Hebrews 11

The Meaning of Faith

1Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. # 2Co 4:18; 5:7 2For by it the men of old obtained a good report.

3By faith we understand that the ages were set by the word of God, # Jn 1:3; 2Pe 3:5 so that things that are seen were not made out of things which are visible.

4By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain offered. # Mt 23:35; Heb 12:24 Through this he was approved as righteous, with God testifying concerning his gifts. He still speaks through his faith, though he is dead.

5By faith Enoch was taken to heaven so that he would not see death. # 2Ki 2:11; Jude 14 He was not found, because God took him away. For before he was taken, he had this commendation, that he pleased God. 6And without faith it is impossible to please God, for he who comes to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who diligently seek Him. # 1Ch 28:9; Jer 29:13–14

7By faith Noah, being divinely warned about things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark to save his family, by which he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. # Eze 14:14; 1Pe 3:20

8By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out into a place which he would later receive as an inheritance. He went out not knowing where he was going. # Ge 12:1–4, 7 9By faith he dwelt in the promised land, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs of the same promise, # Ge 12:8; 18:9 10for he was looking for a city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. # Heb 12:22; 13:14 11By faith Sarah herself also received the ability to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised. # Ge 18:11–14; Heb 10:23 12Therefore from one man, who was as good as dead, sprang so many, a multitude as the stars of the sky and innumerable as the sand by the seashore. # Ge 15:5; 22:17; 32:12

13These all died in faith not having received the promises, but having seen them from afar were assured of them, embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. # Ge 23:4; Ps 39:12 14Those who say such things declare plainly that they are looking for a homeland. 15And certainly, if they had been thinking of the country out of which they came, they might have had the opportunity to return. # Ge 24:6–8 16But they desired a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, # Ex 3:6, 15 for He has prepared a city for them.

17By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only son. 18Of him God said, “Through Isaac shall your seed be named.” # Ge 21:12; Ro 9:7 # 11:18 Ge 21:12. 19He reasoned that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he indeed received him in a figurative sense. # Ro 4:17–21

20By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.

21By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph and worshipped while leaning on the top of his staff.

22By faith Joseph, when he was dying, mentioned the exodus of the Israelites and gave instructions concerning his bones. # Ge 50:24–25; Ex 13:19

23By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden by his parents for three months, because they saw he was a beautiful child, and they were not afraid of the king’s command. # Ex 1:16, 22

24By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, # Ex 2:10–11 25choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a time. # Job 36:21; Ps 84:10 26He esteemed the reproach of Christ as greater riches than the treasures in Egypt, for he looked to the reward. # Heb 2:2; 10:35 27By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king. # Ex 2:14–15 He endured by looking to Him who is invisible. 28By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest the one who destroys the firstborn touch them. # Ex 12:21–30

29By faith they passed through the Red Sea as on dry land, which the Egyptians attempted to do, but were drowned.

30By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days.

31By faith the prostitute Rahab, when she received the spies with peace, did not perish with those who did not believe. # Jos 6:22–25; Jas 2:25

32And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, # Jdg 6:1–8:35 Barak, # Jdg 4 Samson, # Jdg 14:1–16:31 Jephthah, # Jdg 11 of David # 1Sa 16:1 and Samuel # 1Sa 16:1 and the prophets, 33who through faith subdued kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, # Jdg 14:5–6 34quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in fighting, and turned the armies of foreign enemies to flight. # Jdg 15:8 35Women received their dead raised to life again. Others were tortured and did not accept deliverance, so that they might obtain a better resurrection. 36Still others had trials of mocking and scourging, and even chains and imprisonment. # Ge 39:20; 1Ki 22:27; Jer 20:2 37They were stoned, # 2Ch 24:21 they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. # 1Ki 19:10 They wandered around in sheepskins and goatskins, # 2Ki 1:8 while destitute, afflicted, and tormented. 38The world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth. # 1Ki 18:4; 19:9

39These all have obtained a good report through faith, # Heb 11:2; 1Pe 1:12 but they did not receive the promise. # Heb 11:13 40For God provided something better for us, so that with us they would be made complete. # Heb 12:23

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Hebrews 11: MEV

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Hebrews 11

Heroes of Faith

1Now faith is the reality # Or assurance of what is hoped for, the proof # Or conviction of what is not seen. # Rm 8:24; 2Co 4:18 2For our ancestors won God’s approval by it.

3By faith we understand that the universe was # Or the worlds were, or the ages were created by God’s command, # Or word # Gn 1:1; Jn 1:3; 2Pt 3:5 so that what is seen has been made from things that are not visible.

4By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was approved as a righteous man, because God approved his gifts, and even though he is dead, he still speaks through his faith. # Gn 4:4; 1Jn 3:12

5By faith Enoch was taken away so he did not experience death, and he was not to be found because God took him away. # Gn 5:21-24 For prior to his removal he was approved, since he had pleased God. # Gn 5:21-24; 2Kg 2:11 6Now without faith it is impossible to please God, for the one who draws near to Him must believe that He exists and rewards those who seek Him.

7By faith Noah, after he was warned about what was not yet seen and motivated by godly fear, built an ark to deliver his family. By faith he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. # Gn 6:13-22; 1Pt 3:20

8By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed and went out to a place he was going to receive as an inheritance. He went out, not knowing where he was going. # Gn 12:1-4,7; Ac 7:2-4 9By faith he stayed as a foreigner in the land of promise, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, coheirs of the same promise. # Gn 12:8; 18:1; Ac 7:5; Heb 6:17 10For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. # Heb 12:22; 13:14; Rv 21:2,10,14

11By faith even Sarah herself, when she was unable to have children, received power to conceive offspring, even though she was past the age, since she # Or By faith Abraham, even though he was past age — and Sarah herself was barren — received the ability to procreate since he considered that the One who had promised was faithful. # Gn 17:19; 18:11-14; 21:2 12Therefore from one man — in fact, from one as good as dead — came offspring as numerous as the stars of heaven and as innumerable as the grains of sand by the seashore. # Gn 22:17; Rm 4:19

13These all died in faith without having received the promises, but they saw them from a distance, # Mt 13:17; Jn 8:56; Heb 11:39 greeted them, and confessed that they were foreigners and temporary residents on the earth. # Gn 23:4; 1Ch 29:15; Ps 39:12; 1Pt 1:17 14Now those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15If they were thinking about where they came from, they would have had an opportunity to return. 16But they now desire a better place — a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them. # Ex 3:6,15; Mk 8:38; 2Tm 4:18; Heb 13:14

17By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac. # Gn 22:1-10; Jms 2:21 He received the promises and he was offering his unique son, 18the one it had been said about, Your seed will be traced # Lit called through Isaac. # Gn 21:12; Rm 9:7 # Gn 21:12 19He considered God to be able even to raise someone from the dead, # Rm 4:17 and as an illustration, # Or a foreshadowing, or a parable, or a type he received him back.

20By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau # Gn 25:25; 27:26-40 concerning things to come. 21By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and he worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. # Gn 47:31; 48:1,5,16,20 # Gn 47:31 22By faith Joseph, as he was nearing the end of his life, mentioned the exodus of the Israelites and gave instructions concerning his bones. # Gn 50:24-25; Ex 13:19

23By faith, after Moses was born, he was hidden by his parents for three months, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they didn’t fear the king’s edict. # Ex 1:16,22; 2:2 24By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter 25and chose to suffer with the people of God rather than to enjoy the short-lived pleasure of sin. # Ex 2:10-11; Ps 84:10 26For he considered the reproach because of the Messiah to be greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, since his attention was on the reward. # Heb 10:35; 13:13

27By faith he left Egypt behind, not being afraid of the king’s anger, for Moses persevered as one who sees Him who is invisible. # Rm 1:20; Col 1:15-16; 1Tm 1:17 28By faith he instituted the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn might not touch the Israelites. 29By faith they crossed the Red Sea as though they were on dry land. When the Egyptians attempted to do this, they were drowned. # Ex 14:22-30

30By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after being encircled by the Israelites for seven days. 31By faith Rahab the prostitute received the spies in peace and didn’t perish with those who disobeyed. # Jos 2:1; 6:23

32And what more can I say? Time is too short for me to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, # Jdg 4:6; 11:1; 13:24 David, Samuel, and the prophets, # 1Sm 1:20; 16:1,13 33who by faith conquered kingdoms, # 2Sm 7:11; 8:1-3 administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, # Jdg 14:5-6; 1Sm 17:34-37; Dn 6:22 34quenched the raging of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, gained strength after being weak, became mighty in battle, and put foreign armies to flight. # Jdg 15:8; 2Kg 20:7; Dn 3:25 35Women received their dead — they were raised to life again. Some men were tortured, not accepting release, so that they might gain a better resurrection, 36and others experienced mockings and scourgings, as well as bonds and imprisonment. # Gn 39:20; Jr 20:2 37They were stoned, # Other mss add they were tempted # 1Kg 21:13; 2Ch 24:20-21 they were sawed in two, they died by the sword, they wandered about in sheepskins, in goatskins, # 1Kg 19:10; 2Kg 1:8 destitute, afflicted, and mistreated. 38The world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and on mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground.

39All these were approved through their faith, but they did not receive what was promised, 40since God had provided something better for us, so that they would not be made perfect without us. # Heb 11:16; Rv 6:11

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