Hebrews 11
1 Faith is the realisation of things hoped for – the proof of things not seen.
我们对上帝的信，就是对所盼望之事的确定，是没有看见的事的明证。
2 And it was for faith that the people of old were renowned.
因着这对上帝的信，古人得到了上帝的称许。
3 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)
因着我们对上帝的信，我们明白整个宇宙是上帝命令建造的，也就是说，看得见的一切，可以看到的东西是由不能看到的东西构成的。 (aiōn g165)
4 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.
亚伯因为相信上帝，献上了比该隐更美的祭品；借着这信心，他被上帝称许，认为他生活在正直良善之中。上帝通过接受他的献祭表明了这一点。尽管亚伯已死很久，仍然通过他的所作所为对我们说话。
5 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;
因为信上帝，以诺被带到天堂，让他不会死，人也找不着他，因为上帝把他带到天堂了。在发生这件事之前，他就被称为是让上帝喜悦之人。
6 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.
没有信，就不能得到上帝的喜悦；因为来到上帝面前的人，必须信上帝存在，并且信他会赏赐那些寻求他的人。
7 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.
诺亚信上帝，所以上帝向他警告一些之前从未发生过的事情。因为诺亚非常重视上帝的话，所以建造了一艘方舟拯救自己的家人。通过信上帝，诺亚表明世界是错的，作为奖励，上帝确认他正直良善。
8 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.
通过信靠上帝，当上帝呼唤亚伯拉罕去上帝将赐给他的土地时，亚伯拉罕听从了。他离开的时候，并不知道要去哪里。
9 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.
他信上帝，住在上帝承诺之地。作为一个外族人住在帐篷里，与他分享相同承诺的以撒和雅各一起生活。
10 For he was looking for the city with the sure foundations, whose architect and builder is God.
因为他等待那座有根基的城，就是上帝所设计所建造的城。
11 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.
因为信，撒拉虽然过了生育的年龄，还是能够怀孕，因为她认为承诺她的一切是值得信赖的。
12 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.”
这就是为什么一个几乎快死之人，竟然生出许多子孙来，仿佛天上的星那么众多，海边的沙那么无数。
13 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.
他们都死了，但仍然信上帝。虽然他们没有得到上帝承诺的，但仍然在远处寻找并迎接，承认他们在这个世界上就是异族人，只是路人。
14 Those who speak like this show plainly that they are seeking their homeland.
说这样话的人，表明他们在寻求一个自己的国家。
15 If they had been thinking of the land that they had left, they could have found opportunities to return.
如果他们怀念已经离开了的国家，还有可以回去的机会。
16 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.
但是现在他们所向往的，是一个更美、在天上的国家。所以上帝没有对他们失望，并且很高兴被称为他们的上帝，因为他为他们建造了一座城市。
17 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,
因为信，亚伯拉罕在受考验的时候，把以撒献上；这接受上帝承诺的人，仍然准备好向上帝献上了自己的独生子；
18 of whom it had been said – “It is through Isaac that there will be descendants to bear your name.”
尽管曾有人告诉他：“以撒生的，才可以称为你的后裔。”
19 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.
亚伯拉罕坚信，上帝可以让以撒死而复生。这件事在某种意义上而言确实成真了，亚伯拉罕的儿子死而复生, 形象地说。
20 It was faith that enabled Isaac to bless Jacob and Esau, even with regard to the future.
因为信上帝，以撒对未来将要发生的事情，祝福雅各和以扫。
21 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.”
因为信上帝，雅各临死的时候，分别为约瑟的儿子祝福，并敬拜上帝，靠着他的杖。
22 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.
因为信上帝，约瑟临终的时候，提到以色列子民出埃及的事，并为自己的骸骨留下遗言。
23 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.
因为信上帝，摩西出生后，他的父母将他藏了三个月。他们意识到这是一个特殊的孩子，所以不害怕违背国王的命令。
24 It was faith that caused Moses, when he was grown up, to refuse the title of “son of a daughter of Pharaoh.”
因为信上帝，摩西长大了以后，拒绝被称为法老女儿的儿子。
25 He preferred sharing the hardships of God’s people to enjoying the short-lived pleasures of sin.
他宁愿选择和上帝的子民一同受苦，也不肯享受罪恶中暂时的快乐。
26 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.
在他看来，为基督受的凌辱，比埃及的财富更宝贵，因为他关注未来的赏赐。
27 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.
因为信上帝，他离开了埃及，不怕法老的忿怒；他坚定不移，双眼关注的就是看不到的上帝。
28 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.
因为信上帝，他遵循逾越节和洒血的礼仪，以免毁灭天使触碰以色列人。
29 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.
因为信上帝，他们走过了红海，好像走过旱地一样；埃及人也试着要过去，就被淹没了。
30 Faith caused the walls of Jericho to fall after being encircled for seven days.
因为信上帝，耶利哥的城墙被围绕了七天，就倒塌了。
31 Faith saved Rahab, the prostitute, from perishing with the unbelievers, after she had entertained the spies with friendliness.
因为信上帝，妓女喇合以和平方式迎接以色列的侦察之人，没有和那些不顺从之人一起灭亡。
32 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.
我还要再说什么例子呢？如果再要述说基甸、巴拉、参孙、耶弗他、大卫、撒母耳和众先知的事，时间就不够了。
33 By their faith they subdued kingdoms, ruled righteously, gained the fulfilment of God’s promises, shut the mouths of lions,
他们凭借对上帝的信，战胜了敌国，伸张了正义，得到了上帝承诺，堵住了狮子的口，
34 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.
消灭了烈火的威力，逃脱了刀剑的锋刃，软弱变成刚强，在战争中显出力量，把外国的军队击退。
35 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.
妇女死去的家人复活；但也有些人忍受了酷刑，不肯接受释放，为的是要得到更美的复活。
36 Others had to face taunts and blows, and even chains and imprisonment.
又有些人遭受了戏弄、鞭打，甚至捆锁、监禁；
37 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 –
被石头打死，被切成碎片，被折磨，被刀杀死。他们穿着绵羊山羊的皮到处奔跑、受穷乏、遭患难、被虐待；
38 people of whom the world was not worthy – roaming in lonely places, and on the mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.
他们是这世界不配有之人，飘流无定，在荒野、山岭、石洞和地穴栖身。
39 Yet, though they all won renown by their faith, they did not obtain the final fulfilment of God’s promise;
所有这些人都因信上帝获得许可，却还没有得着所承诺的一切；
40 since God had in view some better thing for us, so that they would only reach perfection together with us.
因为上帝已经为我们预备了更美的事，使他们若不跟我们在一起，就不能完全。
