By Faith We Understand

11 Now faith is the ^[a]substance of things hoped for, the ^[b]evidence ^(A)of things not seen. ² For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.

³ By faith we understand that ^(B)the ^[c]worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.

Faith at the Dawn of History^(C)

⁴ By faith ^(D)Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still ^(E)speaks.

⁵ By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, ^(F)“and was not found, because God had taken him”; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. ⁶ But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

⁷ By faith ^(G)Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, ^(H)prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of ^(I)the righteousness which is according to faith.

Faithful Abraham^(J)

⁸ By faith ^(K)Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. ⁹ By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, ^(L)dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, ^(M)the heirs with him of the same promise; ¹⁰ for he waited for ^(N)the city which has foundations, ^(O)whose builder and maker is God.

¹¹ By faith ^(P)Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and ^(Q)she^[d] bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him ^(R)faithful who had promised. ¹² Therefore from one man, and him as good as ^(S)dead, were born as many as the ^(T)stars of the sky in multitude—innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.

The Heavenly Hope

¹³ These all died in faith, ^(U)not having received the ^(V)promises, but ^(W)having seen them afar off ^[e]were assured of them, embraced them and ^(X)confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. ¹⁴ For those who say such things ^(Y)declare plainly that they seek a homeland. ¹⁵ And truly if they had called to mind ^(Z)that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. ¹⁶ But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed ^(AA)to be called their God, for He has ^(AB)prepared a city for them.

The Faith of the Patriarchs^(AC)

¹⁷ By faith Abraham, ^(AD)when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, ^18 [f]of whom it was said, ^(AE)“In Isaac your seed shall be called,” ¹⁹ concluding that God ^(AF)was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.

²⁰ By faith ^(AG)Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.

²¹ By faith Jacob, when he was dying, ^(AH)blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.

²² By faith ^(AI)Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones.

The Faith of Moses^(AJ)

²³ By faith ^(AK)Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s ^(AL)command.

²⁴ By faith ^(AM)Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, ²⁵ choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the ^[g]passing pleasures of sin, ²⁶ esteeming ^(AN)the ^[h]reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures ^[i]in Egypt; for he looked to the ^(AO)reward.

²⁷ By faith ^(AP)he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. ²⁸ By faith ^(AQ)he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them.

²⁹ By faith ^(AR)they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned.

By Faith They Overcame

³⁰ By faith ^(AS)the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days. ³¹ By faith ^(AT)the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who ^[j]did not believe, when ^(AU)she had received the spies with peace.

³² And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of ^(AV)Gideon and ^(AW)Barak and ^(AX)Samson and ^(AY)Jephthah, also of ^(AZ)David and ^(BA)Samuel and the prophets: ³³ who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, ^(BB)stopped the mouths of lions, ^34 (BC)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 (BD)Women received their dead raised to life again.

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

³⁹ And all these, ^(BK)having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, ⁴⁰ God having provided something better for us, that they should not be ^(BL)made perfect apart from us.

God’s Supreme Revelation^(A)

1 God, who ^[a]at various times and ^(B)in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, ² has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the ^[b]worlds; ^3 (C)who being the brightness of His glory and the express ^(D)image of His person, and ^(E)upholding all things by the word of His power, ^(F)when He had ^[c]by Himself ^[d]purged ^[e]our sins, ^(G)sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, ⁴ having become so much better than the angels, as ^(H)He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

The Son Exalted Above Angels

⁵ For to which of the angels did He ever say:

And again:

⁶ But when He again brings ^(K)the firstborn into the world, He says:

⁷ And of the angels He says:

⁸ But to the Son He says:

¹⁰ And:

¹³ But to which of the angels has He ever said:

^14 (U)Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will ^(V)inherit salvation?

Do Not Neglect Salvation

2 Therefore we must give ^[g]the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. ² For if the word ^(W)spoken through angels proved steadfast, and ^(X)every transgression and disobedience received a just ^[h]reward, ^3 (Y)how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, ^(Z)which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was ^(AA)confirmed to us by those who heard Him, ^4 (AB)God also bearing witness ^(AC)both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and ^(AD)gifts^[i] of the Holy Spirit, ^(AE)according to His own will?

The Son Made Lower than Angels^(AF)

⁵ For He has not put ^(AG)the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to angels. ⁶ But one testified in a certain place, saying:

For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now ^(AJ)we do not yet see all things put under him. ⁹ But we see Jesus, ^(AK)who was made ^[l]a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death ^(AL)crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death ^(AM)for everyone.

Bringing Many Sons to Glory

¹⁰ For it was fitting for Him, ^(AN)for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation ^(AO)perfect through sufferings. ¹¹ For ^(AP)both He who ^[m]sanctifies and those who are being sanctified ^(AQ)are all of one, for which reason ^(AR)He is not ashamed to call them brethren, ¹² saying:

¹³ And again:

And again:

¹⁴ Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He ^(AV)Himself likewise shared in the same, ^(AW)that through death He might destroy him who had the power of ^(AX)death, that is, the devil, ¹⁵ and release those who ^(AY)through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. ¹⁶ For indeed He does not ^[n]give aid to angels, but He does ^[o]give aid to the seed of Abraham. ¹⁷ Therefore, in all things He had ^(AZ)to be made like His brethren, that He might be ^(BA)a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. ^18 (BB)For in that He Himself has suffered, being ^[p]tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.

The Son Was Faithful

3 Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus, ² who was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as ^(BC)Moses also was faithful in all His house. ³ For this One has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as ^(BD)He who built the house has more honor than the house. ⁴ For every house is built by someone, but ^(BE)He who built all things is God. ^5 (BF)And Moses indeed was faithful in all His house as ^(BG)a servant, ^(BH)for a testimony of those things which would be spoken afterward, ⁶ but Christ as ^(BI)a Son over His own house, ^(BJ)whose house we are ^(BK)if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope ^[q]firm to the end.

Be Faithful^(BL)

⁷ Therefore, as ^(BM)the Holy Spirit says:

¹² Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; ¹³ but ^[r]exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. ¹⁴ For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, ¹⁵ while it is said:

Failure of the Wilderness Wanderers

^16 (BP)For who, having heard, rebelled? Indeed, was it not all who came out of Egypt, led by Moses? ¹⁷ Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, ^(BQ)whose corpses fell in the wilderness? ¹⁸ And ^(BR)to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? ¹⁹ So we see that they could not enter in because of ^(BS)unbelief.