Hebrews 11
11
Faith
1To have faith is to be sure of the things we hope for, to be certain of the things we cannot see. 2It was by their faith that people of ancient times won God's approval.
3 #
Gen 1.1; Ps 33.6, 9; Jn 1.3 It is by faith that we understand that the universe was created by God's word, so that what can be seen was made out of what cannot be seen.
4 #
Gen 4.3–10
It was faith that made Abel offer to God a better sacrifice than Cain's. Through his faith he won God's approval as a righteous man, because God himself approved of his gifts. By means of his faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.
5 #
Gen 5.21–24 (LXX) It was faith that kept Enoch from dying. Instead, he was taken up to God, and nobody could find him, because God had taken him up. The scripture says that before Enoch was taken up, he had pleased God. 6No one can please God without faith, for whoever comes to God must have faith that God exists and rewards those who seek him.
7 #
Gen 6.13–22
It was faith that made Noah hear God's warnings about things in the future that he could not see. He obeyed God and built a boat in which he and his family were saved. As a result, the world was condemned, and Noah received from God the righteousness that comes by faith.
8 #
Gen 12.1–5
It was faith that made Abraham obey when God called him to go out to a country which God had promised to give him. He left his own country without knowing where he was going. 9#Gen 35.27By faith he lived as a foreigner in the country that God had promised him. He lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who received the same promise from God. 10For Abraham was waiting for the city which God has designed and built, the city with permanent foundations.
11 #
Gen 18.11–14; 21.2 It was faith that made Abraham able to become a father, even though he was too old and Sarah herself could not have children. He#11.11 It was faith… children. He; some manuscripts have It was faith that made Sarah herself able to conceive, even though she was too old to have children. She. trusted God to keep his promise. 12#Gen 15.5; 22.17; 32.12Though Abraham was practically dead, from this one man came as many descendants as there are stars in the sky, as many as the numberless grains of sand on the seashore.
13 #
Gen 23.4; 1 Chr 29.15; Ps 39.12 It was in faith that all these persons died. They did not receive the things God had promised, but from a long way off they saw them and welcomed them, and admitted openly that they were foreigners and refugees on earth. 14Those who say such things make it clear that they are looking for a country of their own. 15They did not keep thinking about the country they had left; if they had, they would have had the chance to return. 16Instead, it was a better country they longed for, the heavenly country. And so God is not ashamed for them to call him their God, because he has prepared a city for them.
17 #
Gen 22.1–14
It was faith that made Abraham offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice when God put Abraham to the test. Abraham was the one to whom God had made the promise, yet he was ready to offer his only son as a sacrifice. 18#Gen 21.12God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that you will have the descendants I promised.” 19Abraham reckoned that God was able to raise Isaac from death — and, so to speak, Abraham did receive Isaac back from death.
20 #
Gen 27.27–29, 39–40 It was faith that made Isaac promise blessings for the future to Jacob and Esau.
21 #
Gen 47.31 (LXX); 48.1–20 It was faith that made Jacob bless each of the sons of Joseph just before he died. He leaned on the top of his walking stick and worshipped God.
22 #
Gen 50.24–25; Ex 13.19 It was faith that made Joseph, when he was about to die, speak of the departure of the Israelites from Egypt, and leave instructions about what should be done with his body.
23 #
Ex 2.2; 1.22 It was faith that made the parents of Moses hide him for three months after he was born. They saw that he was a beautiful child, and they were not afraid to disobey the king's order.
24 #
Ex 2.10–12
It was faith that made Moses, when he had grown up, refuse to be called the son of the king's daughter. 25He preferred to suffer with God's people rather than to enjoy sin for a little while. 26He reckoned that to suffer scorn for the Messiah was worth far more than all the treasures of Egypt, for he kept his eyes on the future reward.
27It was faith that made Moses leave Egypt without being afraid of the king's anger. As though he saw the invisible God, he refused to turn back. 28#Ex 12.21–30It was faith that made him establish the Passover and order the blood to be sprinkled on the doors, so that the Angel of Death would not kill the firstborn sons of the Israelites.
29 #
Ex 14.21–31
It was faith that made the Israelites able to cross the Red Sea as if on dry land; when the Egyptians tried to do it, the water swallowed them up.
30 #
Josh 6.12–21
It was faith that made the walls of Jericho fall down after the Israelites had marched round them for seven days. 31#Josh 2.1–21; 6.22–25It was faith that kept the prostitute Rahab from being killed with those who disobeyed God, for she gave the Israelite spies a friendly welcome.
32 #
Judg 6.11—8.32; 4.6—5.31; 13.2—16.31; 11.1—12.7; 1 Sam 16.1—1 Kgs 2.11; 1 Sam 1.1—25.1 Should I go on? There isn't enough time for me to speak of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets. 33#Dan 6.1–27Through faith they fought whole countries and won. They did what was right and received what God had promised. They shut the mouths of lions, 34#Dan 3.1–30put out fierce fires, escaped being killed by the sword. They were weak, but became strong; they were mighty in battle and defeated the armies of foreigners. 35#1 Kgs 17.17–24; 2 Kgs 4.25–37Through faith women received their dead relatives raised back to life.
Others, refusing to accept freedom, died under torture in order to be raised to a better life. 36#1 Kgs 22.26–27; 2 Chr 18.25–26; Jer 20.2; 37.15; 38.6Some were mocked and whipped, and others were put in chains and taken off to prison. 37#2 Chr 24.21They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed by the sword. They went round clothed in skins of sheep or goats — poor, persecuted, and ill-treated. 38The world was not good enough for them! They wandered like refugees in the deserts and hills, living in caves and holes in the ground.
39What a record all of these have won by their faith! Yet they did not receive what God had promised, 40because God had decided on an even better plan for us. His purpose was that only in company with us would they be made perfect.
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Good News Bible. Scripture taken from the Good News Bible (r) (Today's English Version Second Edition, UK/British Edition). Copyright © 1992 British & Foreign Bible Society. Used by permission.
Hebrews 11
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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