Hébreux 11
1 Or la foi est le fondement des choses qu’on doit espérer, et la démonstration de celles qu’on ne voit point.
Now our trust in God is the guarantee of what we hope for, the evidence of what we can't see.
2 Car c’est par elle que les anciens ont reçu témoignage.
People who lived long ago trusted God and this is what gained them God's approval.
3 C’est par la foi que nous savons que les siècles ont été formés par la parole de Dieu; de manière que ce qui était invisible est devenu visible. (aiōn g165)
Through our trust in God we understand that the whole universe was created by God's command, that what can be seen was made out of what cannot be seen. (aiōn g165)
4 C’est par la foi qu’Abel offrit une meilleure hostie que Caïn; par elle il reçut le témoignage qu’il était juste, Dieu rendant témoignage à ses dons; et par elle, mort, il parle encore.
By trusting him Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain, and as a result God identified him as someone who lived right. God showed this by accepting his offering. Even though Abel has been dead for a long time, he still speaks to us through what he did.
5 C’est par la foi qu’Hénoch fut enlevé, pour qu’il ne vît point la mort, et on ne le trouva plus, parce que Dieu l’avait transporté; car avant son enlèvement il reçut le témoignage d’avoir plu à Dieu.
By trusting God Enoch was taken to heaven so he didn't experience death. He couldn't be found on earth because God took him to heaven. Before this happened he was known as someone God was pleased with.
6 Or, sans la foi, il est impossible de plaire à Dieu. Car il faut que celui qui s’approche de Dieu croie qu’il est, et qu’il récompense ceux qui le cherchent.
You can't expect God to be pleased with you if you don't trust him! Anyone who comes to God must believe that God exists, and that he rewards those who are searching for him.
7 C’est par la foi que Noé, ayant reçu une réponse touchant ce qu’il ne voyait pas encore, et saisi de crainte, prépara, pour le salut de sa famille, une arche par laquelle il condamne le monde; et il fut institué héritier de la justice qui vient de la foi.
Noah trusted God, and was warned by him about things that had never happened before. Because Noah paid serious attention to what God said, he constructed an ark to save his family. By trusting God, Noah showed that the world was wrong, and received the reward of being set right by God.
8 C’est par la foi que celui qui est appelé Abraham obéit et partit sans savoir où il allait.
Through trusting God Abraham obeyed when God called him to go to the land God was going to give him. He left, not knowing where he was going.
9 C’est par la foi qu’il demeura dans la terre de la promesse, comme dans une terre étrangère, habitant sous des tentes, avec Isaac et Jacob, cohéritiers de la même promesse.
Trusting in God he lived in the promised land—but as a foreigner, living in tents, together with Isaac and Jacob who shared with him in inheriting the same promise.
10 Car il attendait la cité qui a des fondements dont l’architecte et le fondateur est Dieu.
For Abraham was looking forward to a city built on foundations that last, with God as its builder and maker.
11 C’est par la foi aussi que Sara, stérile, reçut la vertu de concevoir un enfant, même après avoir passé l’âge, parce qu’elle crut fidèle celui qui en avait fait la promesse.
By her trust in God even Sarah herself was given the ability to conceive a child though she was too old, because she trusted God who had made the promise.
12 C’est pourquoi d’un seul homme (et déjà éteint) sont sortis des descendants semblables en multitude aux astres du ciel et au sable innombrable qui est sur le bord de la mer.
That is why the descendants of Abraham, (who was as good as dead!), became as numerous as the stars of heaven, as countless as the sand of the sea-shore.
13 Tous ceux-ci sont morts dans la foi, n’ayant pas reçu les biens promis, mais les voyant et les saluant de loin, et confessant qu’ils étaient étrangers et voyageurs sur la terre.
They all died still trusting in God. Though they didn't receive the things God promised, they were still looking for them as it were from a distance and welcomed them, acknowledging that on this earth they were foreigners, people just passing through.
14 Car ceux qui parlent ainsi montrent qu’ils cherchent une patrie.
People who say such things make it clear that they're looking for a country of their own.
15 Et certes, s’ils s’étaient souvenus de celle d’où ils sortirent, ils auraient eu certainement le temps d’y retourner.
For if they cared about the country they'd left behind, they could have returned.
16 Mais maintenant ils en désirent une meilleure, c’est-à-dire la céleste. Aussi Dieu ne rougit point d’être appelé leur Dieu, parce qu’il leur a préparé une cité.
But they're looking for a better country instead, a heavenly country. That is why God isn't disappointed with them, and is happy to be called their God, for he has built a city for them.
17 C’est par la foi qu’Abraham offrit Isaac, lorsqu’il était éprouvé, et qu’il offrait ce fils unique, lui qui avait reçu les promesses,
Abraham trusted God when he was tested and offered Isaac to God. Abraham, who had accepted God's promises, was still ready to offer to God his only son,
18 Lui à qui il avait été dit: C’est en Isaac que sera ta postérité.
even though he'd been told, “It's through Isaac that your descendants will be counted.”
19 Parce qu’il pensait que Dieu est puissant, même pour ressusciter d’entre les morts; aussi le recouvra-t-il comme une figure.
Abraham had thought it through and decided that God could bring Isaac back to life from the dead. In a sense that's what did happen—Abraham received Isaac back from the dead.
20 C’est par la foi qu’Isaac bénit pour l’avenir Jacob et Esaü.
Trusting in God, Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to what the future would bring.
21 C’est par la foi que Jacob mourant bénit chacun des fils de Joseph en particulier, et s’inclina profondément devant le sommet de son sceptre.
Trusting in God, Jacob as he was dying blessed each of Joseph's sons, and worshiped God, leaning on his staff.
22 C’est par la foi que Joseph mourant parla du départ des enfants d’Israël, et fit des dispositions touchant ses os.
Trusting in God, Joseph too, when his own death approached, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites, and gave instructions about what to do with his bones.
23 C’est par la foi que Moïse étant né, fut caché pendant trois mois par ses parents, parce qu’ils avaient vu que l’enfant était beau, et qu’ils ne craignirent point l’édit du roi.
Trusting in God, Moses' parents hid him for three months after he was born. They recognized he was a special child. They weren't afraid to go against what the king had commanded.
24 C’est par la foi que Moïse, devenu grand, nia qu’il fût fils de la fille de Pharaon,
Trusting in God, Moses, when he grew up, refused to be known as the adopted son of Pharaoh's daughter.
25 Aimant mieux être affligé avec le peuple de Dieu, que de goûter pour un temps le plaisir du péché,
Instead he chose to share in the sufferings of God's people rather than to enjoy the temporary pleasures of sin.
26 Estimant l’opprobre du Christ une richesse plus grande que le trésor des Egyptiens; parce qu’il envisageait la récompense.
He counted the rejection he experienced from following Christ to be of far greater value than the wealth of Egypt—because he was focused on the reward to come.
27 C’est par la foi qu’il quitta l’Egypte, sans craindre la fureur du roi; car il demeura ferme comme s’il avait vu celui qui est invisible.
Trusting in God, he left Egypt and wasn't scared of Pharaoh's anger—he kept going with his eyes fixed on the invisible God.
28 C’est par la foi qu’il fit la pâque et l’aspersion du sang, afin que l’exterminateur des premiers-nés ne touchât point aux Israélites.
Trusting in God he observed the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroying angel would not touch the Israelites.
29 C’est par la foi qu’ils traversèrent la mer Rouge, comme sur une terre ferme; ce qu’ayant tenté, les Egyptiens furent engloutis.
Trusting in God the Israelites crossed the Red Sea as if it were dry land. When the Egyptians attempted to do the same they were drowned.
30 C’est par la foi que les murs de Jéricho tombèrent, après qu’on en eut fait le tour pendant sept jours.
Trusting in God, the Israelites marched around the walls of Jericho for seven days, and the walls fell down.
31 C’est par la foi que Rahab, femme de mauvaise vie, ne périt point avec les incrédules, ayant reçu pacifiquement les espions.
Trusting in God, Rahab the prostitute didn't die with those who rejected God, because she had welcomed the Israelite spies in peace.
32 Et que dirai-je encore? Car le temps me manquera pour parler de Gédéon, de Barac, de Samson, de Jephté, de David, de Samuel et des prophètes,
What other examples should I give? I don't have time to talk about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah; about David, Samuel, and the prophets.
33 Qui par la foi ont vaincu des royaumes, pratiqué la justice, obtenu l’effet des promesses, fermé la gueule à des lions;
Because of their trust in God they conquered kingdoms, did what was good and right, received God's promises, shut the mouths of lions,
34 Arrêté la violence du feu, échappé au tranchant du glaive; qui ont été guéris de leurs maladies, sont devenus forts dans la guerre, ont mis en fuite des armées étrangères;
put out blazing fires, escaped being killed by the sword, were weak but made strong, did mighty deeds in war, and routed enemy armies.
35 Par qui des femmes ont recouvré leurs morts ressuscités; dont les uns ont été torturés, refusant leur rachat, afin de trouver une meilleure résurrection;
Women were given their dead family members back through resurrection. Others were tortured, refusing to compromise and be pardoned, because they wanted to be part of a better resurrection.
36 Et les autres ayant souffert les moqueries, les verges, et de plus les prisons,
Yet others suffered insults and whippings; they were put in chains and imprisoned.
37 Ont été lapidés, sciés, mis à la question, sont morts frappés par le glaive, ont couru çà et là sous des peaux de brebis et des peaux de chèvres, dans le besoin, dans l’angoisse, dans l’affliction;
Some were stoned, cut in pieces, tempted, killed by the sword. Some dressed in sheepskins and goatskins: destitute, oppressed, and mistreated.
38 Eux, de qui le monde n’était pas digne; errant dans les déserts, dans les montagnes, les antres et les cavernes de la terre.
The world was not worthy to have such people who wandered in the deserts and mountains, living in caves and holes in the ground.
39 Or tous ceux-là ayant obtenu un bon témoignage pour leur foi, n’ont cependant pas reçu l’effet de la promesse,
All of these people, even though they had God's approval, didn't receive what God had promised.
40 Dieu nous ménageant quelque chose de meilleur, afin qu’ils ne reçussent pas sans nous leur complète félicité.
God has given us something even better, so that they can't be complete without us.
