Hebrews 11
11
1Now faith is the substantiating of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2For in the power of this the elders have obtained testimony. 3By faith we apprehend that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that that which is seen should not take its origin from things which appear.
4By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained testimony of being righteous, God bearing testimony to his gifts, and by it, having died, he yet speaks. 5By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him; for before his translation he has the testimony that he had pleased God. 6But without faith it is impossible to please him. For he that draws near to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them who seek him out. 7By faith, Noah, oracularly warned concerning things not yet seen, moved with fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his house; by which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. 8By faith Abraham, being called, obeyed to go out into the place which he was to receive for an inheritance, and went out, not knowing where he was going. 9By faith he sojourned as a stranger in the land of promise as a foreign country, having dwelt in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; 10for he waited for the city which has foundations, of which God is the artificer and constructor. 11By faith also Sarah herself received strength for the conception of seed, and that beyond a seasonable age; since she counted him faithful who promised. 12Wherefore also there have been born of one, and that of one become dead, even as the stars of heaven in multitude, and as the countless sand which is by the sea shore. 13All these died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them from afar off and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and sojourners on the earth. 14For they who say such things shew clearly that they seek their country. 15And if they had called to mind that from whence they went out, they had had opportunity to have returned; 16but now they seek a better, that is, a heavenly; wherefore God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God; for he has prepared for them a city. 17By faith Abraham, when tried, offered up Isaac, and he who had received to himself the promises offered up his only begotten son, 18as to whom it had been said, In Isaac shall thy seed be called: 19counting that God was able to raise him even from among the dead, whence also he received him in a figure. 20By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. 21By faith Jacob when dying blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshipped on the top of his staff. 22By faith Joseph when dying called to mind the going forth of the sons of Israel, and gave commandment concerning his bones. 23By faith Moses, being born, was hid three months by his parents, because they saw the child beautiful; and they did not fear the injunction of the king. 24By faith Moses, when he had become great, refused to be called son of Pharaoh's daughter; 25choosing rather to suffer affliction along with the people of God than to have the temporary pleasure of sin; 26esteeming the reproach of the Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt, for he had respect to the recompense. 27By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he persevered, as seeing him who is invisible. 28By faith he celebrated the passover and the sprinkling of the blood, that the destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them. 29By faith they passed through the Red sea as through dry land; of which the Egyptians having made trial were swallowed up. 30By faith the walls of Jericho fell, having been encircled for seven days. 31By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish along with the unbelieving, having received the spies in peace.
32And what more do I say? For the time would fail me telling of Gideon, and Barak, and Samson, and Jephthah, and David and Samuel, and of the prophets: 33who by faith overcame kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped lions' mouths, 34quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, became strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, made the armies of strangers give way. 35Women received their dead again by resurrection; and others were tortured, not having accepted deliverance, that they might get a better resurrection; 36and others underwent trial of mockings and scourgings, yea, and of bonds and imprisonment. 37They were stoned, were sawn asunder, were tempted, died by the death of the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, destitute, afflicted, evil treated, 38(of whom the world was not worthy,) wandering in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caverns of the earth. 39And these all, having obtained witness through faith, did not receive the promise, 40God having foreseen some better thing for us, that they should not be made perfect without us.
Currently Selected:
Hebrews 11: DARBY
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
First published in 1890. This edition is maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.
Hebrews 11
11
The Great Faith of God's People
1Faith makes us sure of what we hope for and gives us proof of what we cannot see. 2#Si 44.10—50.21; 1 Macc 2.51-64. It was their faith that made our ancestors pleasing to God.
3 #
Gn 1.1; Ps 33.6,9; Jn 1.3. Because of our faith, we know that the world was made at God's command. We also know that what can be seen was made out of what cannot be seen.
4 #
Gn 4.3-10. Because Abel had faith, he offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. God was pleased with him and his gift, and even though Abel is now dead, his faith still speaks for him.
5 # Gn 5.21-24 (LXX); Si 44.16. Enoch had faith and did not die. He pleased God, and God took him up to heaven. This is why his body was never found. 6But without faith no one can please God. We must believe that God is real and rewards everyone who searches for him.
7 #
Gn 6.13-22. Because Noah had faith, he was warned about something that had not yet happened. He obeyed and built a boat that saved him and his family. In this way the people of the world were judged, and Noah was given the blessings that come to everyone who pleases God.
8 #
Gn 12.1-5. Abraham had faith and obeyed God. He was told to go to the land that God had said would be his, and he left for a country he had never seen. 9#Gn 35.27. Because Abraham had faith, he lived as a stranger in the promised land. He lived there in a tent, and so did Isaac and Jacob, who were later given the same promise. 10Abraham did this, because he was waiting for the eternal city God had planned and built.
11 #
Gn 18.11-14; 21.2. Even when Sarah was too old to have children, she had faith that God would do what he had promised, and she had a son. 12#Gn 15.5; 22.17; 32.12. Her husband Abraham was almost dead, but he became the ancestor of many people. In fact, there are as many of them as there are stars in the sky or grains of sand along the seashore.
13 #
Gn 23.4; 1 Ch 29.15; Ps 39.12. Every one of those people died. But they still had faith, even though they had not received what they had been promised. They were glad just to see these things from far away, and they agreed that they were only strangers and foreigners on this earth. 14When people talk this way, it is clear they are looking for a place to call their own. 15If they had been talking about the land where they had once lived, they could have gone back at any time. 16But they were looking forward to a better home in heaven. This is why God wasn't ashamed for them to call him their God. He even built a city for them.
17-18 #
Gn 21.12; 22.1-14. #4 Macc 13.12. Abraham had been promised that Isaac, his only son,#11.17,18 his only son: Although Abraham had a son by a slave woman, his son Isaac was considered his only son, because he was born as a result of God's promise to Abraham. would continue his family. But when Abraham was tested, he had faith and was willing to sacrifice Isaac, 19because he was sure that God could raise people to life. This was just like getting Isaac back from death.
20 #
Gn 27.27-29,39,40. Isaac had faith, and he promised blessings to Jacob and Esau. 21#Gn 48.1-20; Gn 47.31 (LXX). Later, when Jacob was about to die, he leaned on his walking stick and worshiped. Then because of his faith he blessed each of Joseph's sons. 22#Gn 50.24,25; Ex 13.19. And right before Joseph died, he had faith that God would lead the people of Israel out of Egypt. So he told them to take his bones with them.
23 #
Ex 2.2;
Ex 1.22. Because Moses' parents had faith, they kept him hidden until he was three months old. They saw that he was a beautiful child, and they were not afraid to disobey the king's orders.#11.23 the king's orders: The king of Egypt ordered all Israelite baby boys to be left outside of their homes, so they would die or be killed. 24#Ex 2.10-12. Then after Moses grew up, his faith made him refuse to be called the king's grandson. 25#4 Macc 15.2. He chose to be mistreated with God's people instead of having the good time that sin could bring for a little while. 26Moses knew that the treasures of Egypt were not as wonderful as what he would receive from suffering for the Messiah,#11.26 the Messiah: Or “Christ.” and he looked forward to his reward.
27Because of his faith, Moses left Egypt. Moses had seen the invisible God and wasn't afraid of the king's anger. 28#Ex 12.21-30. His faith also made him celebrate Passover. He sprinkled the blood of animals on the doorposts, so that the first-born sons of the people of Israel would not be killed by the destroying angel.
29 #
Ex 14.21-31. Because of their faith, the people walked through the Red Sea#11.29 Red Sea: This name comes from the Bible of the early Christians, a translation made into Greek about 200 b.c. It refers to the body of water that the Israelites crossed and was one of the marshes or fresh water lakes near the eastern part of the Nile Delta, where they lived and where the towns of Exodus 13.17—14.9 were located. on dry land. But when the Egyptians tried to do it, they were drowned.
30 #
Js 6.12-25. God's people had faith, and when they had walked around the city of Jericho for seven days, its walls fell down.
31 #
Js 6.21-25;
Js 2.1-21. Rahab had been a prostitute, but she had faith and welcomed the spies. So she wasn't killed with the people who disobeyed.
32 #
Jg 6.11—8.32;
Jg 4.6—5.31;
Jg 13.2—16.31;
Jg 11.1—12.7;
1 S 16.1—1 K 2.11;
1 S 1.1—25.1. What else can I say? There isn't enough time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets. 33#Dn 6.1-27. Their faith helped them conquer kingdoms, and because they did right, God made promises to them. They closed the jaws of lions 34#Dn 3.21-30. and put out raging fires and escaped from the swords of their enemies. Although they were weak, they were given the strength and power to chase foreign armies away.
35 #
1 K 17.17-24; 2 K 4.25-37; 2 Macc 6.18—7.42. Some women received their loved ones back from death. Many of these people were tortured, but they refused to be released. They were sure they would get a better reward when the dead are raised to life. 36#1 K 22.26,27; 2 Ch 18.25,26; Jr 20.2; 37.15,16; 38.6. Others were made fun of and beaten with whips, and some were chained in jail. 37#2 Ch 24.21,22. Still others were stoned to death or sawed in two#11.37 sawed in two: Some manuscripts have “tested” or “tempted.” or killed with swords. Some had nothing but sheep skins or goat skins to wear. They were poor, mistreated, and tortured. 38The world did not deserve these good people, who had to wander in deserts and on mountains and had to live in caves and holes in the ground.
39All of them pleased God because of their faith! But still they died without being given what had been promised. 40This was because God had something better in store for us. And he did not want them to reach the goal of their faith without us.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.