< Προς Εβραιους 11 >
1 Ἔστι δὲ πίστις ἐλπιζομένων ὑπόστασις, πραγμάτων ἔλεγχος οὐ βλεπομένων.
Now faith is the assurance of what we hope for and the conviction of what we do not see.
2 Ἐν ταύτῃ γὰρ ἐμαρτυρήθησαν οἱ πρεσβύτεροι.
Because of their faith, the people of old were commended.
3 Πίστει νοοῦμεν κατηρτίσθαι τοὺς αἰῶνας ῥήματι Θεοῦ, εἰς τὸ μὴ ἐκ φαινομένων τὰ βλεπόμενα γεγονέναι. (aiōn )
By faith we understand that the universe was formed by the word of God. Consequently, we know that what can be seen did not come from anything visible. (aiōn )
4 Πίστει πλείονα θυσίαν Ἄβελ παρὰ Κάϊν προσήνεγκε τῷ Θεῷ, δι᾿ ἧς ἐμαρτυρήθη εἶναι δίκαιος, μαρτυροῦντος ἐπὶ τοῖς δώροις αὐτοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ· καὶ δι᾿ αὐτῆς ἀποθανὼν ἔτι λαλεῖται.
By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous when God gave approval to his gifts. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.
5 Πίστει Ἐνὼχ μετετέθη τοῦ μὴ ἰδεῖν θάνατον, καὶ οὐχ εὑρίσκετο, διότι μετέθηκεν αὐτὸν ὁ Θεός· πρὸ γὰρ τῆς μεταθέσεως αὐτοῦ μεμαρτύρηται εὐηρεστηκέναι τῷ Θεῷ·
By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see death, and he was not to be found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God.
6 χωρὶς δὲ πίστεως ἀδύνατον εὐαρεστῆσαι· πιστεῦσαι γὰρ δεῖ τὸν προσερχόμενον τῷ Θεῷ, ὅτι ἔστι, καὶ τοῖς ἐκζητοῦσιν αὐτὸν μισθαποδότης γίνεται.
And without faith it is impossible to please God, for anyone who comes to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
7 Πίστει χρηματισθεὶς Νῶε περὶ τῶν μηδέπω βλεπομένων, εὐλαβηθεὶς κατεσκεύασε κιβωτὸν εἰς σωτηρίαν τοῦ οἴκου αὐτοῦ· δι᾿ ἧς κατέκρινε τὸν κόσμον, καὶ τῆς κατὰ πίστιν δικαιοσύνης ἐγένετο κληρονόμος.
By faith Noah, when he was warned about things not yet seen, was moved with reverent fear and built an ark to save his household. By faith he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
8 Πίστει καλούμενος Ἀβραὰμ ὑπήκουσεν ἐξελθεῖν εἰς τὸν τόπον ὃν ἤμελλε λαμβάνειν εἰς κληρονομίαν, καὶ ἐξῆλθε μὴ ἐπιστάμενος ποῦ ἔρχεται.
By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.
9 Πίστει παρῴκησεν εἰς τὴν γῆν τῆς ἐπαγγελίας, ὡς ἀλλοτρίαν, ἐν σκηναῖς κατοικήσας μετὰ Ἰσαὰκ καὶ Ἰακώβ, τῶν συγκληρονόμων τῆς ἐπαγγελίας τῆς αὐτῆς·
By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise.
10 ἐξεδέχετο γὰρ τὴν τοὺς θεμελίους ἔχουσαν πόλιν, ἧς τεχνίτης καὶ δημιουργὸς ὁ Θεός.
For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.
11 Πίστει καὶ αὐτὴ Σάρρα δύναμιν εἰς καταβολὴν σπέρματος ἔλαβε, καὶ παρὰ καιρὸν ἡλικίας ἔτεκεν, ἐπεὶ πιστὸν ἡγήσατο τὸν ἐπαγγειλάμενον.
By faith Sarah herself received the ability to conceive, and she bore a child when she was beyond the proper age, because she considered him faithful who had made the promise.
12 Διὸ καὶ ἀφ᾿ ἑνὸς ἐγεννήθησαν, καὶ ταῦτα νενεκρωμένου, καθὼς τὰ ἄστρα τοῦ οὐρανοῦ τῷ πλήθει, καὶ ὡσεὶ ἄμμος ἡ παρὰ τὸ χεῖλος τῆς θαλάσσης ἡ ἀναρίθμητος.
And so from one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.
13 Κατὰ πίστιν ἀπέθανον οὗτοι πάντες, μὴ λαβόντες τὰς ἐπαγγελίας, ἀλλὰ πόρρωθεν αὐτὰς ἰδόντες, καὶ πεισθέντες, καὶ ἀσπασάμενοι, καὶ ὁμολογήσαντες ὅτι ξένοι καὶ παρεπίδημοί εἰσιν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς.
All these people died in faith without receiving the things that were promised. But they saw them from a distance and welcomed them. And they acknowledged that they were strangers and sojourners on the earth.
14 Οἱ γὰρ τοιαῦτα λέγοντες ἐμφανίζουσιν ὅτι πατρίδα ἐπιζητοῦσι.
For people who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a homeland.
15 Καὶ εἰ μὲν ἐκείνης ἐμνημόνευον ἀφ᾿ ἧς ἐξῆλθον, εἶχον ἂν καιρὸν ἀνακάμψαι.
If they had been thinking of the land they left behind, they would have had an opportunity to return.
16 Νυνὶ δὲ κρείττονος ὀρέγονται, τοῦτ᾿ ἔστιν, ἐπουρανίου· διὸ οὐκ ἐπαισχύνεται αὐτοὺς ὁ Θεός, Θεὸς ἐπικαλεῖσθαι αὐτῶν· ἡτοίμασε γὰρ αὐτοῖς πόλιν.
Instead, they were longing for a better land, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.
17 Πίστει προσενήνοχεν Ἀβραὰμ τὸν Ἰσαὰκ πειραζόμενος, καὶ τὸν μονογενῆ προσέφερεν ὁ τὰς ἐπαγγελίας ἀναδεξάμενος,
By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac. He who had received the promises was ready to offer up his one and only son,
18 πρὸς ὃν ἐλαλήθη, ὅτι Ἐν Ἰσαὰκ κληθήσεταί σοι σπέρμα·
even though God had said to him, “Through Isaac yoʋr descendants will be counted.”
19 λογισάμενος ὅτι καὶ ἐκ νεκρῶν ἐγείρειν δυνατὸς ὁ Θεός· ὅθεν αὐτὸν καὶ ἐν παραβολῇ ἐκομίσατο.
He reasoned that God could even raise him from the dead. And figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death.
20 Πίστει περὶ μελλόντων εὐλόγησεν Ἰσαὰκ τὸν Ἰακὼβ καὶ τὸν Ἠσαῦ.
By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.
21 Πίστει Ἰακὼβ ἀποθνῄσκων ἕκαστον τῶν υἱῶν Ἰωσὴφ εὐλόγησε, καὶ προσεκύνησεν ἐπὶ τὸ ἄκρον τῆς ῥάβδου αὐτοῦ.
By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.
22 Πίστει Ἰωσὴφ τελευτῶν περὶ τῆς ἐξόδου τῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραὴλ ἐμνημόνευσε, καὶ περὶ τῶν ὀστέων αὐτοῦ ἐνετείλατο.
By faith Joseph, when his end was near, mentioned the exodus of the sons of Israel and gave instructions concerning his bones.
23 Πίστει Μωσῆς γεννηθεὶς ἐκρύβη τρίμηνον ὑπὸ τῶν πατέρων αὐτοῦ, διότι εἶδον ἀστεῖον τὸ παιδίον· καὶ οὐκ ἐφοβήθησαν τὸ διάταγμα τοῦ βασιλέως.
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 did not fear the decree of the king.
24 Πίστει Μωσῆς μέγας γενόμενος ἠρνήσατο λέγεσθαι υἱὸς θυγατρὸς Φαραώ,
By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter,
25 μᾶλλον ἑλόμενος συγκακουχεῖσθαι τῷ λαῷ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἢ πρόσκαιρον ἔχειν ἁμαρτίας ἀπόλαυσιν·
choosing to be mistreated with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasure of sin.
26 μείζονα πλοῦτον ἡγησάμενος τῶν ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ θησαυρῶν τὸν ὀνειδισμὸν τοῦ Χριστοῦ· ἀπέβλεπε γὰρ εἰς τὴν μισθαποδοσίαν.
He considered the reproach of Christ to be greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was focused on the reward.
27 Πίστει κατέλιπεν Αἴγυπτον, μὴ φοβηθεὶς τὸν θυμὸν τοῦ βασιλέως· τὸν γὰρ ἀόρατον ὡς ὁρῶν ἐκαρτέρησε.
By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king, for he endured as though he could see him who is invisible.
28 Πίστει πεποίηκε τὸ Πάσχα καὶ τὴν πρόσχυσιν τοῦ αἵματος, ἵνα μὴ ὁ ὀλοθρεύων τὰ πρωτότοκα θίγῃ αὐτῶν.
By faith he celebrated the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the Israelites.
29 Πίστει διέβησαν τὴν Ἐρυθρὰν θάλασσαν ὡς διὰ ξηρᾶς· ἧς πεῖραν λαβόντες οἱ Αἰγύπτιοι κατεπόθησαν.
By faith they passed through the Red Sea as on dry land, but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned.
30 Πίστει τὰ τείχη Ἰεριχὼ ἔπεσε, κυκλωθέντα ἐπὶ ἑπτὰ ἡμέρας.
By faith the walls of Jericho fell after they had been encircled for seven days.
31 Πίστει Ῥαὰβ ἡ πόρνη οὐ συναπώλετο τοῖς ἀπειθήσασι, δεξαμένη τοὺς κατασκόπους μετ᾿ εἰρήνης.
By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had welcomed the spies in peace.
32 Καὶ τί ἔτι λέγω; Ἐπιλείψει γάρ με διηγούμενον ὁ χρόνος περὶ Γεδεών, Βαράκ τε καὶ Σαμψὼν καὶ Ἰεφθάε, Δαβίδ τε καὶ Σαμουὴλ καὶ τῶν προφητῶν·
And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets,
33 οἳ διὰ πίστεως κατηγωνίσαντο βασιλείας, εἰργάσαντο δικαιοσύνην, ἐπέτυχον ἐπαγγελιῶν, ἔφραξαν στόματα λεόντων,
who by faith conquered kingdoms, carried out justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
34 ἔσβεσαν δύναμιν πυρός, ἔφυγον στόματα μαχαίρας, ἐνεδυναμώθησαν ἀπὸ ἀσθενείας, ἐγενήθησαν ἰσχυροὶ ἐν πολέμῳ, παρεμβολὰς ἔκλιναν ἀλλοτρίων.
quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong from weakness, became mighty in battle, and routed the armies of foreigners.
35 Ἔλαβον γυναῖκες ἐξ ἀναστάσεως τοὺς νεκροὺς αὐτῶν· ἄλλοι δὲ ἐτυμπανίσθησαν, οὐ προσδεξάμενοι τὴν ἀπολύτρωσιν, ἵνα κρείττονος ἀναστάσεως τύχωσιν·
Women received back their dead by resurrection. Other people were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might obtain a better resurrection.
36 ἕτεροι δὲ ἐμπαιγμῶν καὶ μαστίγων πεῖραν ἔλαβον, ἔτι δὲ δεσμῶν καὶ φυλακῆς·
Others endured mocking and flogging, as well as chains and imprisonment.
37 ἐλιθάσθησαν, ἐπρίσθησαν, ἐπειράσθησαν, ἐν φόνῳ μαχαίρας ἀπέθανον· περιῆλθον ἐν μηλωταῖς, ἐν αἰγείοις δέρμασιν, ὑστερούμενοι, θλιβόμενοι, κακουχούμενοι —
They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, and they were killed with the sword. They went around in sheepskins and goatskins; they were destitute, afflicted, and mistreated.
38 ὧν οὐκ ἦν ἄξιος ὁ κόσμος — ἐν ἐρημίαις πλανώμενοι καὶ ὄρεσι καὶ σπηλαίοις καὶ ταῖς ὀπαῖς τῆς γῆς.
The world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground.
39 Καὶ οὗτοι πάντες, μαρτυρηθέντες διὰ τῆς πίστεως, οὐκ ἐκομίσαντο τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν,
All these people were commended for their faith, but they did not receive what was promised.
40 τοῦ Θεοῦ περὶ ἡμῶν κρεῖττόν τι προβλεψαμένου, ἵνα μὴ χωρὶς ἡμῶν τελειωθῶσι.
For God had planned something better for us, so that they would not be made perfect without us.