Hebrews, 11

1. Only faith can guarantee the blessings that we hope for, or prove the existence of realities that are unseen.

1. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

2. It is for their faith that our ancestors are acknowledged.

2. For by it the elders obtained a good report.

3. It is by faith that we understand that the ages were created by a word from God, so that from the invisible the visible world came to be.

3. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

4. It was because of his faith that Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain, and for that he was acknowledged as upright when God himself made acknowledgement of his offerings. Though he is dead, he still speaks by faith.

4. By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.

5. It was because of his faith that Enoch was taken up and did not experience death: he was no more, because God took him; because before his assumption he was acknowledged to have pleased God.

5. By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.

6. Now it is impossible to please God without faith, since anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and rewards those who seek him.

6. But without faith [it is] impossible to please [him]: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

7. It was through his faith that Noah, when he had been warned by God of something that had never been seen before, took care to build an ark to save his family. His faith was a judgement on the world, and he was able to claim the uprightness which comes from faith.

7. By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

8. It was by faith that Abraham obeyed the call to set out for a country that was the inheritance given to him and his descendants, and that he set out without knowing where he was going.

8. By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

9. By faith he sojourned in the Promised Land as though it were not his, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise.

9. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as [in] a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:

10. He looked forward to the well-founded city, designed and built by God.

10. For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker [is] God.

11. It was equally by faith that Sarah, in spite of being past the age, was made able to conceive, because she believed that he who had made the promise was faithful to it.

11. Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.

12. Because of this, there came from one man, and one who already had the mark of death on him, descendants as numerous as the stars of heaven and the grains of sand on the seashore which cannot be counted.

12. Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, [so many] as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.

13. All these died in faith, before receiving any of the things that had been promised, but they saw them in the far distance and welcomed them, recognising that they were only strangers and nomads on earth.

13. These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of [them], and embraced [them], and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

14. People who use such terms about themselves make it quite plain that they are in search of a homeland.

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

15. If they had meant the country they came from, they would have had the opportunity to return to it;

15. And truly, if they had been mindful of that [country] from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.

16. but in fact they were longing for a better homeland, their heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, since he has founded the city for them.

16. But now they desire a better [country], that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

17. It was by faith that Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac. He offered to sacrifice his only son even though he had yet to receive what had been promised,

17. By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten [son],

18. and he had been told: Isaac is the one through whom your name will be carried on.

18. Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:

19. He was confident that God had the power even to raise the dead; and so, figuratively speaking, he was given back Isaac from the dead.

19. Accounting that God [was] able to raise [him] up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.

20. It was by faith that this same Isaac gave his blessing to Jacob and Esau for the still distant future.

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

21. By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph's sons, bowed in reverence, as he leant on his staff.

21. By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, [leaning] upon the top of his staff.

22. It was by faith that, when he was about to die, Joseph mentioned the Exodus of the Israelites and gave instructions about his own remains.

22. By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones.

23. It was by faith that Moses, when he was born, was kept hidden by his parents for three months; because they saw that he was a fine child; they were not afraid of the royal edict.

23. By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw [he was] a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment.

24. It was by faith that, when he was grown up, Moses refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter

24. By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter;

25. and chose to be ill-treated in company with God's people rather than to enjoy the transitory pleasures of sin.

25. Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;

26. He considered that the humiliations offered to the Anointed were something more precious than all the treasures of Egypt, because he had his eyes fixed on the reward.

26. Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.

27. It was by faith that he left Egypt without fear of the king's anger; he held to his purpose like someone who could see the Invisible.

27. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.

28. It was by faith that he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood to prevent the Destroyer from touching any of their first-born sons.

28. Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.

29. It was by faith they crossed the Red Sea as easily as dry land, while the Egyptians, trying to do the same, were drowned.

29. By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry [land]: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.

30. It was through faith that the walls of Jericho fell down when the people had marched round them for seven days.

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

31. It was by faith that Rahab the prostitute welcomed the spies and so was not killed with the unbelievers.

31. By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.

32. What more shall I say? There is not time for me to give an account of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, or of David, Samuel and the prophets.

32. And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and [of] Barak, and [of] Samson, and [of] Jephthae; [of] David also, and Samuel, and [of] the prophets:

33. These were men who through faith conquered kingdoms, did what was upright and earned the promises. They could keep a lion's mouth shut,

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

34. put out blazing fires and emerge unscathed from battle. They were weak people who were given strength to be brave in war and drive back foreign invaders.

34. Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.

35. Some returned to their wives from the dead by resurrection; and others submitted to torture, refusing release so that they would rise again to a better life.

35. Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:

36. Some had to bear being pilloried and flogged, or even chained up in prison.

36. And others had trial of [cruel] mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:

37. They were stoned, or sawn in half, or killed by the sword; they were homeless, and wore only the skins of sheep and goats; they were in want and hardship, and maltreated.

37. They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;

38. They were too good for the world and they wandered in deserts and mountains and in caves and ravines.

38. (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and [in] mountains, and [in] dens and caves of the earth.

39. These all won acknowledgement through their faith, but they did not receive what was promised,

39. And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:

40. since God had made provision for us to have something better, and they were not to reach perfection except with us.

40. God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.