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11 Now faith is the confidence of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen.

For by it our elders were given a good report.

Through faith, we understand that the world was ordained by the word of God, so that the things which we see are not made of things which are visible.

By faith, Abel offered a greater sacrifice to God than Cain - by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts - also by which he, being dead, still speaks.

By faith, Enoch was translated, so that he would not see death. Nor was he found. For God had taken him away. For before he was transformed, it was reported of him that he had pleased God.

But without faith it is impossible to please Him. He who comes to God must believe that God is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

By faith, Noah being warned by God of the things which were as yet not seen, moved with reverence, prepared the Ark to the saving of his household (through which He condemned the world), and was made heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

By faith, Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out into a place which he would receive for inheritance afterward. And he went out, not knowing where he went.

By faith, he dwelt in the Land of Promise - as in a strange country - living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise.

10 For he awaited a city having a foundation whose Builder and Maker is God.

11 Through faith, Sarah also received strength to conceive seed and delivered a child when she was past age, because she judged Him Who had promised faithful.

12 And therefore, even from one who was as good as dead, there sprang so many; as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand of the seashore, which is innumerable.

13 All these died in faith and did not receive the promises. But they saw them at a distance and believed, and received thankfully, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

14 For those who say such things, plainly declare that they seek a country.

15 And if they had been mindful of from where they had come, they had opportunity to return.

16 But now they desire a better (that is, a heavenly). Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God. For He has prepared a city for them.

17 By faith, Abraham - when he was tried - offered up Isaac. And he who had received the promises offered his only begotten son

18 (to whom it was said, “In Isaac shall your seed be called.”)

19 For he considered that God was able to raise him up - even from the dead - from where He received him also, figuratively.

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

21 By faith, Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph worshipping at the end of his staff.

22 By faith, Joseph, when he died, mentioned the departing of the children of Israel and gave commandment about his bones.

23 By faith, Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents because they saw he was a beautiful child. Nor did they fear the king’s commandment.

24 By faith, Moses, when he had come to age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter

25 and chose to suffer adversity with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.

26 He esteemed the rebuke of Christ to be greater riches than the treasures of Egypt. For he looked toward the reward.

27 By faith, he left Egypt and did not fear the fierceness of the king. For he endured, as he who saw Him Who is invisible.

28 Through faith, he ordained the Passover and the effusion of blood, so that he who destroyed the first born would not touch them.

29 By faith, they passed through the Red Sea, as by dry land (in which the Egyptians, when they had tried to do so, were swallowed up).

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

31 By faith, the prostitute Rahab, when she had received the spies peaceably, did not perish with those who disobeyed.

32 And what more shall I say? For the time would be too short for me to tell of Gideon, of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthah, also of David, and Samuel, and of the Prophets;

33 who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained the promises, stopped the mouths of lions,

34 quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, made the weak strong, became valiant in battle, turned the armies of the aliens to flight.

35 The women received their dead raised to life again. Also, others were tortured and refused deliverance so that they might receive a better resurrection.

36 And others have been tried by mockings and scourgings, and moreover by bonds and imprisonment.

37 They were stoned. They were sawn in two. They were tempted. They were killed with the sword. They wandered up and down in sheep’s skins, and in goats’ skins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented.

38 Those of whom the world was not worthy wandered in wildernesses and mountains, and dens, and caves of the earth.

39 And through faith, these all obtained a good report. And yet, they did not receive the promise;

40 God providing a better thing for us, so that they would not be made perfect apart from us.

Faith in Action

11 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for(A) and assurance about what we do not see.(B) This is what the ancients were commended for.(C)

By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command,(D) so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.

By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended(E) as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings.(F) And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.(G)

By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.”[a](H) For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him(I) must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen,(J) in holy fear built an ark(K) to save his family.(L) By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith.(M)

By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance,(N) obeyed and went,(O) even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised land(P) like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents,(Q) as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise.(R) 10 For he was looking forward to the city(S) with foundations,(T) whose architect and builder is God.(U) 11 And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age,(V) was enabled to bear children(W) because she[b] considered him faithful(X) who had made the promise. 12 And so from this one man, and he as good as dead,(Y) came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.(Z)

13 All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised;(AA) they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance,(AB) admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth.(AC) 14 People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15 If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return.(AD) 16 Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one.(AE) Therefore God is not ashamed(AF) to be called their God,(AG) for he has prepared a city(AH) for them.

17 By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice.(AI) He who had embraced the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, 18 even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.”[c](AJ) 19 Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead,(AK) and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death.

20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future.(AL)

21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons,(AM) and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.

22 By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions concerning the burial of his bones.(AN)

23 By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born,(AO) because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.(AP)

24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.(AQ) 25 He chose to be mistreated(AR) along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26 He regarded disgrace(AS) for the sake of Christ(AT) as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.(AU) 27 By faith he left Egypt,(AV) not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and the application of blood, so that the destroyer(AW) of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.(AX)

29 By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned.(AY)

30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the army had marched around them for seven days.(AZ)

31 By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.[d](BA)

32 And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon,(BB) Barak,(BC) Samson(BD) and Jephthah,(BE) about David(BF) and Samuel(BG) and the prophets, 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms,(BH) administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions,(BI) 34 quenched the fury of the flames,(BJ) and escaped the edge of the sword;(BK) whose weakness was turned to strength;(BL) and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies.(BM) 35 Women received back their dead, raised to life again.(BN) There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. 36 Some faced jeers and flogging,(BO) and even chains and imprisonment.(BP) 37 They were put to death by stoning;[e](BQ) they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword.(BR) They went about in sheepskins and goatskins,(BS) destitute, persecuted and mistreated— 38 the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves(BT) and in holes in the ground.

39 These were all commended(BU) for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised,(BV) 40 since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us(BW) would they be made perfect.(BX)

Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 11:5 Gen. 5:24
  2. Hebrews 11:11 Or By faith Abraham, even though he was too old to have children—and Sarah herself was not able to conceive—was enabled to become a father because he
  3. Hebrews 11:18 Gen. 21:12
  4. Hebrews 11:31 Or unbelieving
  5. Hebrews 11:37 Some early manuscripts stoning; they were put to the test;