Hebrews

11* And faith is assuming the validity of hopes, putting unseen things to the test. 2* For it is as to this the old-timers are vouched for.

3 It is by faith we apprehend that the worlds were set in order by a word of God’s, so that it is not out of observable things that what we see was made.

4 It was by faith Abel offered to God more of a sacrifice than Cain, through which he had himself attested to be righteous, God testifying over his gifts; and it is through it he still speaks after he dies.

5 It was by faith Enoch was translated so as not to see death, and was not to be found because God had translated him; for before the translation he was vouched for as having pleased God, 6* but without faith it is impossible to please; for he who comes to God has to believe that he is and that to those who seek him he proves a paymaster.

7 It was by faith Noah, receiving a revelation about what could not yet be seen, was on his guard and constructed an ark for the saving of his family, through which he pronounced condemnation on the world and became heir to the righteousness that comes in the way of faith.

8 It was by faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed to go out to a place he was to get for an inheritance, and did go out, not knowing where he was going. 9 It was by faith he lived in an immigrant’s condition in the country he had the promise of as if in a country not his own, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the co-heirs of the same promise; 10 for he was waiting for the city that has the foundations, of which God is architect and artisan. 11 It was by faith Sarah herself too received power for founding a line of descendants even out of her time of life, since she regarded the giver of the promise as trustworthy; 12* because of which, also, there were born from one—and one who had gone dead, at that—descendants numerous as the stars in the sky or as the uncountable sand on the seashore.

13 In faith all these died, not having received the promised things but having seen and greeted them at a distance and avowed that on the earth they were strangers living away from their home. 14* For those who say things of that sort make it manifest that they are wanting a home. 15* And if they had been remembering that one from which they had gone out, they would have had a suitable time for going back; 16 but as it is, they are bent on a better one, that is, a heavenly one. For which reason God is not ashamed of them, of being designated as their God; for he has got a city ready for them.

17 It was by faith Abraham, when put to the test, brought Isaac as a sacrifice, and he who had taken the promises to himself, 18 to whom the word had been spoken “it will be by Isaac that issue shall be called yours,” was sacrificing his only son, 19 counting on it that God is powerful enough to raise from the dead, wherefrom he did, figuratively speaking, receive him.

20 It was by faith, too, Isaac gave Jacob and Esau a blessing about future things.

21 It was by faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons, and did reverence on the top of his staff.

22 It was by faith Joseph, when passing away, mentioned the coming out of the sons of Israel from Egypt and gave a command about his bones.

23 It was by faith Moses, when born, was hidden three months by his parents because they saw the child was a pretty one, and they were not afraid of the king’s order.

24 It was by faith Moses, when he grew up, renounced being known as Pharaoh’s daughter’s son, 25 choosing rather to share the hardships of God’s people than to have temporary enjoyment from a sin, 26 regarding the insults given to the Christ as a greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt; for he had his eye on the wages to be paid. 27 It was by faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s rage, for he bore up as seeing the Invisible One. 28 It was by faith he celebrated the passover and the application of the blood so that the destroyer of the firstborn should not touch them.

29 It was by faith they crossed the Red Sea as if along dry ground; attempting which, the Egyptians were swallowed up.

30* It was by faith the walls of Jericho fell after seven days of circling around them.

31 It was by faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who had been disobedient, she having received the spies with peace.

32 And why say more? for the time will fail me as I tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, and David and Samuel and the prophets, 33 who through faith put down kingdoms, did service to the right, won promises, stopped lions’ mouths, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were brought to powerfulness from weakness, became strong in war, routed camps of aliens. 35** Women received their dead in resurrection; and others were beaten to death and did not accept a chance of getting off, in order that a better resurrection might be theirs; 36 and others experienced derisive indignities and lashes, and chains and prison life moreover. 37* They were stoned, sawed in two, put to the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, suffering want, distress, hardship, 38 they of whom the world was not worthy, wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground.

39 And all these, though by faith they had themselves vouched for, did not receive what was promised, 40 as God looked forward to something better regarding us, so that they were not to come to completeness apart from us.