Hebrews 11
11
Living by Faith
1Now faith is the reality#11:1 Or assurance of what is hoped for, the proof#11:1 Or conviction of what is not seen.#Rm 8:24; 2Co 4:18 2For by this our ancestors were approved.
3By faith we understand that the universe was#11:3 Or the worlds were, or the ages were created by the word of God,#Gn 1:1; Jn 1:3; 2Pt 3:5 so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible.#11:3 Or so that what is seen was made out of what was 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, and so he did not experience death. He was not to be found because God took him away.#11:5Gn 5:21–24 For before he was taken away, he was approved as one who pleased God.#Gn 5:21–24; 2Kg 2:11 6Now without faith it is impossible to please God, since the one who draws near to him must believe that he exists and that he 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 set out for a place that he was going to receive as an inheritance. He went out, even though he did not know 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 as did 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#11:11 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 the sky and as innumerable as the grains of sand along the seashore.#Gn 22:17; Rm 4:19
13These all died in faith, although they had not received the things that were promised. 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 yet he was offering his one and only son, 18the one to whom it had been said, Your offspring#11:18 Lit seed will be traced through Isaac.#11:18Gn 21:12#Gn 21:12; Rm 9:7 19He considered God to be able even to raise someone from the dead;#Rm 4:17 therefore, he received him back, figuratively speaking.#11:19 Or back, as a foreshadowing, or as a type
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.#11:21Gn 47:31#Gn 47:31; 48:1,5,16,20 22By faith Joseph, as he was nearing the end of his life, mentioned#11:22 Or remembered the exodus of the Israelites and gave instructions concerning his bones.#Gn 50:24–25; Ex 13:19
23By faith Moses, after he was born, 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 fleeting pleasure of sin.#Ex 2:10–11; Ps 84:10 26For he considered reproach for the sake of Christ to be greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, since he was looking ahead to 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 marched around by the Israelites for seven days. 31By faith Rahab the prostitute welcomed 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 in weakness, became mighty in battle, and put foreign armies to flight.#Jdg 15:8; 2Kg 20:7; Dn 3:25 35Women received their dead, raised to life again. Other people were tortured, not accepting release, so that they might gain a better resurrection. 36Others experienced mockings and scourgings, as well as bonds and imprisonment.#Gn 39:20; Jr 20:2 37They were stoned,#11:37 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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© 2017 Holman Bible Publishers
Hebrews 11
11
1Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, a conviction of things not seen. 2For therein the elders had witness borne to them. 3By faith we understand that the worlds have been framed by the word of God, so that what is seen hath not been made out of things which appear. 4By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he had witness borne to him that he was righteous, God bearing witness in respect of his gifts: and through it he being dead yet speaketh. 5By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and he was not found, because God translated him: for he hath had witness borne to him that before his translation he had been well-pleasing unto God: 6and without faith it is impossible to be well-pleasing unto him; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that seek after him. 7By faith Noah, being warned of God concerning things not seen as yet, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; through which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. 8By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed to go out unto a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. 9By faith he became a sojourner in the land of promise, as in a land not his own, dwelling in tents, with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: 10for he looked for the city which hath the foundations, whose builder and maker is God. 11By faith even Sarah herself received power to conceive seed when she was past age, since she counted him faithful who had promised: 12wherefore also there sprang of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of heaven in multitude, and as the sand, which is by the sea-shore, innumerable.
13These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14For they that say such things make it manifest that they are seeking after a country of their own. 15And if indeed they had been mindful of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16But now they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God; for he hath prepared for them a city.
17By faith Abraham, being tried, offered up Isaac: yea, he that had gladly received the promises was offering up his only begotten son; 18even he to whom it was said, In Isaac shall thy seed be called: 19accounting that God is able to raise up, even from the dead; from whence he did also in a figure receive him back. 20By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even concerning things to come. 21By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff. 22By faith Joseph, when his end was nigh, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones. 23By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months by his parents, because they saw he was a goodly child; and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment. 24By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; 25choosing rather to share ill treatment with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; 26accounting the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt: for he looked unto the recompense of reward. 27By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible. 28By faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of the blood, that the destroyer of the firstborn should not touch them. 29By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were swallowed up. 30By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they had been compassed about for seven days. 31By faith Rahab the harlot perished not with them that were disobedient, having received the spies with peace.
32And what shall I more say? for the time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah; of David and Samuel and the prophets: 33who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, waxed mighty in war, turned to flight armies of aliens. 35Women received their dead by a resurrection: and others were tortured, not accepting their deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: 36and others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: 37they were stoned, they were sawn asunder, they were tempted, they were slain with the sword: they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated 38(of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves, and the holes of the earth. 39And these all, having had witness borne to them through their faith, received not the promise, 40God having provided some better thing concerning us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.
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