Hebrews 11
11
Great Examples of Faith
1Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see. 2Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation.
3By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.
4It was by faith that Abel brought a more acceptable offering to God than Cain did. Abel’s offering gave evidence that he was a righteous man, and God showed his approval of his gifts. Although Abel is long dead, he still speaks to us by his example of faith.
5It was by faith that Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying—“he disappeared, because God took him.”#11:5 Gen 5:24. For before he was taken up, he was known as a person who pleased God. 6And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.
7It was by faith that Noah built a large boat to save his family from the flood. He obeyed God, who warned him about things that had never happened before. By his faith Noah condemned the rest of the world, and he received the righteousness that comes by faith.
8It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going. 9And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith—for he was like a foreigner, living in tents. And so did Isaac and Jacob, who inherited the same promise. 10Abraham was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God.
11It was by faith that even Sarah was able to have a child, though she was barren and was too old. She believed#11:11 Or It was by faith that he [Abraham] was able to have a child, even though Sarah was barren and he was too old. He believed. that God would keep his promise. 12And so a whole nation came from this one man who was as good as dead—a nation with so many people that, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore, there is no way to count them.
13All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth. 14Obviously people who say such things are looking forward to a country they can call their own. 15If they had longed for the country they came from, they could have gone back. 16But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.
17It was by faith that Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice when God was testing him. Abraham, who had received God’s promises, was ready to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, 18even though God had told him, “Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted.”#11:18 Gen 21:12. 19Abraham reasoned that if Isaac died, God was able to bring him back to life again. And in a sense, Abraham did receive his son back from the dead.
20It was by faith that Isaac promised blessings for the future to his sons, Jacob and Esau.
21It was by faith that Jacob, when he was old and dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons and bowed in worship as he leaned on his staff.
22It was by faith that Joseph, when he was about to die, said confidently that the people of Israel would leave Egypt. He even commanded them to take his bones with them when they left.
23It was by faith that Moses’ parents hid him for three months when he was born. They saw that God had given them an unusual child, and they were not afraid to disobey the king’s command.
24It was by faith that Moses, when he grew up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. 25He chose to share the oppression of God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26He thought it was better to suffer for the sake of Christ than to own the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to his great reward. 27It was by faith that Moses left the land of Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger. He kept right on going because he kept his eyes on the one who is invisible. 28It was by faith that Moses commanded the people of Israel to keep the Passover and to sprinkle blood on the doorposts so that the angel of death would not kill their firstborn sons.
29It was by faith that the people of Israel went right through the Red Sea as though they were on dry ground. But when the Egyptians tried to follow, they were all drowned.
30It was by faith that the people of Israel marched around Jericho for seven days, and the walls came crashing down.
31It was by faith that Rahab the prostitute was not destroyed with the people in her city who refused to obey God. For she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.
32How much more do I need to say? It would take too long to recount the stories of the faith of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and all the prophets. 33By faith these people overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice, and received what God had promised them. They shut the mouths of lions, 34quenched the flames of fire, and escaped death by the edge of the sword. Their weakness was turned to strength. They became strong in battle and put whole armies to flight. 35Women received their loved ones back again from death.
But others were tortured, refusing to turn from God in order to be set free. They placed their hope in a better life after the resurrection. 36Some were jeered at, and their backs were cut open with whips. Others were chained in prisons. 37Some died by stoning, some were sawed in half,#11:37 Some manuscripts add some were tested. and others were killed with the sword. Some went about wearing skins of sheep and goats, destitute and oppressed and mistreated. 38They were too good for this world, wandering over deserts and mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground.
39All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised. 40For God had something better in mind for us, so that they would not reach perfection without us.
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Hebrews 11
11
By Faith We Understand
1Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence #Rom. 8:24; (2 Cor. 4:18; 5:7); Heb. 11:7, 27of things not seen. 2For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.
3By faith we understand that #Gen. 1:1; Ps. 33:6; (John 1:3); 2 Pet. 3:5the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.
Faith at the Dawn of History
4By faith #Gen. 4:3–5; Matt. 23:35; 1 John 3:12Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still #Gen. 4:8–10; Heb. 12:24speaks.
5By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, #Gen. 5:21–24“and was not found, because God had taken him”; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. 6But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
7By faith #Gen. 6:13–22Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, #1 Pet. 3:20prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of #Rom. 3:22the righteousness which is according to faith.
Faithful Abraham
8By faith #Gen. 12:1–4; Acts 7:2–4Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, #Gen. 12:8; 13:3, 18; 18:1, 9dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, #Heb. 6:17the heirs with him of the same promise; 10for he waited for #(Heb. 12:22; 13:14)the city which has foundations, #(Rev. 21:10)whose builder and maker is God.
11By faith #Gen. 17:19; 18:11–14; 21:1, 2Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and #Luke 1:36she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him #Heb. 10:23faithful who had promised. 12Therefore from one man, and him as good as #Rom. 4:19dead, were born as many as the #Gen. 15:5; 22:17; 32:12stars of the sky in multitude—innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.
The Heavenly Hope
13These all died in faith, #Heb. 11:39not having received the #Gen. 12:7promises, but #John 8:56; Heb. 11:27having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and #Gen. 23:4; 47:9; 1 Chr. 29:15; Ps. 39:12; Eph. 2:19; 1 Pet. 1:17; 2:11confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14For those who say such things #Heb. 13:14declare plainly that they seek a homeland. 15And truly if they had called to mind #Gen. 11:31that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed #Gen. 26:24; 28:13; Ex. 3:6, 15; 4:5to be called their God, for He has #(John 14:2); Heb. 11:10; (Rev. 21:2)prepared a city for them.
The Faith of the Patriarchs
17By faith Abraham, #Gen. 22:1–14; James 2:21when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, 18of whom it was said, #Gen. 21:12; Rom. 9:7“In Isaac your seed shall be called,” 19concluding that God #Rom. 4:17was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.
20By faith #Gen. 27:26–40Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.
21By faith Jacob, when he was dying, #Gen. 48:1, 5, 16, 20blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.
22By faith #Gen. 50:24, 25; Ex. 13:19Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones.
The Faith of Moses
23By faith #Ex. 2:1–3Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s #Ex. 1:16, 22command.
24By faith #Ex. 2:11–15Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26esteeming #Heb. 13:13the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the #Rom. 8:18; 2 Cor. 4:17reward.
27By faith #Ex. 10:28he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. 28By faith #Ex. 12:21he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them.
29By faith #Ex. 14:22–29; Jude 5they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned.
By Faith They Overcame
30By faith #Josh. 6:20the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days. 31By faith #Josh. 2:9; 6:23; James 2:25the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when #Josh. 2:1she had received the spies with peace.
32And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of #Judg. 6:11; 7:1–25Gideon and #Judg. 4:6–24Barak and #Judg. 13:24—16:31Samson and #Judg. 11:1–29; 12:1–7Jephthah, also of #1 Sam. 16; 17David and #1 Sam. 7:9–14Samuel and the prophets: 33who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, #Judg. 14:6; 1 Sam. 17:34; Dan. 6:22stopped the mouths of lions, 34#Dan. 3:23–28quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. 35#1 Kin. 17:22; 2 Kin. 4:35–37Women received their dead raised to life again.
Others were #Acts 22:25tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. 36Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and #Gen. 39:20; 1 Kin. 22:27; 2 Chr. 18:26; Jer. 20:2; 37:15of chains and imprisonment. 37#1 Kin. 21:13; 2 Chr. 24:21; Acts 7:58They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. #2 Kin. 1:8; Matt. 3:4They wandered about #1 Kin. 19:13, 19; 2 Kin. 2:8, 13; Zech. 13:4in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented— 38of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, #1 Kin. 18:4, 13; 19:9in dens and caves of the earth.
39And all these, #Heb. 11:2, 13having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, 40God having provided something better for us, that they should not be #Heb. 5:9made perfect apart from us.
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