32 And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon,(A) Barak,(B) Samson(C) and Jephthah,(D) about David(E) and Samuel(F) and the prophets, 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms,(G) administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions,(H) 34 quenched the fury of the flames,(I) and escaped the edge of the sword;(J) whose weakness was turned to strength;(K) and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies.(L) 35 Women received back their dead, raised to life again.(M) There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. 36 Some faced jeers and flogging,(N) and even chains and imprisonment.(O) 37 They were put to death by stoning;[a](P) they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword.(Q) They went about in sheepskins and goatskins,(R) destitute, persecuted and mistreated— 38 the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves(S) and in holes in the ground.

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Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 11:37 Some early manuscripts stoning; they were put to the test;

32 And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of (A)Gideon, (B)Barak, (C)Samson, (D)Jephthah, of (E)David and (F)Samuel and the prophets— 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, (G)stopped the mouths of lions, 34 (H)quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, (I)became mighty in war, (J)put foreign armies to flight. 35 (K)Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. 36 Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even (L)chains and imprisonment. 37 (M)They were stoned, they were sawn in two,[a] (N)they were killed with the sword. (O)They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— 38 of whom the world was not worthy—(P)wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

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Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 11:37 Some manuscripts add they were tempted

32 And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of (A)Gideon, (B)Barak, (C)Samson, (D)Jephthah, of (E)David and (F)Samuel and the prophets, 33 who by faith (G)conquered kingdoms, (H)performed acts of righteousness, (I)obtained promises, (J)shut the mouths of lions, 34 (K)quenched the power of fire, (L)escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, (M)became mighty in war, (N)put foreign armies to flight. 35 (O)Women received back their dead by resurrection; and others were tortured, not accepting their [a]release, so that they might obtain a better resurrection; 36 and others [b]experienced mocking and flogging, and further, (P)chains and imprisonment. 37 They were (Q)stoned, they were sawn in two, [c]they were tempted, they were (R)put to death with the sword; they went about (S)in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, (T)tormented 38 (people of whom the world was not worthy), (U)wandering in deserts, on mountains, and sheltering in caves and holes [d]in the ground.

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Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 11:35 Lit redemption
  2. Hebrews 11:36 Lit received the trial of
  3. Hebrews 11:37 One early ms does not contain they were tempted
  4. Hebrews 11:38 Lit of

32 And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of (A)Gideon and (B)Barak and (C)Samson and (D)Jephthah, also of (E)David and (F)Samuel and the prophets: 33 who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, (G)stopped the mouths of lions, 34 (H)quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. 35 (I)Women received their dead raised to life again.

Others were (J)tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. 36 Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and (K)of chains and imprisonment. 37 (L)They were stoned, they were sawn in two, [a]were tempted, were slain with the sword. (M)They wandered about (N)in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented— 38 of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, (O)in dens and caves of the earth.

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Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 11:37 NU omits were tempted

32-38 I could go on and on, but I’ve run out of time. There are so many more—Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, the prophets. . . . Through acts of faith, they toppled kingdoms, made justice work, took the promises for themselves. They were protected from lions, fires, and sword thrusts, turned disadvantage to advantage, won battles, routed alien armies. Women received their loved ones back from the dead. There were those who, under torture, refused to give in and go free, preferring something better: resurrection. Others braved abuse and whips, and, yes, chains and dungeons. We have stories of those who were stoned, sawed in two, murdered in cold blood; stories of vagrants wandering the earth in animal skins, homeless, friendless, powerless—the world didn’t deserve them!—making their way as best they could on the cruel edges of the world.

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