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Hebrews 11

By Faith

1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of ^athings not seen. 2 For by it the people of old received their commendation. 3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by ^bthe word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of ^cthings that are visible.

4 By faith ^dAbel offered to God ^ea more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And ^fthrough his faith, though he died, he ^gstill speaks. 5 By faith ^hEnoch 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 ⁱmust believe that he exists and ^jthat he rewards those who seek him. 7 By faith ^kNoah, being warned by God concerning ^levents 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 ^mthe righteousness that comes by faith.

8 By faith ⁿAbraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place ^othat 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 ^pthe land of promise, as in a foreign land, ^qliving in tents ^rwith Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to ^sthe city that has ^tfoundations ^uwhose designer and builder is God. 11 By faith ^vSarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered ^whim faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore from one man, and ^xhim as good as dead, were born descendants ^yas many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.

13 These all died in faith ^znot having received the things promised, but ^aahaving seen them and greeted them from afar, and ^abhaving acknowledged that they were ^acstrangers 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 ^adthey 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 ^aeto be called their God, for ^afhe has prepared for them a city.

17 By faith ^agAbraham, 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 ^ah“Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” 19 ^aiHe considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. 20 By faith ^ajIsaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau. 21 By faith ^akJacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, ^albowing in worship over the head of his staff. 22 By faith ^amJoseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones.

23 By faith ^anMoses, 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 ^aothe king’s edict. 24 By faith Moses, when he was grown up, ^aprefused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 ^aqchoosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy ^arthe fleeting pleasures of sin. 26 ^asHe considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to ^atthe reward. 27 By faith he ^auleft Egypt, ^avnot being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured ^awas seeing him who is invisible. 28 By faith ^axhe kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them.

29 By faith ^aythe people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned. 30 By faith ^azthe walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. 31 By faith ^baRahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she ^bbhad given a friendly welcome to the spies.

32 And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of ^bcGideon ^bdBarak ^beSamson ^bfJephthah, of ^bgDavid and ^bhSamuel and the prophets— 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises ^bistopped the mouths of lions, 34 ^bjquenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness ^bkbecame mighty in war ^blput foreign armies to flight. 35 ^bmWomen 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 ^bnchains and imprisonment. 37 ^boThey were stoned, they were sawn in two ^{▼

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Some manuscripts add they were tempted} ^bqthey were killed with the sword. ^brThey went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— 38 of whom the world was not worthy— ^bswandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

39 And all these ^btthough commended through their faith ^budid not receive what was promised, 40 since God had provided something better for us, ^bvthat apart from us they should not be made perfect.