Hebrews 11
1 Now faith is [the] substance of things hoped for, [the] proof of matters not being seen,
Now faith is being sure of the things hoped for and certain of things that are not seen.
2 for by this, the elders were well-attested.
For because of this the ancestors were approved for their faith.
3 By faith we understand the ages to have been prepared by a saying of God, in regard to the things seen having not come out of things appearing. (aiōn g165)
By faith we understand that the universe was created by God's command, so that what is visible was not made out of things that were visible. (aiōn g165)
4 By faith Abel offered a better sacrifice to God than Cain, through which he was testified to be righteous, God testifying of his gifts, and through it, he being dead, yet speaks.
It was by faith that Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he was attested to be righteous, and God spoke well of him because of his offerings, and by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.
5 By faith Enoch was translated—not to see death, and was not found, because God translated him; for before his translation he had been testified to—that he had pleased God well,
It was by faith that Enoch was taken up so that he did not see death. “He was not found, because God took him.” For before he was taken up, it was testified that he had pleased God.
6 and apart from faith it is impossible to please [Him], for it is required of him who is coming to God to believe that He exists and [that] He becomes a rewarder to those seeking Him.
Now without faith it is impossible to please him. For it is necessary that anyone coming to God must believe that he exists and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him.
7 By faith Noah, having been divinely warned concerning the things not yet seen, having feared, prepared an ark to the salvation of his house, through which he condemned the world, and he became heir of the righteousness according to faith.
It was by faith that Noah, having been given a divine message about things not yet seen, with godly reverence built a ship to save his household. By doing this, he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that is according to faith.
8 By faith Abraham, being called, obeyed, to go forth into the place that he was about to receive for an inheritance, and he went forth, not knowing to where he goes.
It was by faith that Abraham, when he was called, obeyed and went out to the place that he was to receive as an inheritance. He went out, not knowing where he was going.
9 By faith he sojourned in the land of the promise as a strange country, having dwelt in dwelling places with Isaac and Jacob, fellow-heirs of the same promise,
It was by faith that he lived in the land of promise as a foreigner. He lived in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise.
10 for he was looking for the city having the foundations, whose craftsman and constructor [is] God.
For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.
11 And by faith Sarah, herself barren, received power to conceive seed even after the time of life, seeing she judged Him who promised faithful;
It was by faith, even though Sarah herself was barren, that Abraham received ability to father a child. This happened even though he was too old, since he considered as faithful the one who had given the promise.
12 for this reason, also, from one—and that of one who had become dead—were begotten as the stars of the sky in multitude, and innumerable as the sand that [is] by the seashore.
Therefore, from this one man—and he was almost dead—were born descendants as many as the stars in the sky and as countless as sand by the seashore.
13 All these died in faith, having not received the promises, but having seen them from afar, and having been persuaded, and having greeted [them], and having confessed that they are strangers and sojourners on the earth,
It was in faith that all these died without receiving the promises. Instead, after seeing and greeting them from far off, they admitted that they were foreigners and exiles on earth.
14 for those saying such things make apparent that they seek a country;
For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a homeland.
15 and if, indeed, they had been mindful of that from which they came forth, they might have had an opportunity to return,
If they had been thinking of the country from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return.
16 but now they long for better, that is, heavenly, for this reason God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God, for He prepared a city for them.
But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, since he has prepared a city for them.
17 By faith Abraham has offered up Isaac, being tried, even the [one] having received the promises offered up his only begotten,
It was by faith that Abraham, when he was tested, offered Isaac. It was his only son whom he offered, he who had received the promises.
18 of whom it was said, “In Isaac will your Seed be called,”
It was Abraham to whom it had been said, “It is through Isaac that your descendants will be named.”
19 reckoning that God is even able to raise up out of the dead, from where also in a figurative sense he received [him].
Abraham reasoned that God was able to raise up Isaac from the dead, and figuratively speaking, it was from them that he received him back.
20 By faith, concerning coming things, Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau.
It was also by faith about things to come that Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau.
21 By faith Jacob, dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph and worshiped on the top of his staff.
It was by faith that Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph's sons. Jacob worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.
22 By faith Joseph, dying, made mention concerning the outgoing of the sons of Israel, and gave command concerning his bones.
It was by faith that Joseph, when his end was near, spoke of the departure of the children of Israel from Egypt and instructed them about his bones.
23 By faith Moses, having been born, was hid three months by his parents, because they saw the child beautiful, and were not afraid of the decree of the king.
It was by faith that Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents because they saw he was a beautiful child. They were not afraid of the king's command.
24 By faith Moses, having become great, refused to be called a son of the daughter of Pharaoh,
It was by faith that Moses, after he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter.
25 having chosen rather to be afflicted with the people of God, than to have sin’s pleasure for a season,
Instead, he chose to suffer with the people of God, rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a while.
26 having reckoned the reproach of the Christ greater wealth than the treasures in Egypt, for he looked to the repayment of reward.
He reasoned that the disgrace of following Christ was greater riches than Egypt's treasures. For he was fixing his eyes on his reward.
27 By faith he left Egypt behind, having not been afraid of the wrath of the king, for as seeing the Invisible One—he endured.
It was by faith that Moses left Egypt. He did not fear the king's anger, for he endured as if he were seeing the one who is invisible.
28 By faith he kept the Passover, and the sprinkling of the blood, so that He who is destroying the firstborn might not touch them.
It was by faith that he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn should not touch the Israelites' firstborn sons.
29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea as through dry land, which having made an attempt [to cross], the Egyptians were swallowed up.
It was by faith that they passed through the Sea of Reeds as if over dry land. When the Egyptians tried to do this, they were swallowed up.
30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell, having been surrounded for seven days.
It was by faith that Jericho's walls fell down, after they had been circled around for seven days.
31 By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who disbelieved, having received the spies with peace.
It was by faith that Rahab the prostitute did not die with those who were disobedient, because she had received the spies in peace.
32 And what yet will I say? For the time will fail me recounting about Gideon, also Barak, and Samson, and Jephthah, also David, and Samuel, and the prophets,
What more can I say? For the time will fail me if I tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and about the prophets.
33 who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped mouths of lions,
It was through faith that they conquered kingdoms, worked justice, and received promises. They stopped the mouths of lions,
34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the mouth of the sword, were made powerful out of weakness, became strong in battle, caused armies of the foreigners to give way;
extinguished the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were healed of illnesses, became mighty in battle, and defeated foreign armies.
35 women received their dead by a resurrection, and others were tortured, not accepting the redemption, that they might receive a better resurrection,
Women received back their dead by resurrection. Others were tortured, not accepting release, so that they might experience a better resurrection.
36 and others received trial of mockings and scourgings, and yet of bonds and imprisonment;
Others had testing in mocking and whippings, and even chains and imprisonment.
37 they were stoned, they were sawn apart, they were tried; they died in the killing of the sword; they went around in sheepskins, in goatskins—being destitute, afflicted, injuriously treated,
They were stoned. They were sawn in two. They were killed with the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins. They were destitute, oppressed, mistreated.
38 of whom the world was not worthy; wandering in deserts, and mountains, and caves, and the holes of the earth;
The world was not worthy of them. They were always wandering about in the deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.
39 and all these, having been testified to through faith, did not receive the promise,
Although all these people were approved by God because of their faith, they did not receive the promise.
40 God, having provided something better for us, that apart from us they might not be made perfect.
God planned something better for us, so that without us, they would not be made perfect.
