BBE 1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, and the sign that the things not seen are true. GNT 1 To have faith is to be sure of the things we hope for, to be certain of the things we cannot see. BBE 2 For by it our fathers had God's approval. GNT 2 It was by their faith that people of ancient times won God's approval. BBE 3 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. GNT 3 It is by faith that we understand that the universe was created by God's word, so that what can be seen was made out of what cannot be seen. BBE 4 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. GNT 4 It was faith that made Abel offer to God a better sacrifice than Cain's. Through his faith he won God's approval as a righteous man, because God himself approved of his gifts. By means of his faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead. BBE 5 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: GNT 5 It was faith that kept Enoch from dying. Instead, he was taken up to God, and nobody could find him, because God had taken him up. The scripture says that before Enoch was taken up, he had pleased God. BBE 6 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. GNT 6 No one can please God without faith, for whoever comes to God must have faith that God exists and rewards those who seek him. BBE 7 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. GNT 7 It was faith that made Noah hear God's warnings about things in the future that he could not see. He obeyed God and built a boat in which he and his family were saved. As a result, the world was condemned, and Noah received from God the righteousness that comes by faith. BBE 8 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. GNT 8 It was faith that made Abraham obey when God called him to go out to a country which God had promised to give him. He left his own country without knowing where he was going. BBE 9 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: GNT 9 By faith he lived as a foreigner in the country that God had promised him. He lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who received the same promise from God. BBE 10 For he was looking for the strong town, whose builder and maker is God. GNT 10 For Abraham was waiting for the city which God has designed and built, the city with permanent foundations. BBE 11 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; GNT 11 It was faith that made Abraham able to become a father, even though he was too old and Sarah herself could not have children. He trusted God to keep his promise. BBE 12 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. GNT 12 Though Abraham was practically dead, from this one man came as many descendants as there are stars in the sky, as many as the numberless grains of sand on the seashore. BBE 13 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. GNT 13 It was in faith that all these persons died. They did not receive the things God had promised, but from a long way off they saw them and welcomed them, and admitted openly that they were foreigners and refugees on earth. BBE 14 For those who say such things make it clear that they are searching for a country for themselves. GNT 14 Those who say such things make it clear that they are looking for a country of their own. BBE 15 And truly if they had kept in mind the country from which they went out, they would have had chances of turning back. GNT 15 They did not keep thinking about the country they had left; if they had, they would have had the chance to return. BBE 16 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. GNT 16 Instead, it was a better country they longed for, the heavenly country. And so God is not ashamed for them to call him their God, because he has prepared a city for them. BBE 17 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, GNT 17 It was faith that made Abraham offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice when God put Abraham to the test. Abraham was the one to whom God had made the promise, yet he was ready to offer his only son as a sacrifice. BBE 18 Of whom it had been said, From Isaac will your seed take their name: GNT 18 God had said to him, "It is through Isaac that you will have the descendants I promised." BBE 19 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. GNT 19 Abraham reckoned that God was able to raise Isaac from death - and, so to speak, Abraham did receive Isaac back from death. BBE 20 By faith Isaac, blessing Jacob and Esau, gave news of things to come. GNT 20 It was faith that made Isaac promise blessings for the future to Jacob and Esau. BBE 21 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. GNT 21 It was faith that made Jacob bless each of the sons of Joseph just before he died. He leaned on the top of his walking stick and worshiped God. BBE 22 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. GNT 22 It was faith that made Joseph, when he was about to die, speak of the departure of the Israelites from Egypt, and leave instructions about what should be done with his body. BBE 23 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. GNT 23 It was faith that made the parents of Moses hide him for three months after he was born. They saw that he was a beautiful child, and they were not afraid to disobey the king's order. BBE 24 By faith Moses, when he became a man, had no desire to be named the son of Pharaoh's daughter; GNT 24 It was faith that made Moses, when he had grown up, refuse to be called the son of the king's daughter. BBE 25 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; GNT 25 He preferred to suffer with God's people rather than to enjoy sin for a little while. BBE 26 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. GNT 26 He reckoned that to suffer scorn for the Messiah was worth far more than all the treasures of Egypt, for he kept his eyes on the future reward. BBE 27 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. GNT 27 It was faith that made Moses leave Egypt without being afraid of the king's anger. As though he saw the invisible God, he refused to turn back. BBE 28 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. GNT 28 It was faith that made him establish the Passover and order the blood to be sprinkled on the doors, so that the Angel of Death would not kill the first-born sons of the Israelites. BBE 29 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. GNT 29 It was faith that made the Israelites able to cross the Red Sea as if on dry land; when the Egyptians tried to do it, the water swallowed them up. BBE 30 By faith the walls of Jericho came down, after they had been circled for seven days. GNT 30 It was faith that made the walls of Jericho fall down after the Israelites had marched around them for seven days. BBE 31 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. GNT 31 It was faith that kept the prostitute Rahab from being killed with those who disobeyed God, for she gave the Israelite spies a friendly welcome. BBE 32 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: GNT 32 Should I go on? There isn't enough time for me to speak of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets. BBE 33 Who through faith overcame kingdoms, did righteousness, got their reward, kept the mouths of lions shut, GNT 33 Through faith they fought whole countries and won. They did what was right and received what God had promised. They shut the mouths of lions, BBE 34 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. GNT 34 put out fierce fires, escaped being killed by the sword. They were weak, but became strong; they were mighty in battle and defeated the armies of foreigners. BBE 35 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; GNT 35 Through faith women received their dead relatives raised back to life. Others, refusing to accept freedom, died under torture in order to be raised to a better life. BBE 36 And others were tested by being laughed at or by blows, and even with chains and prisons: GNT 36 Some were mocked and whipped, and others were put in chains and taken off to prison. BBE 37 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, GNT 37 They were stoned, they were sawed in two, they were killed by the sword. They went around clothed in skins of sheep or goats - poor, persecuted, and mistreated. BBE 38 Wandering in waste places and in mountains and in holes in the rocks; for whom the world was not good enough. GNT 38 The world was not good enough for them! They wandered like refugees in the deserts and hills, living in caves and holes in the ground. BBE 39 And not one of these got the good things of the agreement, though they all had a good record through faith, GNT 39 What a record all of these have won by their faith! Yet they did not receive what God had promised, BBE 40 Because God had kept some better thing for us, so that it was not possible for them to become complete without us. GNT 40 because God had decided on an even better plan for us. His purpose was that only in company with us would they be made perfect.
GNT 1 To have faith is to be sure of the things we hope for, to be certain of the things we cannot see. GNT 2 It was by their faith that people of ancient times won God's approval. GNT 3 It is by faith that we understand that the universe was created by God's word, so that what can be seen was made out of what cannot be seen. GNT 4 It was faith that made Abel offer to God a better sacrifice than Cain's. Through his faith he won God's approval as a righteous man, because God himself approved of his gifts. By means of his faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead. GNT 5 It was faith that kept Enoch from dying. Instead, he was taken up to God, and nobody could find him, because God had taken him up. The scripture says that before Enoch was taken up, he had pleased God. GNT 6 No one can please God without faith, for whoever comes to God must have faith that God exists and rewards those who seek him. GNT 7 It was faith that made Noah hear God's warnings about things in the future that he could not see. He obeyed God and built a boat in which he and his family were saved. As a result, the world was condemned, and Noah received from God the righteousness that comes by faith. GNT 8 It was faith that made Abraham obey when God called him to go out to a country which God had promised to give him. He left his own country without knowing where he was going. GNT 9 By faith he lived as a foreigner in the country that God had promised him. He lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who received the same promise from God. GNT 10 For Abraham was waiting for the city which God has designed and built, the city with permanent foundations. GNT 11 It was faith that made Abraham able to become a father, even though he was too old and Sarah herself could not have children. He trusted God to keep his promise. GNT 12 Though Abraham was practically dead, from this one man came as many descendants as there are stars in the sky, as many as the numberless grains of sand on the seashore. GNT 13 It was in faith that all these persons died. They did not receive the things God had promised, but from a long way off they saw them and welcomed them, and admitted openly that they were foreigners and refugees on earth. GNT 14 Those who say such things make it clear that they are looking for a country of their own. GNT 15 They did not keep thinking about the country they had left; if they had, they would have had the chance to return. GNT 16 Instead, it was a better country they longed for, the heavenly country. And so God is not ashamed for them to call him their God, because he has prepared a city for them. GNT 17 It was faith that made Abraham offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice when God put Abraham to the test. Abraham was the one to whom God had made the promise, yet he was ready to offer his only son as a sacrifice. GNT 18 God had said to him, "It is through Isaac that you will have the descendants I promised." GNT 19 Abraham reckoned that God was able to raise Isaac from death - and, so to speak, Abraham did receive Isaac back from death. GNT 20 It was faith that made Isaac promise blessings for the future to Jacob and Esau. GNT 21 It was faith that made Jacob bless each of the sons of Joseph just before he died. He leaned on the top of his walking stick and worshiped God. GNT 22 It was faith that made Joseph, when he was about to die, speak of the departure of the Israelites from Egypt, and leave instructions about what should be done with his body. GNT 23 It was faith that made the parents of Moses hide him for three months after he was born. They saw that he was a beautiful child, and they were not afraid to disobey the king's order. GNT 24 It was faith that made Moses, when he had grown up, refuse to be called the son of the king's daughter. GNT 25 He preferred to suffer with God's people rather than to enjoy sin for a little while. GNT 26 He reckoned that to suffer scorn for the Messiah was worth far more than all the treasures of Egypt, for he kept his eyes on the future reward. GNT 27 It was faith that made Moses leave Egypt without being afraid of the king's anger. As though he saw the invisible God, he refused to turn back. GNT 28 It was faith that made him establish the Passover and order the blood to be sprinkled on the doors, so that the Angel of Death would not kill the first-born sons of the Israelites. GNT 29 It was faith that made the Israelites able to cross the Red Sea as if on dry land; when the Egyptians tried to do it, the water swallowed them up. GNT 30 It was faith that made the walls of Jericho fall down after the Israelites had marched around them for seven days. GNT 31 It was faith that kept the prostitute Rahab from being killed with those who disobeyed God, for she gave the Israelite spies a friendly welcome. GNT 32 Should I go on? There isn't enough time for me to speak of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets. GNT 33 Through faith they fought whole countries and won. They did what was right and received what God had promised. They shut the mouths of lions, GNT 34 put out fierce fires, escaped being killed by the sword. They were weak, but became strong; they were mighty in battle and defeated the armies of foreigners. GNT 35 Through faith women received their dead relatives raised back to life. Others, refusing to accept freedom, died under torture in order to be raised to a better life. GNT 36 Some were mocked and whipped, and others were put in chains and taken off to prison. GNT 37 They were stoned, they were sawed in two, they were killed by the sword. They went around clothed in skins of sheep or goats - poor, persecuted, and mistreated. GNT 38 The world was not good enough for them! They wandered like refugees in the deserts and hills, living in caves and holes in the ground. GNT 39 What a record all of these have won by their faith! Yet they did not receive what God had promised, GNT 40 because God had decided on an even better plan for us. His purpose was that only in company with us would they be made perfect.