Hebrews 11:1-40
11 Faith+ is the assured expectation* of things hoped+ for, the evident demonstration* of realities* though not beheld.+
2 For by means of this the men of old times* had witness borne to them.+
3 By faith we perceive that the systems of things*+ were put in order* by God’s word,+ so that what is beheld has come to be out of things that do not appear.+
4 By faith Abel offered God a sacrifice of greater worth than Cain,+ through which [faith] he had witness borne to him that he was righteous, God bearing witness+ respecting his gifts; and through it he, although he died, yet speaks.+
5 By faith Eʹnoch+ was transferred so as not to see death, and he was nowhere to be found because God had transferred him;+ for before his transference he had the witness that he had pleased God well.+
6 Moreover, without faith+ it is impossible to please [him] well,+ for he that approaches God must believe that he is+ and that he becomes the rewarder*+ of those earnestly seeking him.+
7 By faith Noah,+ after being given divine warning of things not yet beheld,+ showed godly fear and constructed an ark+ for the saving of his household; and through this [faith] he condemned the world,+ and he became an heir of the righteousness+ that is according to faith.
8 By faith Abraham,+ when he was called, obeyed in going out into a place he was destined to receive as an inheritance; and he went out, although not knowing where he was going.+
9 By faith he resided as an alien in the land of the promise as in a foreign land,+ and dwelt in tents+ with Isaac+ and Jacob,+ the heirs with him of the very same promise.+
10 For he was awaiting the city+ having real foundations, the builder* and maker of which [city] is God.+
11 By faith also Sarah+ herself received power to conceive seed, even when she was past the age limit,+ since she esteemed him faithful who had promised.+
12 Hence also from one [man],+ and him as good as dead,+ there were born [children] just as the stars of heaven for multitude and as the sands that are by the seaside, innumerable.+
13 In faith all these died,+ although they did not get the [fulfillment of the] promises,+ but they saw them afar off+ and welcomed* them and publicly declared that they were strangers and temporary residents in the land.+
14 For those who say such things give evidence that they are earnestly seeking a place of their own.+
15 And yet, if they had indeed kept remembering that [place] from which they had gone forth,+ they would have had opportunity to return.+
16 But now they are reaching out for a better [place], that is, one belonging to heaven.+ Hence God is not ashamed of them, to be called upon as their God,+ for he has made a city+ ready for them.
17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested,+ as good as offered* up Isaac, and the man that had gladly received the promises attempted* to offer up [his] only-begotten [son],+
18 although it had been said to him: “What will be called ‘your seed’ will be through Isaac.”+
19 But he reckoned that God was able to raise him up even from the dead;+ and from there he did receive him also in an illustrative way.*+
20 By faith also Isaac blessed Jacob+ and Eʹsau+ concerning things to come.
21 By faith Jacob, when about to die,+ blessed each of the sons of Joseph+ and worshiped leaning* upon the top of his staff.+
22 By faith Joseph, nearing his end, made mention of the exodus+ of the sons of Israel; and he gave a command concerning his bones.+
23 By faith Moses was hid for three months by his parents after his birth,+ because they saw the young child was beautiful+ and they did not fear the order+ of the king.
24 By faith Moses, when grown up,+ refused* to be called the son of the daughter of Pharʹaoh,+
25 choosing to be ill-treated with the people of God rather than to have the temporary enjoyment of sin,
26 because he esteemed the reproach+ of the Christ* as riches greater than the treasures of Egypt; for he looked intently toward the payment of the reward.+
27 By faith he left Egypt,+ but not fearing the anger of the king,+ for he continued steadfast as seeing the One who is invisible.+
28 By faith he had celebrated* the passover*+ and the splashing of the blood,+ that the destroyer might not touch their firstborn ones.+
29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea as on dry land,+ but on venturing out upon it the Egyptians were swallowed up.+
30 By faith the walls of Jerʹi·cho fell down after they had been encircled* for seven days.+
31 By faith Raʹhab+ the harlot did not perish with those who acted disobediently, because she received the spies in a peaceable way.+
32 And what more shall I say? For the time will fail me if I go on to relate about Gidʹe·on,+ Baʹrak,+ Samson,+ Jephʹthah,+ David+ as well as Samuel+ and the [other] prophets,+
33 who through faith defeated kingdoms in conflict,+ effected righteousness,+ obtained promises,+ stopped the mouths of lions,+
34 stayed the force of fire,+ escaped the edge* of the sword,+ from a weak state were made powerful,+ became valiant in war,+ routed the armies of foreigners.+
35 Women received their dead by resurrection;+ but other [men] were tortured because they would not accept release by some ransom, in order that they might attain a better resurrection.
36 Yes, others received their trial by mockings and scourgings, indeed, more than that, by bonds+ and prisons.+
37 They were stoned,+ they were tried,+ they were sawn asunder, they died+ by slaughter with the sword, they went about in sheepskins,+ in goatskins, while they were in want,+ in tribulation,+ under ill-treatment;+
38 and the world was not worthy of them. They wandered about in deserts and mountains and caves+ and dens of the earth.
39 And yet all these, although they had witness borne to them through their faith, did not get the [fulfillment of the] promise,+
40 as God foresaw* something better+ for us,+ in order that they+ might not be made perfect+ apart from us.+
Footnotes
^ “Assured expectation.” Lit., “a sub-standing.” Gr., hy·poʹsta·sis; Lat., sub·stanʹti·a.
^ “Evident demonstration.” Or, “convincing evidence.” Gr., eʹleg·khos; Lat., ar·gu·menʹtum. Compare Joh 16:8 ftn.
^ Lit., “of things.” Gr., prag·maʹton.
^ “Men of old times.” Lit., “older men.” Gr., pre·sbyʹte·roi.
^ Or, “the orders of things.” Gr., tous ai·oʹnas; Lat., saeʹcu·la; J22(Heb.), ha·ʽoh·la·mimʹ.
^ Or, “were prepared; were adjusted.” Lit., “to have been adjusted down.” Gr., ka·ter·tiʹsthai.
^ Lit., “giver back of reward.”
^ Lit., “artificer.” Gr., te·khniʹtes.
^ Or, “greeted; embraced; hailed.”
^ Or, “Abraham, when being tried, has (as it were) offered.”
^ Or, “proceeded.”
^ Lit., “in a parable.” Gr., en pa·ra·bo·leiʹ.
^ Lit., “he denied.”
^ “Of the Christ.” Gr., tou Khri·stouʹ; Lat., Chriʹsti; J17,18,22(Heb.), ham·Ma·shiʹach, “the Messiah (Anointed One).”
^ Or, “he actually celebrated.”
^ Gr., paʹskha; Lat., paʹscha; J17,18,22(Heb.), hap·peʹsach, “the passover.”
^ Or, “had been besieged (gone around).”
^ Lit., “mouths.”
^ Or, “provided.”
