Hebrews 11

Heroes of Faith

11Now faith is the reality ^zof what is hoped for, the proof ^aof what is not seen. ^b2For our ancestors won God’s approval by it.

³By faith we understand that the universe was ^ccreated by God’s command, ^deso that what is seen has been made from things that are not visible.

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. ^f

⁵By faith Enoch was taken away so he did not experience death, and he was not to be found because God took him away. ^gFor prior to his removal he was approved, since he had pleased God. ^h6Now without faith it is impossible to please God, for the one who draws near to Him must believe that He exists and 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. ⁱ

⁸By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed and went out to a place he was going to receive as an inheritance. He went out, not knowing where he was going. ^j9By faith he stayed as a foreigner in the land of promise, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, coheirs of the same promise. ^k10For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. ^l

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 ^mconsidered that the One who had promised was faithful. ⁿ¹²Therefore from one man—in fact, from one as good as dead—came offspring as numerous as the stars of heaven and as innumerable as the grains of sand by the seashore. ^o

¹³These all died in faith without having received the promises, but they saw them from a distance, ^pgreeted them, and confessed that they were foreigners and temporary residents on the earth. ^q14Now 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. ^r

¹⁷By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac. ^sHe received the promises and he was offering his unique son, ¹⁸the one it had been said about, Your seed will be traced ^tthrough Isaac. ^uv19He considered God to be able even to raise someone from the dead, ^wand as an illustration, ^xhe received him back.

²⁰By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau ^yconcerning 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. ^za22By faith Joseph, as he was nearing the end of his life, mentioned the exodus of the Israelites and gave instructions concerning his bones. ^b

²³By faith, after Moses was born, he 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. ^c24By 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 short-lived pleasure of sin. ^d26For he considered the reproach because of the Messiah to be greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, since his attention was on the reward. ^e

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. ^f28By 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. ^g

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

³²And what more can I say? Time is too short for me to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, ⁱDavid, Samuel, and the prophets, ^j33who by faith conquered kingdoms, ^kadministered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, ^l34quenched the raging of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, gained strength after being weak, became mighty in battle, and put foreign armies to flight. ^m35Women received their dead—they were raised to life again. Some men were tortured, not accepting release, so that they might gain a better resurrection, ³⁶and others experienced mockings and scourgings, as well as bonds and imprisonment. ⁿ³⁷They were stoned, ^opthey were sawed in two, they died by the sword, they wandered about in sheepskins, in goatskins, ^qdestitute, 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. ^r