³² Remember those earlier days after you had received the light,^(A) when you endured in a great conflict full of suffering.^{(B) 33} Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution;^(C) at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated.^{(D) 34} You suffered along with those in prison^(E) and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions.^{(F) 35} So do not throw away your confidence;^(G) it will be richly rewarded.

³⁶ You need to persevere^(H) so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.^{(I) 37} For,

³⁸ And,

³⁹ But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.

Faith in Action

11 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for^(N) and assurance about what we do not see.^{(O) 2} This is what the ancients were commended for.^(P)

³ By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command,^(Q) so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.

⁴ By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended^(R) as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings.^(S) And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.^(T)

⁵ By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.”^[d](U) For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. ⁶ And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him^(V) must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

⁷ By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen,^(W) in holy fear built an ark^(X) to save his family.^(Y) By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith.^(Z)