Hebrews 11:32-40

Good News Translation

^32 (A)Should I go on? There isn't enough time for me to speak of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets. ^33 (B)Through faith they fought whole countries and won. They did what was right and received what God had promised. They shut the mouths of lions, ^34 (C)put out fierce fires, escaped being killed by the sword. They were weak, but became strong; they were mighty in battle and defeated the armies of foreigners. ^35 (D)Through faith women received their dead relatives raised back to life.

Others, refusing to accept freedom, died under torture in order to be raised to a better life. ^36 (E)Some were mocked and whipped, and others were put in chains and taken off to prison. ^37 (F)They were stoned, they were sawed in two, they were killed by the sword. They went around clothed in skins of sheep or goats—poor, persecuted, and mistreated. ³⁸ The world was not good enough for them! They wandered like refugees in the deserts and hills, living in caves and holes in the ground.

³⁹ What a record all of these have won by their faith! Yet they did not receive what God had promised, ⁴⁰ because God had decided on an even better plan for us. His purpose was that only in company with us would they be made perfect.