeted them from afar, and who confessed that they were foreigners and sojourners on the earth.
All these died sustained by faith. They did not obtain the promised blessings, but they saw them from a distance and welcomed the sight, and they acknowledged themselves to be only foreigners and strangers on the earth.
14 For those who say such things show that they are seeking a fatherland.
Those who speak like this show plainly that they are seeking their homeland.
15 And if indeed they remembered that from which they came out, they would have had time to return.
If they had been thinking of the land that they had left, they could have found opportunities to return.
16 But now they aspire for a superior one, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.
But no, they were longing for a better, a heavenly, land! And therefore God was not ashamed to be called their God; indeed he had already prepared them a city.
17 By faith Abraham, being tested, offered Isaac. And he who received the promises offered his only begotten son,
It was faith that enabled Abraham, when put to the test, to offer Isaac as a sacrifice – he who had received the promises offering up his only son,
18 about whom it was said, The seed by thee will be called in Isaac.
of whom it had been said – “It is through Isaac that there will be descendants to bear your name.”
19 Having reckoned that God is able to raise up even from the dead, from where also, in a figure, he did receive him back.
For he argued that God was even able to raise a man from the dead – and indeed, figuratively speaking, Abraham did receive Isaac back from the dead.
20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau about things coming.
It was faith that enabled Isaac to bless Jacob and Esau, even with regard to the future.
21 By faith Jacob, while dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and bowed in worship upon the top of his staff.
Faith enabled Jacob, when dying, to give his blessing to each of the sons of Joseph, and “to bow himself in worship as he leant on the top of his staff.”
22 By faith Joseph, while perishing, remembered about the exodus of the sons of Israel, and commanded about his bones.
Faith caused Joseph, when his end was near, to speak of the future migration of the Israelites, and to give instructions with regard to his bones.
23 By faith Moses, after being born, was hid three months by his parents, because they saw the child well-formed, and they were not afraid of the king's edict.
Faith caused the parents of Moses to hide the child for three months after his birth, for they saw that he was a beautiful child; and they would not respect the king’s order.
24 By faith Moses, having become great, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter,
It was faith that caused Moses, when he was grown up, to refuse the title of “son of a daughter of Pharaoh.”
25 having chosen rather to be mistreated with the people of God, than to have the pleasure of sin temporarily.
He preferred sharing the hardships of God’s people to enjoying the short-lived pleasures of sin.
26 Having esteemed the vilification of the Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he focused toward the recompense of reward.
For he counted “the reproaches that are heaped on the Christ” of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, looking forward, as he did, to the reward awaiting him.
27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not having feared the wrath of the king, for he persevered as seeing the invisible.
Faith caused him to leave Egypt, though undaunted by the king’s anger, for he was strengthened in his endurance by the vision of the invisible God.
28 By faith he performed the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that he who was destroying the firstborn would not touch them.
Faith led him to institute the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that the Destroyer might not touch the eldest children of the Israelites.
29 By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land, of which the Egyptians, having taken an attempt, were drowned.
Faith enabled the people to cross the Red Sea, as if it had been dry land, while the Egyptians, when they attempted to do so, were drowned.
30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, having been encircled for seven days.
Faith caused the walls of Jericho to fall after being encircled for seven days.
31 By faith Rahab the harlot was not destroyed with those who were disobedient, having received the spies with peace.
Faith saved Rahab, the prostitute, from perishing with the unbelievers, after she had entertained the spies with friendliness.
32 And what shall I say further? For the time would fail me telling about Gideon, also Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets,
Need I add anything more? Time would fail me if I attempted to relate the stories of Gideon, Barak, Samson, and Jephthah, and those of David, Samuel, and the prophets.
33 who, through faith, conquered kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, closed the mouths of lions,
By their faith they subdued kingdoms, ruled righteously, gained the fulfilment of God’s promises, shut the mouths of lions,
34 quenched the force of fire, escaped the jaw of the sword. Out of weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, bowed down armies of aliens.
quelled the fury of the flames, escaped the edge of the sword, found strength in the hour of weakness, displayed their prowess in war, and routed hostile armies.
35 Women took hold of their dead from a resurrection, but others were tortured, not having accepted deliverance, so that they might experience a superior resurrection.
Women received back their dead raised to life. Some were tortured on the wheel, and refused release in order that they might rise to a better life.
36 And others took a trial of mockings and scourgings, and moreover of bonds and imprisonment.
Others had to face taunts and blows, and even chains and imprisonment.
37 They were stoned, they were sawed apart, they were tempted, they died in murder by sword. They wandered about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, restricted, tormented
They were stoned to death, they were tortured, they were swan asunder, they were put to the sword; they wandered about clothed in the skins of sheep or goats, destitute, persecuted, ill-used –
38 (of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves, and the holes of the earth.
people of whom the world was not worthy – roaming in lonely places, and on the mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.
39 And all these, having been well reported through faith, did not receive the promise,
Yet, though they all won renown by their faith, they did not obtain the final fulfilment of God’s promise;
40 God having foreseen something superior concerning us, so that without us they would not be made fully perfect.
since God had in view some better thing for us, so that they would only reach perfection together with us.
