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 assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

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

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

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. 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. 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 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. 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 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. 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. 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. 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 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. 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 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. 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 foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, 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 forward to the city which has 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. By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered 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 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. 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 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. People who use such terms about themselves make it quite plain that they are in search of a homeland.

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

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

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

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 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. 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 tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was ready to offer up his only 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, "Through Isaac shall your descendants be named."

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

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 invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau.

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 dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head 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, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his burial.

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 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. 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 grown up, 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 share ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.

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. He considered abuse suffered for the Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he looked to 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 left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger 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. By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the first-born might not 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 the people crossed the Red Sea as if on dry land; but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, 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 had been encircled for 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 Rahab the harlot did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given friendly welcome to the spies.

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 more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and 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 conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, received 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 raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.

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 by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, that they might rise again to a better life.

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

36. Others suffered mocking and scourging, and even chains 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 in two, they were killed with the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, ill-treated --

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 -- wandering over deserts and 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 all these, though well attested by their faith, did not receive what was promised,

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

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