Hebrews 11–12

LIVING BY FAITH

11Now faith is the reality^E of what is hoped for, the proof^F of what is not seen.^{z 2}For by this our ancestors were approved.

³By faith we understand that the universe was^G created by the word of God,^a so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible.^H

⁴By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was approved as a righteous man, because God approved his gifts, and even though he is dead, he still speaks through his faith.^b

⁵By faith Enoch was taken away, and so he did not experience death. He was not to be found because God took him away.^I For before he was taken away, he was approved as one who pleased God.^{c 6}Now without faith it is impossible to please God, since the one who draws near to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

⁷By faith Noah, after he was warned about what was not yet seen and motivated by godly fear, built an ark to deliver his family. By faith he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.^d

⁸By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed and set out for a place that he was going to receive as an inheritance. He went out, even though he did not know where he was going.^{e 9}By faith he stayed as a foreigner in the land of promise, living in tents as did Isaac and Jacob, coheirs of the same promise.^{f 10}For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.^g

¹¹By faith even Sarah herself, when she was unable to have children, received power to conceive offspring, even though she was past the age, since she^J considered that the one who had promised was faithful.^{h 12}Therefore, from one man—in fact, from one as good as dead—came offspring as numerous as the stars of the sky and as innumerable as the grains of sand along the seashore.ⁱ

¹³These all died in faith, although they had not received the things that were promised. But they saw them from a distance,^j greeted them, and confessed that they were foreigners and temporary residents on the earth.^{k 14}Now those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. ¹⁵If they were thinking about where they came from, they would have had an opportunity to return. ¹⁶But they now desire a better place—a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.^l

¹⁷By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac.^m He received the promises and yet he was offering his one and only son, ¹⁸the one to whom it had been said, Your offspring^A will be traced through Isaac.^{Bn 19}He considered God to be able even to raise someone from the dead;^o therefore, he received him back, figuratively speaking.^C

²⁰By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau^p concerning things to come. ²¹By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and he worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.^{Dq 22}By faith Joseph, as he was nearing the end of his life, mentioned^E the exodus of the Israelites and gave instructions concerning his bones.^r

²³By faith Moses, after he was born, was hidden by his parents for three months, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they didn’t fear the king’s edict.^{s 24}By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter ²⁵and chose to suffer with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasure of sin.^{t 26}For he considered reproach for the sake of Christ to be greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, since he was looking ahead to the reward.^u

²⁷By faith he left Egypt behind, not being afraid of the king’s anger, for Moses persevered as one who sees him who is invisible.^{v 28}By faith he instituted the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn might not touch the Israelites. ²⁹By faith they crossed the Red Sea as though they were on dry land. When the Egyptians attempted to do this, they were drowned.^w

³⁰By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after being marched around by the Israelites for seven days. ³¹By faith Rahab the prostitute welcomed the spies in peace and didn’t perish with those who disobeyed.^x

³²And what more can I say? Time is too short for me to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah,^y David, Samuel, and the prophets,^{z 33}who by faith conquered kingdoms,^aa administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions,^{ab 34}quenched the raging of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, gained strength in weakness, became mighty in battle, and put foreign armies to flight.^{a 35}Women received their dead, raised to life again. Other people were tortured, not accepting release, so that they might gain a better resurrection. ³⁶Others experienced mockings and scourgings, as well as bonds and imprisonment.^{b 37}They were stoned,^Fc they were sawed in two, they died by the sword, they wandered about in sheepskins, in goatskins,^d destitute, afflicted, and mistreated. ³⁸The world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and on mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground.

³⁹All these were approved through their faith, but they did not receive what was promised, ⁴⁰since God had provided something better for us, so that they would not be made perfect without us.^e

THE CALL TO ENDURANCE

12Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses^f surrounding us, let us lay aside every hindrance and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance^g the race that lies before us, ²keeping our eyes on Jesus,^A the pioneer and perfecter^B of our faith. For the joy that lay before him,^C he endured the cross, despising the shame,^h and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

FATHERLY DISCIPLINE

³For consider him who endured such hostility from sinners against himself, so that you won’t grow weary and give up.^{i 4}In struggling against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. ⁵And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons:

My son, do not take the Lord’s discipline lightly

or lose heart when you are reproved by him,

⁶for the Lord disciplines the one he loves

and punishes every son he receives.^Dj

⁷Endure suffering as discipline: God is dealing with you as sons. For what son is there that a father does not discipline? ⁸But if you are without discipline—which all receive^E—then you are illegitimate children and not sons.^{k 9}Furthermore, we had human fathers discipline us, and we respected them. Shouldn’t we submit even more to the Father of spirits and live?^{l 10}For they disciplined us for a short time based on what seemed good to them, but he does it for our benefit, so that we can share his holiness.^{m 11}No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields the peaceful fruitⁿ of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.^o

¹²Therefore, strengthen your tired hands and weakened knees,^{p 13}and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated^F but healed instead.^q

WARNING AGAINST REJECTING GOD’S GRACE

¹⁴Pursue peace with everyone, and holiness^r—without it no one will see the Lord.^{s 15}Make sure that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no root of bitterness springs up, causing trouble and defiling many.^{t 16}And make sure that there isn’t any immoral^G or irreverent^u person like Esau, who sold his birthright in exchange for a single meal.^{v 17}For you know that later, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, even though he sought it with tears, because he didn’t find any opportunity for repentance.^w

¹⁸For you have not come to what could be touched, to a blazing fire, to darkness, gloom, and storm, ¹⁹to the blast of a trumpet, and the sound of words. Those who heard it begged that not another word be spoken to them, ²⁰for they could not bear what was commanded: If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned.^{Ax 21}The appearance was so terrifying that Moses said, I am trembling with fear.^{By 22}Instead, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God (the heavenly Jerusalem), to myriads of angels, a festive gathering,^{z 23}to the assembly of the firstborn whose names have been written^C in heaven, to a Judge, who is God of all, to the spirits of righteous people made perfect,^{aa 24}and to Jesus, the mediator^ab of a new covenant,^ac and to the sprinkled blood, which says better things than the blood of Abel.^ad

²⁵See to it that you do not reject the one who speaks. For if they did not escape when they rejected him who warned them on earth, even less will we if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven.^{ae 26}His voice shook the earth at that time, but now he has promised, Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.^{Da 27}This expression, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of what can be shaken^b—that is, created things—so that what is not shaken might remain. ²⁸Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful. By it, we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and awe,^{c 29}for our God is a consuming fire.^d