Hebrews 11
11
What Is Faith?
1Faith means being sure of the things we hope for and knowing that something is real even if we do not see it. 2Faith is the reason we remember great people who lived in the past.
3It is by faith we understand that the whole world was made by God’s command so what we see was made by something that cannot be seen.
4It was by faith that Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. God said he was pleased with the gifts Abel offered and called Abel a good man because of his faith. Abel died, but through his faith he is still speaking.
5It was by faith that Enoch was taken to heaven so he would not die. He could not be found, because God had taken him away. Before he was taken, the Scripture says that he was a man who truly pleased God. 6Without faith no one can please God. Anyone who comes to God must believe that he is real and that he rewards those who truly want to find him.
7It was by faith that Noah heard God’s warnings about things he could not yet see. He obeyed God and built a large boat to save his family. By his faith, Noah showed that the world was wrong, and he became one of those who are made right with God through faith.
8It was by faith Abraham obeyed God’s call to go to another place God promised to give him. He left his own country, not knowing where he was to go. 9It was by faith that he lived like a foreigner in the country God promised to give him. He lived in tents with Isaac and Jacob, who had received that same promise from God. 10Abraham was waiting for the city that has real foundations—the city planned and built by God.
11He was too old to have children, and Sarah could not have children. It was by faith that Abraham was made able to become a father, because he trusted God to do what he had promised. 12This man was so old he was almost dead, but from him came as many descendants as there are stars in the sky. Like the sand on the seashore, they could not be counted.
13All these great people died in faith. They did not get the things that God promised his people, but they saw them coming far in the future and were glad. They said they were like visitors and strangers on earth. 14When people say such things, they show they are looking for a country that will be their own. 15If they had been thinking about the country they had left, they could have gone back. 16But they were waiting for a better country—a heavenly country. So God is not ashamed to be called their God, because he has prepared a city for them.
17It was by faith that Abraham, when God tested him, offered his son Isaac as a sacrifice. God made the promises to Abraham, but Abraham was ready to offer his own son as a sacrifice. 18God had said, “The descendants I promised you will be from Isaac.” 19Abraham believed that God could raise the dead, and really, it was as if Abraham got Isaac back from death.
20It was by faith that Isaac blessed the future of Jacob and Esau. 21It was by faith that Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each one of Joseph’s sons. Then he worshiped as he leaned on the top of his walking stick.
22It was by faith that Joseph, while he was dying, spoke about the Israelites leaving Egypt and gave instructions about what to do with his body.
23It was by faith that Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born. They saw that Moses was a beautiful baby, and they were not afraid to disobey the king’s order.
24It was by faith that Moses, when he grew up, refused to be called the son of the king of Egypt’s daughter. 25He chose to suffer with God’s people instead of enjoying sin for a short time. 26He thought it was better to suffer for the Christ than to have all the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking for God’s reward. 27It was by faith that Moses left Egypt and was not afraid of the king’s anger. Moses continued strong as if he could see the God that no one can see. 28It was by faith that Moses prepared the Passover and spread the blood on the doors so the one who brings death would not kill the firstborn sons of Israel.
29It was by faith that the people crossed the Red Sea as if it were dry land. But when the Egyptians tried it, they were drowned.
30It was by faith that the walls of Jericho fell after the people had marched around them for seven days.
31It was by faith that Rahab, the prostitute, welcomed the spies and was not killed with those who refused to obey God.
32Do I need to give more examples? I do not have time to tell you about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets. 33Through their faith they defeated kingdoms. They did what was right, received God’s promises, and shut the mouths of lions. 34They stopped great fires and were saved from being killed with swords. They were weak, and yet were made strong. They were powerful in battle and defeated other armies. 35Women received their dead relatives raised back to life. Others were tortured and refused to accept their freedom so they could be raised from the dead to a better life. 36Some were laughed at and beaten. Others were put in chains and thrown into prison. 37They were stoned to death, they were cut in half, and they were killed with swords. Some wore the skins of sheep and goats. They were poor, abused, and treated badly. 38The world was not good enough for them! They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and holes in the earth.
39All these people are known for their faith, but none of them received what God had promised. 40God planned to give us something better so that they would be made perfect, but only together with us.
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The Holy Bible, New Century Version, Copyright © 2005 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.
Iḇ`rim (Hebrews) 11
11
1And belief is the substance of what is expected, the proof of what is not seen.
2For by this the elders obtained witness.
3By belief, we understand that the ages were prepared by the word of Elohim, so that what is seen was not made of what is visible.
4By belief, Heḇel offered to Elohim a greater slaughter offering than Qayin, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, Elohim witnessing of his gifts. And through it, having died, he still speaks.
5By belief, Ḥanoḵ was translated so as not to see death, “and was not found because Elohim had translated him.”# Gen. 5:24 For before his translation he obtained witness, that he pleased Elohim.
6But without belief it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to Elohim has to believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who earnestly seek Him.
7By belief, Noaḥ, having been warned of what was yet unseen, having feared, prepared an ark to save his house, through which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to belief.
8By belief, Aḇraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he was about to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.
9By belief, he sojourned in the land of promise as a stranger, dwelling in tents with Yitsḥaq and Ya‛aqoḇ, the heirs with him of the same promise,
10for he was looking for the city having foundations, whose builder and maker is Elohim.
11By belief also, Sarah herself was enabled to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the normal age, because she deemed Him trustworthy who had promised.
12And so from one, and him as good as dead, were born as numerous as the stars of the heaven, as countless as the sand which is by the seashore.# Gen. 15:5; Gen. 22:17
13In belief all these died, not having received the promises,#See Heb. 11:39 but seeing them from a distance, welcomed and embraced them, and confessed that they were aliens and strangers on the earth.
14For those who speak this way make it clear that they seek a fatherland.
15And yet, if they had indeed kept remembering that place from which they had come out, they would have had the chance to return.
16But now they long for a better place, that is, a heavenly. Therefore Elohim is not ashamed to be called their Elohim, for He has prepared a city for them.
17By belief, Aḇraham, when he was tried, offered up Yitsḥaq, and he who had received the promises offered up his only brought-forth son,
18of whom it was said, “In Yitsḥaq your seed shall be called,”# Gen. 21:12
19reckoning that Elohim was able to raise, even from the dead, from which he received him back, as a type.
20By belief, Yitsḥaq blessed Ya‛aqoḇ and Ěsaw concerning that which was to come.
21By belief, Ya‛aqoḇ, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Yosĕph, and did reverence on the top of his staff.
22By belief, Yosĕph, when he was dying, made mention of the outgoing of the children of Yisra’ĕl, and gave orders concerning his bones.
23By belief, Mosheh, having been born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a comely child,#See Exo. 2:2 and were not afraid of the sovereign’s command.
24By belief, Mosheh, having become great, refused to be called the son of the daughter of Pharaoh,
25choosing rather to be afflicted with the people of Elohim than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a time,
26deeming the reproach of Messiah greater riches than the treasures in Mitsrayim, for he was looking to the reward.
27By belief, he left Mitsrayim, not fearing the wrath of the sovereign, for he was steadfast, as seeing Him who is invisible.
28By belief, he performed the Pĕsaḥ and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the first-born should touch them.
29By belief, they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, and when the Mitsrites tried it, they were drowned.
30By belief, the walls of Yeriḥo fell, having been surrounded for seven days.
31By belief, Raḥaḇ the whore did not perish with those who did not believe, having received the spies with peace.
32And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to relate of Gid‛on and Baraq and Shimshon and Yiphtaḥ, also of Dawiḏ and Shemu’ĕl and the prophets,
33who through belief, overcame reigns, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
34quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became mighty in battle, put foreign armies to flight.
35Women received back their dead by resurrection. And others were tortured, not accepting release, to obtain a better resurrection.
36And others had trial of mockings and floggings and more, of chains and imprisonment.
37They were stoned, they were tried, they were sawn in two, they were slain with the sword. They went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being in need, afflicted, mistreated,
38of whom the world was not worthy – wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes of the earth.
39And having obtained witness through the belief, all these did not receive the promise,#See Heb. 11:13
40Elohim having provided what is better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.
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