The Meaning of Faith

11 Now faith is the assurance^[a] of things hoped for, the conviction^[b] of things not seen.^(A)

⁷ for we walk by faith, not by sight.^(A)

¹⁸ because we look not at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen, for what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal.^(A)

²⁴ For in^[a] hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope, for who hopes for what one already sees? ²⁵ But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

⁷ By faith Noah, warned by God about events as yet unseen, respected the warning and built an ark to save his household; by this he condemned the world and became an heir to the righteousness that is in accordance with faith.^(A)

²² let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.^(A)

⁷ so that the genuineness of your faith—being more precious than gold that, though perishable, is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.^{(A) 8} Although you have not seen^[a] him, you love him, and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy,^(B)

¹⁸ so that through two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible that God would prove false, we who have taken refuge might be strongly encouraged to seize the hope set before us.^{(A) 19} We have this hope, a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters the inner shrine behind the curtain,^(B)

²⁷ By faith he left Egypt, unafraid of the king’s anger, for he persevered as though^[a] he saw him who is invisible.