By Faith
1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of
1things not seen.
2
For by it the people of old received their commendation.
3
By faith we understand that the universe was created by
2the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of
3things that are visible.
4
By faith
4Abel offered to God
5a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And
6through his faith, though he died, he
7still speaks.
5
By faith
8Enoch 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.
6
And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God
9must believe that he exists and
10that he rewards those who seek him.
7
By faith
11Noah, being warned by God concerning
12events 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
13the righteousness that comes by faith.
8
By faith
14Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place
15that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.
9
By faith he went to live in
16the land of promise, as in a foreign land,
17living in tents
18with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise.
10
For he was looking forward to
19the city that has
20foundations,
21whose designer and builder is God.
11
By faith
22Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered
23him faithful who had promised.
12
Therefore from one man, and
24him as good as dead, were born descendants
25as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.
13
These all died in faith,
26not having received the things promised, but
27having seen them and greeted them from afar, and
28having acknowledged that they were
29strangers and exiles on the earth.
14
For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland.
15
If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out,
30they would have had opportunity to return.
16
But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed
31to be called their God, for
32he has prepared for them a city.
17
By faith
33Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son,
18
of whom it was said,
34"Through Isaac shall your offspring be named."
19
35He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.
20
By faith
36Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau.
21
By faith
37Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph,
38bowing in worship over the head of his staff.
22
By faith
39Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones.
23
By faith
40Moses, 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
41the king's edict.
24
By faith Moses, when he was grown up,
42refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter,
25
43choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy
44the fleeting pleasures of sin.
26
45He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to
46the reward.
27
By faith he
47left Egypt,
48not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured
49as seeing him who is invisible.
28
By faith
50he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them.
29
By faith
51the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned.
30
By faith
52the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days.
31
By faith
53Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she
54had given a friendly welcome to the spies.
32
And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of
55Gideon,
56Barak,
57Samson,
58Jephthah, of
59David and
60Samuel and the prophets--
33
who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises,
61stopped the mouths of lions,
34
62quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness,
63became mighty in war,
64put foreign armies to flight.
35
65Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life.
36
Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even
66chains and imprisonment.
37
67They were stoned, they were sawn in two,
68they were killed with the sword.
69They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated--
38
of whom the world was not worthy--
70wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
39
And all these,
71though commended through their faith,
72did not receive what was promised,
40
since God had provided something better for us,
73that apart from us they should not be made perfect.