The Triumphs of Faith

1 Now faith is the 1aassurance of things 2bhoped for, the 3conviction of cthings not seen.

2 For by it the amen of old 1bgained approval.

3 By faith we understand that the 1aworlds were prepared bby the word of God, so that what is seen cwas not made out of things which are visible.

4 By faith aAbel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he bobtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying 1about his cgifts, and through 2faith, though dhe is dead, he still speaks.

5 By faith aEnoch was taken up so that he would not bsee death; and he was not found because God took him up; for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God.

6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who acomes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

7 By faith aNoah, being bwarned by God about cthings not yet seen, 1din reverence eprepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of fthe righteousness which is according to faith.

8 By faith aAbraham, when he was called, obeyed 1by going out to a place which he was to breceive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going.

9 By faith he lived as an alien in athe land of promise, as in a foreign land, bdwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, cfellow heirs of the same promise;

10 for he was looking for athe city which has bfoundations, cwhose architect and builder is God.

11 By faith even aSarah herself received 1ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him bfaithful who had promised.

12 Therefore there was born even of one man, and ahim as good as dead 1at that, as many descendants bas the stars of heaven in number, and innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.

13 aAll these died in faith, bwithout receiving the promises, but chaving seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and dhaving confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.

14 For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own.

15 And indeed if they had been 1thinking of that country from which they went out, athey would have had opportunity to return.

16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a aheavenly one. Therefore bGod is not 1ashamed to be ccalled their God; for dHe has prepared a city for them.

17 By faith aAbraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had breceived the promises was offering up his only begotten son;

18 it was he to whom it was said, “aIn Isaac your 1descendants shall be called.”

19 1He considered that aGod is able to raise people even from the dead, from which he also received him back 2as a btype.

20 By faith aIsaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even regarding things to come.

21 By faith aJacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and bworshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.

22 By faith aJoseph, when he was dying, made mention of the exodus of the sons of Israel, and gave orders concerning his bones.

23 By faith aMoses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the bking’s edict.

24 By faith Moses, awhen he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter,

25 choosing rather to aendure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin,

26 aconsidering the reproach of 1Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the breward.

27 By faith he aleft Egypt, not bfearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as cseeing Him who is unseen.

28 By faith he 1akept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that bhe who destroyed the firstborn would not touch them.

29 By faith they apassed through the Red Sea as though they were passing through dry land; and the Egyptians, when they attempted it, were 1drowned.

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

31 By faith aRahab the harlot did not perish along with those who were disobedient, after she had welcomed the spies 1in peace.

32 And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of aGideon, bBarak, cSamson, dJephthah, of eDavid and fSamuel and the prophets,

33 who by faith aconquered kingdoms, bperformed acts of righteousness, cobtained promises, dshut the mouths of lions,

34 aquenched the power of fire, bescaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, cbecame mighty in war, cput foreign armies to flight.

35 aWomen received back their dead by resurrection; and others were tortured, not accepting their 1release, so that they might obtain a better resurrection;

36 and others 1experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also achains and imprisonment.

37 They were astoned, they were bsawn in two, 1they were tempted, they were cput to death with the sword; they went about din sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, eill-treated

38 (men of whom the world was not worthy), awandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes 1in the ground.

39 And all these, having 1agained approval through their faith, bdid not receive 2what was promised,

40 because God had 1provided asomething better for us, so that bapart from us they would not be made perfect.

Chapter 12

Jesus, the Example

1 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also alay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us brun with cendurance the race that is set before us,

2 1fixing our eyes on Jesus, the 2aauthor and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him bendured the cross, cdespising the shame, and has dsat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

3 For aconsider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary 1band lose heart.

A Father’s Discipline

4 aYou have not yet resisted 1bto the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin;

5 and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons,

“aMy son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,

Nor bfaint when you are reproved by Him;

6 aFor those bwhom the Lord loves He disciplines,

And He scourges every son whom He receives.”

7 It is for discipline that you endure; aGod deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?

8 But if you are without discipline, aof which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.