1Faith is being sure of what we hope for. It is being sure of what we do not see.2That is what the people of long ago were praised for.3We have faith. So we understand that everything was made when God commanded it. That’s why we believe that what we see was not made out of what could be seen.4Abel had faith. So he brought to God a better offering than Cain did. Because of his faith Abel was praised as a godly man. God said good things about his offerings. Because of his faith Abel still speaks. He speaks even though he is dead.5Enoch had faith. So he was taken from this life. He didn’t die. ‘He couldn’t be found, because God had taken him away.’ Before God took him, Enoch was praised as one who pleased God. (Ge 5:24)6Without faith it is impossible to please God. Those who come to God must believe that he exists. And they must believe that he rewards those who look to him.7Noah had faith. So he built an ark to save his family. He built it because of his great respect for God. God had warned him about things that could not yet be seen. Because of his faith Noah showed the world that it was guilty. Because of his faith he was considered right with God.8Abraham had faith. So he obeyed God. God called him to go to a place he would later receive as his own. So he went. He did it even though he didn’t know where he was going.9Because of his faith he made his home in the land God had promised him. Abraham was like an outsider in a strange country. He lived there in tents. So did Isaac and Jacob. They received the same promise he did.10Abraham was looking forward to the city that has foundations. He was waiting for the city that God planned and built.11And Sarah had faith. So God made it possible for her to become a mother. She became a mother even though she was too old to have children. But Sarah believed that the God who made the promise was faithful.12Abraham was past the time when he could have children. But many children came from that one man. They were as many as the stars in the sky. They were as many as the grains of sand on the seashore. No one could count them.13All these people were still living by faith when they died. They didn’t receive the things God had promised. They only saw them and welcomed them from a long way off. They openly said that they were outsiders and strangers on earth.14People who say things like that show that they are looking for a country of their own.15What if they had been thinking of the country they had left? Then they could have returned to it.16Instead, they longed for a better country. They wanted a heavenly one. So God is pleased when they call him their God. In fact, he has prepared a city for them.17Abraham had faith. So when God tested him, Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice. Abraham had held on tightly to the promises. But he was about to offer his one and only son.18God had said to him, ‘Your family line will continue through Isaac.’ Even so, Abraham was going to offer him up. (Ge 21:12)19Abraham did this, because he believed that God could even raise the dead. In a way, he did receive Isaac back from death.20Isaac had faith. So he blessed Jacob and Esau. He told them what was ahead for them.21Jacob had faith. So he blessed each of Joseph’s sons. He blessed them when he was dying. Because of his faith he worshipped God. Jacob worshipped as he leaned on the top of his walking stick.22Joseph had faith. So he spoke to the people of Israel about how they would leave Egypt someday. When his death was near, he spoke about where to bury his bones.23Moses’ parents had faith. So they hid him for three months after he was born. They saw he was a special child. They were not afraid of the king’s command.24Moses had faith. So he refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. That happened after he had grown up.25He chose to be treated badly together with the people of God. He chose not to enjoy sin’s pleasures. They only last for a short time.26He suffered shame because of Christ. He thought it had great value. Moses considered it better than the riches of Egypt. He was looking ahead to his reward.27Because of his faith, Moses left Egypt. It wasn’t because he was afraid of the king’s anger. He didn’t let anything stop him. That’s because he saw the God who can’t be seen.28Because of his faith, Moses was the first to keep the Passover Feast. He commanded the people of Israel to sprinkle blood on their doorways. He did it so that the destroying angel would not touch their eldest sons.29The people of Israel had faith. So they passed through the Red Sea. They went through it as if it were dry land. The Egyptians tried to do it also. But they drowned.30Israel’s army had faith. So the walls of Jericho fell down. It happened after they had marched around the city for seven days.31Rahab, the prostitute, had faith. So she welcomed the spies. That’s why she wasn’t killed with those who didn’t obey God.32What more can I say? I don’t have time to tell about all the others. I don’t have time to talk about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah. I don’t have time to tell about David and Samuel and the prophets.33Because of their faith they took over kingdoms. They ruled fairly. They received the blessings God had promised. They shut the mouths of lions.34They put out great fires. They escaped being killed by swords. Their weakness was turned to strength. They became powerful in battle. They beat back armies from other countries.35Women received back their dead. The dead were raised to life again. There were others who were made to suffer greatly. But they refused to be set free. They did this so that after death they would be raised to an even better life.36Some were made fun of and even whipped. Some were held by chains. Some were put in prison.37Some were killed with stones. Some were sawn in two. Some were killed by swords. They went around wearing the skins of sheep and goats. They were poor. They were attacked. They were treated badly.38The world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains. They lived in caves. They lived in holes in the ground.39All these people were praised because they had faith. But none of them received what God had promised.40That’s because God had planned something better for us. So they would only be made perfect together with us.
Hebrews 11
English Standard Version
By Faith
1Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. (Ro 8:24; 2Co 4:18; 2Co 5:7; 1Pe 1:8)2For by it the people of old received their commendation.3By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. (Ge 1:1; Ro 4:17)4By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. (Ge 4:4; Ge 4:10; Pr 15:8; Heb 12:24; 1Jo 3:12)5By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. (Ge 5:22; 2Ki 2:11)6And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. (1Ch 28:9; Jer 29:12; Joh 4:24)7By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. (Ge 6:9; Ge 6:13; Eze 14:14; Eze 14:20; Lu 17:26; Ro 4:13; Heb 11:1; 1Pe 3:20)8By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. (Ge 12:1; Ge 12:7; Ac 7:2)9By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. (Ge 12:8; Ge 13:3; Ge 13:18; Ge 18:1; Ge 18:9; Ge 35:27; Ac 7:5)10For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. (Ps 87:1; Heb 12:22; Heb 13:14; Re 21:2; Re 21:10; Re 21:14)11By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. (Ge 17:19; Ge 18:11; Ge 21:2; Heb 10:23)12Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore. (Ge 15:5; Ge 22:17; Ge 32:12; Ro 4:19)13These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. (Ge 23:4; Ge 47:9; 1Ch 29:15; Ps 39:12; Mt 13:17; Joh 8:56; Eph 2:19; Heb 11:27; Heb 11:39)14For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland.15If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. (Ge 24:6)16But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city. (Ge 26:24; Ge 28:13; Ex 3:6; Ex 4:5; Mt 25:34; Joh 14:2; Heb 2:11; Heb 11:10)17By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, (Ge 22:1; Jas 2:21)18of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” (Ge 21:12; Ro 9:7)19He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. (Ro 4:17)20By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau. (Ge 27:27; Ge 27:39)21By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff. (Ge 47:31; Ge 48:16; Ge 48:20)22By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones. (Ge 50:24; Ex 13:19)23By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. (Ex 1:16; Ex 1:22; Ex 2:2; Ac 7:20)24By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, (Ex 2:10)25choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. (Job 36:21; Ps 84:10; 1Jo 2:17)26He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. (Ps 89:50; Php 3:7; Heb 2:2; Heb 10:35; Heb 13:13; 1Pe 4:14)27By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible. (Ex 10:28; Ex 12:37; Ex 13:17; 1Ti 1:17; Heb 11:13)28By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them. (Ex 12:21)29By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned. (Ex 14:21)30By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. (Jos 6:15; Jos 6:20)31By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies. (Jos 2:1; Jos 2:8; Jos 6:25; Jas 2:25)32And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— (Jud 4:6; Jud 6:11; Jud 11:1; Jud 13:24; 1Sa 1:20; 1Sa 16:1; 1Sa 16:13)33who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, (Jud 14:6; 1Sa 17:35; Da 6:22)34quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. (Jud 7:21; 1Sa 17:51; 2Sa 12:29; Da 3:25)35Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. (1Ki 17:22; 2Ki 4:35)36Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. (Ge 39:20; Jer 20:2; Jer 37:15)37They were stoned, they were sawn in two,[1] they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— (1Ki 19:10; 1Ki 21:13; 2Ki 1:8; 2Ch 24:21; Jer 26:23)38of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. (1Sa 22:1; 1Ki 18:4; 1Ki 19:9)39And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, (Heb 11:2; Heb 11:13; 1Pe 1:12)40since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect. (Re 6:11)