Hebrews 11
1 Now faith is being confident of what we hope for, convinced about things we do not see.
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, and the sign that the things not seen are true.
2 For by this, the people of old were attested.
For by it our fathers had God's approval.
3 By faith, we understand that the ages were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen has not been made out of things which are visible. (aiōn g165)
By faith it is clear to us that the order of events was fixed by the word of God, so that what is seen has not been made from things which only seem to be. (aiōn g165)
4 By faith, Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he was attested as righteous, God testifying with respect to his gifts; and though he died he still speaks through it.
By faith Abel made a better offering to God than Cain, and he had witness through it of his righteousness, God giving his approval of his offering: and his voice still comes to us through it though he is dead.
5 By faith, Hanoch was taken away, so that he would not see death, "and he was not found, because God took him away." For before he was taken he was attested as having pleased God.
By faith Enoch was taken up to heaven so that he did not see death; he was seen no longer, for God took him away: for before he was taken, witness had been given that he was well-pleasing to God:
6 Now without faith it is impossible to be well pleasing to him, for he who comes to God must believe that he exists, and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him.
And without faith it is not possible to be well-pleasing to him, for it is necessary for anyone who comes to God to have the belief that God is, and that he is a rewarder of all those who make a serious search for him.
7 By faith, Noah, being warned about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared a box-shaped ship for the salvation of his household, through which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.
By faith Noah, being moved by the fear of God, made ready an ark for the salvation of his family, because God had given him news of things which were not seen at the time; and through it the world was judged by him, and he got for his heritage the righteousness which is by faith.
8 By faith, Abraham, when he was called, obeyed to go out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance. He went out, not knowing where he was going.
By faith Abraham did as God said when he was ordered to go out into a place which was to be given to him as a heritage, and went out without knowledge of where he was going.
9 By faith, he sojourned in a land of promise, as a foreigner, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise.
By faith he was a wanderer in the land of the agreement, as in a strange land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, who had a part with him in the same heritage:
10 For he looked for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.
For he was looking for the strong town, whose builder and maker is God.
11 By faith, even barren Sarah herself received power to conceive when she was past age, and gave birth, since she considered him faithful who had promised.
And by faith Sarah herself had power to give birth, when she was very old, because she had faith in him who gave his word;
12 Therefore as many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as innumerable as the sand which is by the sea shore, were fathered by one man, and him as good as dead.
So that from one man, who was near to death, came children in number as the stars in heaven, or as the sand by the seaside, which may not be numbered.
13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them and embraced them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were foreigners and temporary residents on the earth.
All these came to their end in faith, not having had the heritage; but having seen it with delight far away, they gave witness that they were wanderers and not of the earth.
14 For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own.
For those who say such things make it clear that they are searching for a country for themselves.
15 If indeed they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had enough time to return.
And truly if they had kept in mind the country from which they went out, they would have had chances of turning back.
16 Instead, they were longing for a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.
But now their desire is for a better country, that is to say, for one in heaven; and so it is no shame to God to be named their God; for he has made ready a town for them.
17 By faith, Abraham, being tested, offered up Isaac; and he who had gladly received the promises was offering up his one and only son;
By faith Abraham made an offering of Isaac, when he was tested: and he with whom the agreement had been made gave up as an offering the only son of his body,
18 even he to whom it was said, "In Isaac will your descendants be called;"
Of whom it had been said, From Isaac will your seed take their name:
19 concluding that God is able to raise up even from the dead. Figuratively speaking, he also did receive him back from the dead.
Judging that God was able to give life even to the dead; and because of this he did get him back as if from death.
20 By faith, Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even concerning things to come.
By faith Isaac, blessing Jacob and Esau, gave news of things to come.
21 By faith, Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and bowed over the top of his staff.
By faith Jacob gave a blessing to the two sons of Joseph, when he was near to death; and gave God worship, supported by his stick.
22 By faith, Joseph, when his end was near, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel; and gave instructions concerning his bones.
By faith Joseph, when his end was near, said that the children of Israel would go out of Egypt; and gave orders about his bones.
23 By faith, Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that he was a beautiful child, and they were not afraid of the king's commandment.
By faith Moses was kept secretly by his father and mother for three months after his birth, because they saw that he was a fair child; and they had no fear of the king's orders.
24 By faith, Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter,
By faith Moses, when he became a man, had no desire to be named the son of Pharaoh's daughter;
25 choosing rather to share ill treatment with God's people, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a time;
Feeling that it was better to undergo pain with the people of God, than for a short time to have a taste of the pleasures of sin;
26 considering the abuse suffered for the Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he looked to the reward.
Judging a part in the shame of Christ to be better than all the wealth of Egypt; for he was looking forward to his reward.
27 By faith, he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.
By faith he went out of Egypt, not being turned from his purpose by fear of the wrath of the king; for he kept on his way, as seeing him who is unseen.
28 By faith, he kept the Passover, and the sprinkling of the blood, that the destroyer of the firstborn should not touch them.
By faith he kept the Passover, and put the sign of the blood on the houses, so that the angel of destruction might not put their oldest sons to death.
29 By faith, they passed through the Red Sea as on dry land. When the Egyptians tried to do so, they were swallowed up.
By faith they went through the Red Sea as if it had been dry land, though the Egyptians were overcome by the water when they made an attempt to do the same.
30 By faith, the walls of Jericho fell down, after they had been encircled for seven days.
By faith the walls of Jericho came down, after they had been circled for seven days.
31 By faith, Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, having received the spies in peace.
By faith Rahab, the loose woman, was not put to death with those who had gone against God's orders, because she had taken into her house in peace those sent to see the land.
32 And what more should I say? For the time would fail me if I told of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets;
What more am I to say? For there would not be time to give the stories of Gideon, Barak, Samson, and Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets:
33 who, through faith subdued kingdoms, worked out righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
Who through faith overcame kingdoms, did righteousness, got their reward, kept the mouths of lions shut,
34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, grew mighty in war, and caused foreign armies to flee.
Put out the power of fire, got safely away from the edge of the sword, were made strong when they had been feeble, became full of power in war, and put to flight the armies of the nations.
35 Women received their dead by resurrection. And others were tortured, not accepting the payment for release, that they might obtain a better resurrection.
Women had their dead given back to them living; others let themselves be cruelly attacked, having no desire to go free, so that they might have a better life to come;
36 Others were tried by mocking and scourging, yes, moreover by bonds and imprisonment.
And others were tested by being laughed at or by blows, and even with chains and prisons:
37 They were stoned, they were sawed apart, they were put to the test, they were killed with the sword. They went around in sheepskins and in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, mistreated
They were stoned, they were cut up with knives, they were tested, they were put to death with the sword, they went about in sheepskins and in goatskins; being poor and in pain and cruelly attacked,
38 (of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts, mountains, caves, and the holes of the earth.
Wandering in waste places and in mountains and in holes in the rocks; for whom the world was not good enough.
39 These all, having had testimony given to them through their faith, did not receive the promise,
And not one of these got the good things of the agreement, though they all had a good record through faith,
40 God having provided some better thing concerning us, so that apart from us they should not be made perfect.
Because God had kept some better thing for us, so that it was not possible for them to become complete without us.
