Hebrews 11:1-40 (New American Standard)

The Triumphs of Faith

1 Now faith is the ^a1assurance of things ^b2hoped for, the ^cconviction of ³things not seen. 2 For by it the ⁴men of old ^d5gained approval. 3 By faith we understand that the ^e6worlds were prepared ⁷by the word of God, so that what is seen ⁸was not made out of things which are visible. 4 By faith ⁹Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he ¹⁰obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying ^fabout his ¹¹gifts, and through ^gfaith, though ¹²he is dead, he still speaks. 5 By faith ¹³Enoch was taken up so that he would not ¹⁴see death ; AND HE WAS NOT FOUND BECAUSE GOD TOOK HIM UP; for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God. 6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who ¹⁵comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. 7 By faith ¹⁶Noah, being ¹⁷warned by God about ¹⁸things not yet seen, ^h19in reverence ²⁰prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of ²¹the righteousness which is according to faith. 8 By faith ²²Abraham, when he was called, obeyed ⁱby going out to a place which he was to ²³receive for an inheritance ; and he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he lived as an alien in ²⁴the land of promise, as in a foreign land, ²⁵dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, ²⁶fellow heirs of the same promise ; 10 for he was looking for ²⁷the city which has ²⁸foundations, ²⁹whose architect and builder is God. 11 By faith even ³⁰Sarah herself received ^jability to conceive , even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him ³¹faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore there was born even of one man, and ³²him as good as dead ^kat that, as many descendants ³³AS THE STARS OF HEAVEN IN NUMBER, AND INNUMERABLE AS THE SAND WHICH IS BY THE SEASHORE. 13 ³⁴All these died in faith, ³⁵without receiving the promises, but ³⁶having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and ³⁷having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. 14 For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. 15 And indeed if they had been ^lthinking of that country from which they went out, ³⁸they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a ³⁹heavenly one. Therefore ⁴⁰God is not ^mashamed to be ⁴¹called their God ; for ⁴²He has prepared a city for them. 17 By faith ⁴³Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had ⁴⁴received the promises was offering up his only begotten son; 18 it was he to whom it was said, "⁴⁵IN ISAAC YOUR ⁿDESCENDANTS SHALL BE CALLED." 19 ^oHe considered that ⁴⁶God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which he also received him back ^pas a ⁴⁷type. 20 By faith ⁴⁸Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even regarding things to come. 21 By faith ⁴⁹Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and ⁵⁰worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. 22 By faith ⁵¹Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the exodus of the sons of Israel, and gave orders concerning his bones. 23 By faith ⁵²Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child ; and they were not afraid of the ⁵³king's edict. 24 By faith Moses, ⁵⁴when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, 25 choosing rather to ⁵⁵endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26 ⁵⁶considering the reproach of ^qChrist greater riches than the treasures of Egypt ; for he was looking to the ⁵⁷reward. 27 By faith he ⁵⁸left Egypt, not ⁵⁹fearing the wrath of the king ; for he endured, as ⁶⁰seeing Him who is unseen. 28 By faith he ^r61kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that ⁶²he who destroyed the firstborn would not touch them. 29 By faith they ⁶³passed through the Red Sea as though they were passing through dry land ; and the Egyptians, when they attempted it, were ^sdrowned. 30 By faith ⁶⁴the walls of Jericho fell down ⁶⁵after they had been encircled for seven days. 31 By faith ⁶⁶Rahab the harlot did not perish along with those who were disobedient, after she had welcomed the spies ^tin peace. 32 And what more shall I say ? For time will fail me if I tell of ⁶⁷Gideon, ⁶⁸Barak, ⁶⁹Samson, ⁷⁰Jephthah, of ⁷¹David and ⁷²Samuel and the prophets, 33 who by faith ⁷³conquered kingdoms, ⁷⁴performed acts of righteousness, ⁷⁵obtained promises, ⁷⁶shut the mouths of lions, 34 ⁷⁷quenched the power of fire, ⁷⁸escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, ⁷⁹became mighty in war, ⁸⁰put foreign armies to flight. 35 ⁸¹Women received back their dead by resurrection ; and others were tortured, not accepting their ^urelease, so that they might obtain a better resurrection ; 36 and others ^vexperienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also ⁸²chains and imprisonment. 37 They were ⁸³stoned, they were ⁸⁴sawn in two, ^wthey were tempted, they were ⁸⁵put to death with the sword ; they went about ⁸⁶in sheepskins, in goatskins , being destitute, afflicted, ⁸⁷ill-treated 38 (men of whom the world was not worthy ), ⁸⁸wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes ^xin the ground. 39 And all these, having ^y89gained approval through their faith, ⁹⁰did not receive ^zwhat was promised, 40 because God had ^aaprovided ⁹¹something better for us, so that ⁹²apart from us they would not be made perfect.