11:1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
11:2 This is what the ancients were commended for.
11:3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.
11:4 By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.
11:5 By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God.
11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
11:7 By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
11:8 By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.
11:9 By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise.
11:10 For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.
11:11 By faith Abraham, even though he was past age–and Sarah herself was barren–was enabled to become a father because he considered him faithful who had made the promise.
11:12 And so from this 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.
11:13 All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth.
11:14 People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own.
11:15 If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return.
11:16 Instead, they were longing for a better country–a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.
11:17 By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son,
11:18 even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.”
11:19 Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death.
11:20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future.
11:21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons, and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.
11:22 By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions about his bones.
11:23 By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.
11:24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.
11:25 He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time.
11:26 He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.
11:27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible.
11:28 By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.
11:29 By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned.
11:30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days.
11:31 By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.
11:32 And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets,
11:33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions,
11:34 quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies.
11:35 Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection.
11:36 Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison.
11:37 They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated–
11:38 the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.
11:39 These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised.
11:40 God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.
11:1 Now faith is the substantiation of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
11:2 For in this the elders have obtained a good testimony.
11:3 By faith we understand that the universe has been framed by the word of God, so that what is seen has not come into being out of things which appear.
11:4 By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying to his gifts; and through faith, though he has died, he still speaks.
11:5 By faith Enoch was translated so that he should not see death; and he was not found, because God had translated him. For before his translation he obtained the testimony that he had been well pleasing to God.
11:6 But without faith it is impossible to be well pleasing to Him, for he who comes forward to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
11:7 By faith Noah, having been divinely instructed concerning things not yet seen and being moved by pious fear, prepared an ark for the salvation of his house, through which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.
11:8 By faith Abraham, being called, obeyed to go out unto a place which he was to receive as an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going.
11:9 By faith he dwelt as a foreigner in the land of promise as in a foreign land, making his home in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the fellow heirs of the same promise;
11:10 For he eagerly waited for the city which has the foundations, whose Architect and Builder is God.
11:11 By faith also Sarah herself received power to conceive seed, even beyond the season of age, since she considered Him faithful who promised.
11:12 Therefore also there were born of one, and that of him who had become dead, as many as even the stars of heaven in multitude and as the sand by the seashore innumerable.
11:13 All these died in faith, not receiving the promises but seeing them from afar and joyfully greeting them and confessing that they were strangers and sojourners on the earth.
11:14 For those who say such things make it manifest that they seek after a country of their own.
11:15 And if indeed they continued to remember that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return;
11:16 But as it is, they long after a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.
11:17 By faith Abraham, being tested, offered up Isaac; indeed he who gladly received the promises was offering up his only begotten,
11:18 Of whom it was said, “In Isaac shall your seed be called”;
11:19 Counting that God was able to raise men even from the dead, from which he also received him back in figure.
11:20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even concerning things to come.
11:21 By faith Jacob, while he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph and worshipped God, while leaning on the top of his staff.
11:22 By faith Joseph, nearing his end, made mention of the exodus of the sons of Israel and gave orders concerning his bones.
11:23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents because they saw that the child was lovely, and they did not fear the king’s decree.
11:24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter,
11:25 Choosing rather to be ill-treated with the people of God than to have the temporary enjoyment of sin,
11:26 Considering the reproach of the Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he looked away to the reward.
11:27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king, for he persevered as one seeing the unseen One.
11:28 By faith he instituted the Passover and the pouring out of the blood so that the one destroying the firstborn would not touch them.
11:29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea as through dry land, in which the Egyptians, while making the attempt, were swallowed up.
11:30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell, having been encircled for a period of seven days.
11:31 By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish with those who were disobedient, since she had received the spies with peace.
11:32 And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets,
11:33 Who through faith overcame kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
11:34 Quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong in weakness, became mighty in war, routed the armies of foreigners.
11:35 Women received their dead by resurrection; and others were tortured to death, not accepting deliverance, in order that they might obtain a better resurrection.
11:36 And still others underwent the trial of mockings and scourgings, even, moreover, of bonds and imprisonment.
11:37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they died by the murder of the sword, they wandered about in sheepskins, in goatskins, destitute, afflicted, ill-treated
11:38 (Of whom the world was not worthy), wandering over deserts and mountains and in caves and holes of the earth.
11:39 And these all, having obtained a good testimony through their faith, did not obtain the promise,
11:40 Because God has provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect.