The Saints Have Always Endured By Faith

11 Now^[a] faith is the assurance^[b] of things being hoped-for^[c], the conviction^[d] of things not being seen^[e]. ² For in this the elders^[f] were attested.

The Early Times

³ By faith we understand that the worlds have been prepared by the word of God, so that the thing being seen has not^[g] come-into-being from things being visible. ⁴ By faith Abel offered to God a greater sacrifice than Cain, through which he was attested to be righteous— God testifying about his gifts. And through it, [although] having died, he is still speaking. ⁵ By faith Enoch was removed^[h], so as not to see death: “And he was not found because God removed him” [Gen 5:24]. For before the removal, he has been attested to have pleased God. ⁶ And without faith it is impossible to please Him. For the one coming-to God must believe that He is, and He becomes the rewarder to the ones seeking Him out. ⁷ By faith Noah, having been warned about the things not yet being seen, having been reverent, prepared the ark for the salvation^[i] of his household, through which he condemned the world and became an inheritor of the righteousness according-to faith.

The Time of The Patriarchs

⁸ By faith Abraham, being called, obeyed to go out to a place which he was going-to receive for an inheritance. And he went out not knowing where he was going. ⁹ By faith he stayed^[j] in the land of the promise as a land belonging-to-another, having dwelled in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the fellow-heirs of the same promise. ¹⁰ For he was waiting-for the city having foundations, of which^[k] God is designer^[l] and maker^[m]. ¹¹ By faith— and Sarah herself being barren— he^[n] received power for the foundation^[o] of a seed^[p] even beyond the time of mature-age, since he regarded the One having promised to be faithful. ¹² Therefore indeed from one man— and he having become impotent as to these^[q] things— were born^[r] seed as the stars of heaven in number, and countless as the sand by the shore of the sea. ¹³ In accordance with faith, these^[s] all died not having received the promises, but having seen them from a distance, and having greeted them, and having confessed that they are strangers and pilgrims^[t] on the earth. ¹⁴ For the ones saying such things are making-clear that they are seeking-for a homeland. ¹⁵ And if they had been remembering that homeland from which they came out, they would have had opportunity to return— ¹⁶ but as-it-is, they are aspiring-to a better homeland; that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed-of them, to be called their God. For He prepared a city for them. ¹⁷ By faith Abraham has offered Isaac while being tested. And the one having received the promises was offering his only-born^[u], ¹⁸ with-regard-to whom^[v] it was said [in Gen 21:12] that “In Isaac a seed will be called for you”, ¹⁹ having considered^[w] that God was able to raise him even from the dead, from-which^[x] he also received him back in a symbol^[y]. ²⁰ By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau even concerning coming things. ²¹ By faith Jacob, while dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph and “worshiped [leaning] on the top of his staff ” [Gen 47:31]. ²² By faith Joseph, while coming-to-an-end^[z], mentioned concerning the departure^[aa] of the sons of Israel and gave-commands concerning his bones.

The Time of The Exodus

²³ By faith Moses, having been born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw the child was beautiful and did not fear the edict of the king. ²⁴ By faith Moses, having become great^[ab], refused to be called son of Pharaoh’s daughter, ²⁵ having chosen rather to be mistreated-with the people of God than to be having a temporary enjoyment of sin, ²⁶ having regarded the reproach of ^[ac] the Christ to be greater riches than the treasures of Egypt. For he was looking-away^[ad] to the reward. ²⁷ By faith he left Egypt, not having feared the fury of the king. For he persevered^[ae] as seeing^[af] the invisible One. ²⁸ By faith he has performed the Passover^[ag] and the sprinkling of the blood in order that the one destroying the firstborns might not touch them. ²⁹ By faith they crossed^[ah] the Red Sea as through dry land— of which having taken the test^[ai], the Egyptians were swallowed-up. ³⁰ By faith the walls of Jericho fell, having been encircled for seven days. ³¹ By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish-with the ones having disobeyed, having welcomed the spies with peace.

What More Shall I Say?

³² And what more may I say? For time will fail me while telling about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, both David and Samuel, and the prophets, ³³ who through faith conquered kingdoms, worked righteousness^[aj], obtained^[ak] promises, stopped the mouths of lions, ³⁴ quenched the power of fire, escaped the edges of the sword, were strengthened from weakness, became mighty in battle, put-to-flight armies of foreigners. ³⁵ Women received their dead by resurrection— but others were tortured, not accepting redemption^[al], in order that they might obtain a better resurrection. ³⁶ And others received a trial of mockings and whippings, and furthermore of bonds and prison. ³⁷ They were stoned, they were sawn-in-two, they died by murder of the sword. They went-around in sheepskins, in skins of-goats, being in-need, being afflicted, being mistreated— ³⁸ of whom the world was not worthy— wandering in desolate-places and mountains and caves and openings of the earth.

They Did Not Receive The Promise, For God Had a Better Promise For Us

³⁹ And these all, having been attested through their faith, did not receive the promise— ⁴⁰ God having provided^[am] something better for us, in order that they should not be perfected^[an] apart from us.