Epistula ad Hebraeos, 11

1. Est autem fides sperando rum substantia, rerum argu mentum non apparentium.

1. Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

2. In hac enim testimonium consecuti sunt seniores.

2. For by it the men of old received divine approval.

3. Fide intellegimus aptata esse saecula verbo Dei, ut ex invisibilibus visibilia facta sint.

3. By faith we understand that the world was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was made out of things which do not appear.

4. Fide ampliorem hostiam Abel quam Cain obtulit Deo, per quam testimonium consecutus est esse iustus, testimonium perhibente muneribus eius Deo; et per illam defunctus adhuc loquitur.

4. By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he received approval as righteous, God bearing witness by accepting his gifts; he died, but through his faith he is still speaking.

5. Fide Henoch translatus est, ne videret mortem, et non inveniebatur, quia transtulit illum Deus; ante translationem enim testimonium accepit placuisse Deo.

5. By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death; and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was attested as having pleased God.

6. Sine fide autem impossibile placere; credere enim oportet accedentem ad Deum quia est et inquirentibus se remunerator fit.

6. And without faith it is impossible to please him. For whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

7. Fide Noe, responso accepto de his, quae adhuc non videbantur, reveritus aptavit arcam in salutem domus suae; per quam damnavit mundum, et iustitiae, quae secundum fidem est, heres est institutus.

7. By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, took heed and constructed an ark for the saving of his household; by this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness which comes by faith.

8. Fide vocatus Abraham oboedivit in locum exire, quem accepturus erat in hereditatem; et exivit nesciens quo iret.

8. By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place which he was to receive as an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was to go.

9. Fide peregrinatus est in terra promissionis tamquam in aliena, in casulis habitando cum Isaac et Iacob, coheredibus promissionis eiusdem;

9. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise.

10. exspectabat enim fundamenta habentem civitatem, cuius artifex et conditor Deus.

10. For he looked forward to the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

11. Fide — et ipsa Sara sterilis — virtutem in conceptionem seminis accepit etiam praeter tempus aetatis, quoniam fidelem credidit esse, qui promiserat;

11. By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised.

12. propter quod et ab uno orti sunt, et hoc emortuo, tamquam sidera caeli in multitudine, et sicut arena, quae est ad oram maris, innumerabilis.

12. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.

13. Iuxta fidem defuncti sunt omnes isti, non acceptis promissionibus, sed a longe eas aspicientes et salutantes, et confitentes quia peregrini et hospites sunt supra terram;

13. These all died in faith, not having received what was promised, but having seen it and greeted it from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.

14. qui enim haec dicunt, significant se patriam inquirere.

14. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland.

15. Et si quidem illius meminissent, de qua exierant, habebant utique tempus revertendi;

15. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return.

16. nunc autem meliorem appetunt, id est caelestem. Ideo non confunditur Deus vocari Deus eorum, paravit enim illis civitatem.

16. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.

17. Fide obtulit Abraham Isaac, cum tentaretur; et unigenitum offerebat ille, qui susceperat promissiones,

17. By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was ready to offer up his only son,

18. ad quem dictum erat: “In Isaac vocabitur tibi semen”,

18. of whom it was said, "Through Isaac shall your descendants be named."

19. arbitratus quia et a mortuis suscitare potens est Deus; unde eum et in parabola reportavit.

19. He considered that God was able to raise men even from the dead; hence, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.

20. Fide et de futuris benedixit Isaac Iacob et Esau.

20. By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau.

21. Fide Iacob moriens singulis filiorum Ioseph benedixit et adoravit super fastigium virgae suae.

21. By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff.

22. Fide Ioseph moriens de profectione filiorum Israel memoratus est et de ossibus suis mandavit.

22. By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his burial.

23. Fide Moyses natus occultatus est mensibus tribus a parentibus suis, eo quod vidissent formosum infantem et non timuerunt regis edictum.

23. By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful; and they were not afraid of the king's edict.

24. Fide Moyses grandis factus negavit se dici filium filiae pharaonis,

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

25. magis eligens affligi cum populo Dei quam temporalem peccati habere iucunditatem,

25. choosing rather to share ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.

26. maiores divitias aestimans thesauris Aegypti improperium Christi; aspiciebat enim in remunerationem.

26. He considered abuse suffered for the Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he looked to the reward.

27. Fide reliquit Aegyptum non veritus animositatem regis, invisibilem enim tamquam videns sustinuit.

27. By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king; for he endured as seeing him who is invisible.

28. Fide celebravit Pascha et sanguinis effusionem, ne, qui vastabat primogenita, tangeret ea.

28. By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the first-born might not touch them.

29. Fide transierunt mare Rubrum tamquam per aridam terram, quod experti Aegyptii devorati sunt.

29. By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as if on dry land; but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned.

30. Fide muri Iericho ruerunt circuiti diebus septem.

30. By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days.

31. Fide Rahab meretrix non periit cum incredulis, quia exceperat exploratores cum pace.

31. By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given friendly welcome to the spies.

32. Et quid adhuc dicam? Deficiet enim me tempus enarrantem de Gedeon, Barac, Samson, Iephte, David et Samuel atque prophetis,

32. And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets --

33. qui per fidem devicerunt regna, operati sunt iustitiam, adepti sunt repromissiones, obturaverunt ora leonum,

33. who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, received promises, stopped the mouths of lions,

34. exstinxerunt impetum ignis, effugerunt aciem gladii, convaluerunt de infirmitate, fortes facti sunt in bello, castra verterunt exterorum;

34. quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.

35. acceperunt mulieres de resurrectione mortuos suos; alii autem distenti sunt, non suscipientes redemptionem, ut meliorem invenirent resurrectionem;

35. Women received their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, that they might rise again to a better life.

36. alii vero ludibria et verbera experti sunt, insuper et vincula et carcerem;

36. Others suffered mocking and scourging, and even chains and imprisonment.

37. lapidati sunt, secti sunt, in occisione gladii mortui sunt, circumierunt in melotis, in pellibus caprinis, egentes, angustiati, afflicti,

37. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, ill-treated --

38. quibus dignus non erat mundus, in solitudinibus errantes et montibus et speluncis et in cavernis terrae.

38. of whom the world was not worthy -- wandering over deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

39. Et hi omnes testimonium per fidem consecuti non reportaverunt promissionem,

39. And all these, though well attested by their faith, did not receive what was promised,

40. Deo pro nobis melius aliquid providente, ut ne sine nobis consummarentur.

40. since God had foreseen something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.