The People of Faith^[a]

Chapter 11

What Faith Is. ¹ Faith is the assurance of what we hope for and the conviction about things that cannot be seen.^{[b] 2} Indeed, it was because of it that our ancestors were commended.

³ By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen came into being from the invisible.

The Faith of the Early Patriarchs.^{[c] 4} By faith Abel^[d] offered to God a better sacrifice than that of Cain. Because of this he was attested as righteous, God himself bearing witness to his gifts. Although he is dead, he continues to speak through it.

⁵ By faith Enoch^[e] was taken up so that he did not see death. He was found no more, because God had taken him, and before he was taken up he was attested to have pleased God. ⁶ But without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever comes to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

⁷ By faith Noah,^[f] having been warned by God about things not yet seen, took heed and built an ark to save his household. Through his faith he condemned the world and inherited the righteousness that derives from faith.

The Faith of Abraham and His Descendants. ⁸ By faith Abraham^[g] obeyed when he was called to set out for a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. He went forth without knowing where he was going. ⁹ By faith he sojourned in the promised land as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. ¹⁰ For he was looking forward to a city with firm foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

¹¹ By faith Abraham also received the power of procreation, even though he was well past the age—and Sarah herself was barren^[h]—because he believed that the one who had made the promise would be faithful in fulfilling it. ¹² Therefore, from one man, himself as good as dead, came forth descendants as numerous as the stars of heaven and as innumerable as the grains of sand on the seashore.

¹³ All these died in faith without having received what had been promised, but from a distance they saw far ahead how those promises would be fulfilled and welcomed them, and acknowledged themselves to be strangers and foreigners on the earth. ¹⁴ People who speak in this way make it clear that they are looking for a country of their own. ¹⁵ If they had been thinking of the land that they had left behind, they would have had the opportunity to return. ¹⁶ But in fact they were longing for a better country, a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

¹⁷ By faith Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac. He who had received the promises was ready to offer up his only son, ¹⁸ of whom he had been told, “Through Isaac descendants shall bear your name.” ¹⁹ For he reasoned that God was able even to raise someone from the dead, and in a sense he was given back Isaac from the dead.^{[i] 20} By faith Isaac^[j] gave his blessings to Jacob and Esau for the future.

²¹ By faith Jacob,^[k] as he was dying, blessed each one of the sons of Joseph and bowed in worship, leaning on his staff.

²² By faith Joseph,^[l] near the end of his life, mentioned the Exodus of the Israelites and gave instructions about his burial.

²³ By faith Moses^[m] was hidden by his parents for three months after his birth, because they saw that he was a beautiful child, and they did not fear the king’s edict.

²⁴ By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called a son of Pharaoh’s daughter. ²⁵ He preferred to be ill-treated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. ²⁶ He considered that abuse suffered for the sake of the Messiah was a more precious gift than all the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to the final reward.

²⁷ By faith Moses departed from Egypt, unafraid of the wrath of the king; he persevered as if he could see the one who is invisible.

²⁸ By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood so that the Destroyer would not harm the firstborn of Israel.

²⁹ The Faith of the Israelites and Rahab. By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as though it were dry land. However, when the Egyptians attempted to do so, they were drowned.

³⁰ By faith the walls of Jericho^[n] fell when the people had marched around them for seven days.

³¹ By faith Rahab^[o] the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, for she had received the spies in peace.

³² The Faith of the Judges and Prophets. What more shall I say? Time is too short for me to speak of Gideon, Barak, Samson, and Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the Prophets,^{[p] 33} who by faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and obtained the promises. They closed the mouths of lions,^{[q] 34} quenched raging fires,^[r] and escaped the edge of the sword. Their weakness was turned into strength as they became mighty in battle and put foreign armies to flight.

³⁵ Women received their dead^[s] back through resurrection. Others who were tortured refused to accept release in order to obtain a better resurrection. ³⁶ Still others were mocked and scourged, even to the point of enduring chains and imprisonment.

³⁷ They were stoned,^[t] or sawed in two, or put to death by the sword. They went about in skins of sheep or goats—destitute, persecuted, and tormented. ³⁸ The world was not worthy of them. They wandered about in desert areas and on mountains, and they lived in dens and caves of the earth.

³⁹ Yet all these, even though they were commended for their faith, did not receive what was promised. ⁴⁰ For God had made provision for us to have something better, and they were not to achieve perfection except with us.^[u]