Hebrews 11

¹Now faith is the solid reality of things hoped for, the internal proof of matters not seen. ²For by this the ancestors were attested as faithful. ³By faith we perceive that the ages were set in order by God’s spoken word, so that what is seen did not come into being from things that are visible.

⁴By faith Abel offered to God a greater sacrifice than Cain, through which he was attested to be just, God himself giving testimony regarding his gifts; and through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. ⁵By faith Enoch was transferred so that he would not see death, and he was not found because God had transferred him; for before his removal, he was attested as having been well-pleasing to God. ⁶But without faith it is impossible to be well-pleasing, for the one who approaches God must believe that he exists and that he becomes a payer of wages to those who seek him out.

⁷By faith Noah, having been divinely warned about things not yet seen, acted with holy caution and constructed an ark for the salvation of his household. Through this faith he condemned the world and became an heir of the justice that comes by faith. ⁸By faith Abraham, when called, obeyed to go out to a place he was destined to receive as an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going. ⁹By faith he lived as a foreigner in the land of promise as if it were a strange country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the co-heirs of the same promise. ¹⁰For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

¹¹By faith even Sarah herself received power for the founding of a lineage, even though she was past the age of childbearing, since she regarded the one who had promised as trustworthy. ¹²Therefore, from one man—and he as good as dead—there were born descendants as numerous as the stars of heaven and as the countless grains of sand by the seashore.

¹³All these died in accordance with faith, without having received the promises. Instead, they saw them and greeted them from a distance, and they confessed that they were foreigners and transients on the earth. ¹⁴For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. ¹⁵If they had been thinking of that land they had left, they would have had the opportunity to return. ¹⁶But as it is, they reach out for something better—that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

¹⁷By faith Abraham, while being tested, offered up Isaac; he who had welcomed the promises was ready to sacrifice his only son, ¹⁸regarding whom it had been said, “Through Isaac your seed will be named.” ¹⁹He reasoned that God was able to raise people even from the dead—and from there, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.

²⁰By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau even concerning things to come. ²¹By faith Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph and bowed in worship over the top of his staff. ²²By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the sons of Israel and gave instructions concerning his bones.

²³By faith Moses, after his birth, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw the child was beautiful and they did not fear the king’s edict. ²⁴By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, ²⁵choosing instead to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to have the fleeting enjoyment of sin. ²⁶He considered the reproach of the Anointed to be greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to the payment of wages. ²⁷By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s rage, for he persevered as one seeing the Invisible One. ²⁸By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn would not touch them.

²⁹By faith they crossed the Red Sea as if through dry land, which the Egyptians were swallowed up while attempting. ³⁰By faith the walls of Jericho fell after they had been encircled for seven days. ³¹By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had welcomed the scouts with peace.

³²And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, ³³who through faith conquered kingdoms, enacted justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, ³⁴quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, and put foreign armies to flight. ³⁵Women received their dead back by resurrection. Others were tortured on the wheel, refusing to accept release so that they might obtain a better resurrection. ³⁶Others experienced mockings and scourgings, and even chains and imprisonment. ³⁷They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were murdered by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, oppressed, mistreated— ³⁸the world was not worthy of them! They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and openings in the earth.

³⁹And all these, though they were attested through their faith, did not receive the promise, ⁴⁰because God had foreseen something better for us, so that they would not reach the goal apart from us.