Hebrews 11
1 Now faith is assurance of [things] hoped for, a conviction of things not seen.
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, and the sign that the things not seen are true.
2 For therein the elders had witness borne to them.
For by it our fathers had God's approval.
3 By faith we understand that the worlds have been framed by the word of God, so that what is seen hath not been made out of things which appear. (aiōn g165)
By faith it is clear to us that the order of events was fixed by the word of God, so that what is seen has not been made from things which only seem to be. (aiōn g165)
4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he had witness borne to him that he was righteous, God bearing witness in respect of his gifts: and through it he being dead yet speaketh.
By faith Abel made a better offering to God than Cain, and he had witness through it of his righteousness, God giving his approval of his offering: and his voice still comes to us through it though he is dead.
5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and he was not found, because God translated him: for he hath had witness borne to him that before his translation he had been well-pleasing unto God:
By faith Enoch was taken up to heaven so that he did not see death; he was seen no longer, for God took him away: for before he was taken, witness had been given that he was well-pleasing to God:
6 and without faith it is impossible to be well-pleasing [unto him]; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is a rewarder of them that seek after him.
And without faith it is not possible to be well-pleasing to him, for it is necessary for anyone who comes to God to have the belief that God is, and that he is a rewarder of all those who make a serious search for him.
7 By faith Noah, being warned [of God] concerning things not seen as yet, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; through which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.
By faith Noah, being moved by the fear of God, made ready an ark for the salvation of his family, because God had given him news of things which were not seen at the time; and through it the world was judged by him, and he got for his heritage the righteousness which is by faith.
8 By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed to go out unto a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
By faith Abraham did as God said when he was ordered to go out into a place which was to be given to him as a heritage, and went out without knowledge of where he was going.
9 By faith he became a sojourner in the land of promise, as in a [land] not his own, dwelling in tents, with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:
By faith he was a wanderer in the land of the agreement, as in a strange land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, who had a part with him in the same heritage:
10 for he looked for the city which hath the foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
For he was looking for the strong town, whose builder and maker is God.
11 By faith even Sarah herself received power to conceive seed when she was past age, since she counted him faithful who had promised:
And by faith Sarah herself had power to give birth, when she was very old, because she had faith in him who gave his word;
12 wherefore also there sprang of one, and him as good as dead, [so many] as the stars of heaven in multitude, and as the sand, which is by the sea-shore, innumerable.
So that from one man, who was near to death, came children in number as the stars in heaven, or as the sand by the seaside, which may not be numbered.
13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
All these came to their end in faith, not having had the heritage; but having seen it with delight far away, they gave witness that they were wanderers and not of the earth.
14 For they that say such things make it manifest that they are seeking after a country of their own.
For those who say such things make it clear that they are searching for a country for themselves.
15 And if indeed they had been mindful of that [country] from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return.
And truly if they had kept in mind the country from which they went out, they would have had chances of turning back.
16 But now they desire a better [country], that is, a heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God; for he hath prepared for them a city.
But now their desire is for a better country, that is to say, for one in heaven; and so it is no shame to God to be named their God; for he has made ready a town for them.
17 By faith Abraham, being tried, offered up Isaac: yea, he that had gladly received the promises was offering up his only begotten [son];
By faith Abraham made an offering of Isaac, when he was tested: and he with whom the agreement had been made gave up as an offering the only son of his body,
18 [even he] to whom it was said, In Isaac shall thy seed be called:
Of whom it had been said, From Isaac will your seed take their name:
19 accounting that God [is] able to raise up, even from the dead; from whence he did also in a figure receive him back.
Judging that God was able to give life even to the dead; and because of this he did get him back as if from death.
20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even concerning things to come.
By faith Isaac, blessing Jacob and Esau, gave news of things to come.
21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, [leaning] upon the top of his staff.
By faith Jacob gave a blessing to the two sons of Joseph, when he was near to death; and gave God worship, supported by his stick.
22 By faith Joseph, when his end was nigh, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones.
By faith Joseph, when his end was near, said that the children of Israel would go out of Egypt; and gave orders about his bones.
23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months by his parents, because they saw he was a goodly child; and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment.
By faith Moses was kept secretly by his father and mother for three months after his birth, because they saw that he was a fair child; and they had no fear of the king's orders.
24 By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter;
By faith Moses, when he became a man, had no desire to be named the son of Pharaoh's daughter;
25 choosing rather to share ill treatment with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;
Feeling that it was better to undergo pain with the people of God, than for a short time to have a taste of the pleasures of sin;
26 accounting the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt: for he looked unto the recompense of reward.
Judging a part in the shame of Christ to be better than all the wealth of Egypt; for he was looking forward to his reward.
27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.
By faith he went out of Egypt, not being turned from his purpose by fear of the wrath of the king; for he kept on his way, as seeing him who is unseen.
28 By faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of the blood, that the destroyer of the firstborn should not touch them.
By faith he kept the Passover, and put the sign of the blood on the houses, so that the angel of destruction might not put their oldest sons to death.
29 By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were swallowed up.
By faith they went through the Red Sea as if it had been dry land, though the Egyptians were overcome by the water when they made an attempt to do the same.
30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they had been compassed about for seven days.
By faith the walls of Jericho came down, after they had been circled for seven days.
31 By faith Rahab the harlot perished not with them that were disobedient, having received the spies with peace.
By faith Rahab, the loose woman, was not put to death with those who had gone against God's orders, because she had taken into her house in peace those sent to see the land.
32 And what shall I more say? for the time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah; of David and Samuel and the prophets:
What more am I to say? For there would not be time to give the stories of Gideon, Barak, Samson, and Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets:
33 who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
Who through faith overcame kingdoms, did righteousness, got their reward, kept the mouths of lions shut,
34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, waxed mighty in war, turned to flight armies of aliens.
Put out the power of fire, got safely away from the edge of the sword, were made strong when they had been feeble, became full of power in war, and put to flight the armies of the nations.
35 Women received their dead by a resurrection: and others were tortured, not accepting their deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:
Women had their dead given back to them living; others let themselves be cruelly attacked, having no desire to go free, so that they might have a better life to come;
36 and others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:
And others were tested by being laughed at or by blows, and even with chains and prisons:
37 they were stoned, they were sawn asunder, they were tempted, they were slain with the sword: they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated
They were stoned, they were cut up with knives, they were tested, they were put to death with the sword, they went about in sheepskins and in goatskins; being poor and in pain and cruelly attacked,
38 (of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves, and the holes of the earth.
Wandering in waste places and in mountains and in holes in the rocks; for whom the world was not good enough.
39 And these all, having had witness borne to them through their faith, received not the promise,
And not one of these got the good things of the agreement, though they all had a good record through faith,
40 God having provided some better thing concerning us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.
Because God had kept some better thing for us, so that it was not possible for them to become complete without us.
