Hebrews 11:20–40

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