KumaHebheru 11
1 Ngakho ukholo luyikuqiniseka kwezinto ezithenjwayo, ubufakazi bezinto ezingabonwayo.
Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, a conviction of things not seen.
2 Ngoba ngalo abadala bafakazelwa.
For by it the elders obtained a good report.
3 Ngokholo sibona ukuthi imihlaba yadalwa ngelizwi likaNkulunkulu, kuze kuthi izinto ezibonwayo kazivelanga ezintweni ezibonakalayo. (aiōn g165)
Through faith we perceive that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that that which is seen hath not been made out of things which appear. (aiōn g165)
4 Ngokholo uAbela wanikela kuNkulunkulu umhlatshelo ongcono kuloKhayini, owazuza ngawo ubufakazi bokuthi ulungile, uNkulunkulu efakazela izipho zakhe; langalo efile usakhuluma.
By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he received testimony that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and by it though dead he yet speaketh.
5 Ngokholo uEnoki wasuswa ukuze angaboni ukufa, njalo katholwanga, ngoba uNkulunkulu wayesemsusile; ngoba engakasuswa wafakazelwa ngokuthi umthokozisile uNkulunkulu;
By faith Enoch was translated, that he should not see death; and he was not found, because God translated him; for before his translation he had the testimony that he pleased God.
6 kodwa ngaphandle kokholo kakwenzeki ukumthokozisa; ngoba ozayo kuNkulunkulu umele akholwe ukuthi ukhona, lokuthi ungumvuzi walabo abamdingisisayo.
But without faith it is impossible to please him; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him.
7 Ngokholo uNowa exwayisiwe nguNkulunkulu ngezinto ebezingakabonwa, esesaba, wakha umkhumbi wosindiso lwendlu yakhe; alahla umhlaba ngawo, wasesiba yindlalifa yokulunga ngokokholo.
By faith Noah, being warned by God of things not yet seen, moved with fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his house; by which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.
8 Ngokholo uAbrahama walalela ebizwa ukuthi aphume aye endaweni ayezayemukela ibe yilifa; waphuma, engazi lapho aya khona.
By faith Abraham, when called, obeyed to go forth to a place which he was afterward to receive for an inheritance, and went forth, not knowing whither he was going.
9 Ngokholo wahlala njengomuntu wezizweni elizweni lesithembiso, njengelemzini, ehlala emathenteni loIsaka loJakobe, ababeyizindlalifa kanye laye zalesosithembiso;
By faith he sojourned in the land of the promise, as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise;
10 ngoba wayelindele umuzi olezisekelo, omqambi wesimo lomakhi wawo nguNkulunkulu.
for he was looking for the city which hath foundations, whose maker and builder is God.
11 Ngokholo laye uSara uqobo wazuza amandla okwemukela inhlanyelo, esedlulelwe yisikhathi wabeletha, ngoba wathi uthembekile lowo owathembisayo.
Through faith Sarah herself also received power to conceive, even when she was past age, because she accounted him faithful who had promised.
12 Ngakho-ke bazalwa ngoyedwa, lalezizinto zivela kosefile, abangangenkanyezi zezulu ngobunengi, langangetshebetshebe elisekhunjini lolwandle elingelakubalwa.
Wherefore there sprang even from one, and him become as dead, a race like the stars of heaven in multitude, and like the sand by the seashore which cannot be numbered.
13 Bonke laba bafela ekholweni, bengemukelanga izithembiso, kodwa bazibonela khatshana, baqiniseka, bazigona, njalo bavuma ukuthi bangabezizwe lezihambi emhlabeni.
These all died in faith, not having received the promised blessings, but having seen them from afar, and greeted them, and having professed that they were strangers and sojourners on the earth.
14 Ngoba abatsho izinto ezinje batshengisa ukuthi badinga ilizwe lakibo.
For they who say such things show plainly that they are seeking a country.
15 Uba-ke kambe babecabanga ngalelo ababesuke kulo, babengaba lethuba lokubuyela;
And if indeed they had been mindful of that from which they came out, they would have had opportunity to return;
16 kodwa khathesi-ke balangatha elingcono, elingelezulwini; ngakho uNkulunkulu kalanhloni ngabo, ukuthiwa nguNkulunkulu wabo; ngoba ubalungisele umuzi.
but now they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly. Wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for he prepared for them a city.
17 Ngokholo uAbrahama wanikela uIsaka lapho ehlolwa, lalowo owemukela izithembiso wayenikela ozelwe yedwa wakhe,
By faith Abraham, when tried, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was offering up his only-begotten son,
18 okwakuthiwe kuye: KuIsaka inzalo yakho izabizwa;
he to whom it was said, “From Isaac shall thine offspring be reckoned;”
19 wathi uNkulunkulu ulamandla okuvusa lakwabafileyo; lapho laye amzuze evela khona ngokulinganisa.
accounting that God is able even to raise from the dead; whence also he did figuratively receive him back.
20 Ngokholo uIsaka wabusisa uJakobe loEsawu ngezinto ezizayo.
By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau even concerning things to come.
21 Ngokholo uJakobe esesifa wabusisa lowo lalowo wamadodana kaJosefa, wasekhonza ebambelele phezu kodondolo lwakhe.
By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff.
22 Ngokholo uJosefa esesifa wakhuluma ngokuphuma kwabantwana bakoIsrayeli, waselayezela ngamathambo akhe.
By faith Joseph, when dying, made mention of the departure of the sons of Israel, and gave directions concerning his bones.
23 Ngokholo uMozisi esezelwe wafihlwa ngabazali bakhe inyanga ezintathu, ngoba babona ukuthi ngumntwana omuhle; njalo bengawesabi umthetho wenkosi.
By faith Moses, when born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was fair and they feared not the king's commandment.
24 Ngokholo uMozisi esekhulile wala ukuthiwa uyindodana yendodakazi kaFaro,
By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called son of Pharaoh's daughter,
25 kulalokho wakhetha ukuphathwa kubi kanye labantu bakaNkulunkulu kulokuthi abe lentokozo yesono isikhatshana;
choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;
26 wathi ukuthukwa kukaKristu kuyinotho enkulu kulamagugu eGibhithe; ngoba wayekhangele umvuzo.
esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he looked to the recompense of reward.
27 Ngokholo watshiya iGibhithe, engalwesabi ulaka lwenkosi; ngoba waqinisela kungathi uyambona oNgabonwayo.
By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing him who is invisible.
28 Ngokholo wagcina iphasika lokufafazwa kwegazi, ukuze lowo obhubhisa amazibulo angabathinti.
Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of the blood, that he who destroyed the first-born might not touch them.
29 Ngokholo badabula uLwandle oluBomvu njengemhlabathini owomileyo; okwathi amaGibhithe bekulinga lokho baminzwa.
By faith they passed through the Red Sea as through dry land; which the Egyptians attempted and were swallowed up.
30 Ngokholo imiduli yeJeriko yadilika, isibhodiwe insuku eziyisikhombisa.
By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they had been encompassed for seven days.
31 Ngokholo uRahabi isifebe kabhubhanga kanye labangakholwanga, esezemukele izinhloli ngokuthula.
By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish with those who disobeyed, after having received the spies with peace.
32 Ngisezathini? Ngoba ngingaphelelwa yisikhathi ngilandisa ngoGidiyoni loBaraki loSamsoni loJefitha loDavida loSamuweli labaprofethi;
And what shall I say more? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon, of Barak, and Samson, and Jephthah, of David and Samuel, and the prophets;
33 abathi ngokholo banqoba imibuso, benza ukulunga, bazuza izithembiso, bavala imilomo yezilwane,
who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promised blessings, stopped the mouths of lions,
34 bacitsha amandla omlilo, baphepha ubukhali benkemba, bazuza amandla ebuthakathakeni, baqina empini, baxotsha amabutho awezizwe.
quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put to flight the armies of the aliens.
35 Abesifazana bemukela abafileyo babo bevela ekuvukeni; labanye bazwiswa ubuhlungu, bengemukeli ukukhululwa, ukuze bazuze ukuvuka okungcono;
Women received back their dead by a resurrection; but others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection;
36 abanye balingwa ngokwenziwa inhlekisa lokutshaywa, futhi langezibopho langentolongo;
and others had trial of mockings and scourgings, and also of bonds and imprisonment;
37 bakhandwa ngamatshe, basahwa phakathi, balingwa, bafa ekubulaweni ngenkemba; bazula bembethe izigogo zezimvu lezigogo zezimbuzi, baswela, bazwiswa ubuhlungu, baphathwa kubi,
they were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword; they went about in sheep-skins and goat-skins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented,
38 (umhlaba ongabafanelanga bona) bazula ezinkangala lezintabeni lezimbalwini lemihomeni yomhlaba.
of whom the world was not worthy; they wandered in deserts and mountains, and caves and the clefts of the earth.
39 Labo bonke laba, befakazelwe ngokholo kabazuzanga isithembiso,
And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promised blessing,
40 lokhu uNkulunkulu wayesinakekele ngaphambili okungcono, ukuze kuthi ngaphandle kwethu bangapheleliswa.
God having provided for us some better thing, that they might not be made perfect without us.
A Dove is Sent Forth from the Ark
