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The Meaning of Faith

11 Now faith is the assurance that what we hope for will come about[a] and the certainty that what we cannot see exists.[b] By faith our ancestors won approval.

By faith we understand that time was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are invisible.

By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain did,[c] and by faith[d] he was declared to be righteous, since God himself accepted his offerings. And by faith[e] he continues to speak, even though he is dead.

By faith Enoch was taken away without experiencing death. He could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he won approval as one who pleased God. Now without faith it is impossible to please God, for whoever comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who diligently search for him.

By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, reverently prepared an ark to save his family, and by faith[f] he condemned the world and inherited the righteousness that comes by faith.

By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.

By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger, living in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who also inherited the same promise, 10 because he was waiting for the city with permanent foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

11 By faith Sarah, even though she was old and barren, received the strength to conceive, because she was convinced that the one who had made the promise was faithful. 12 Abraham[g] was as good as dead, yet from this one man came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.

13 All these people died having faith. They did not receive the things that were promised, yet they saw them in the distant future and welcomed them, acknowledging that they were strangers and foreigners on earth. 14 For people who say such things make it clear that they are looking for a country of their own. 15 If they had been thinking about what they had left behind, they would have had an opportunity to go back. 16 Instead, they were longing for a better country, that is, a heavenly one. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, because he has prepared a city for them.

17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered Isaac—he who had received the promises was about to offer his unique son[h] in sacrifice, 18 about whom it had been said, “It is through Isaac that descendants will be named for you.”[i] 19 Abraham[j] was certain that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did get Isaac[k] back in this way.

20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future.

21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons “and worshipped while leaning[l] on the top of his staff.”

22 By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelis and gave them instructions about burying[m] his bones.

23 By faith Moses was hidden by his parents for three months after he was born, because they saw that he was a beautiful child and were not afraid of the king’s order.

24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called a son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 because he preferred being mistreated with God’s people to enjoying the pleasures of sin for a short time. 26 He thought that being insulted for the sake of the Messiah[n] was of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.

27 By faith he left Egypt, without being afraid of the king’s anger, and he persevered because he saw the one who is invisible.

28 By faith he established the Passover and the sprinkling of blood to keep the destroyer of the firstborn from touching the people.[o]

29 By faith they went through the Red Sea as if it were dry land. When the Egyptians tried to do this, they were drowned.

30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days.

31 By faith Rahab the prostitute did not die with those who were disobedient, because she had welcomed the spies with a greeting of[p] peace.

32 And what more should I say? For time would fail me to tell you about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets. 33 Through faith they conquered kingdoms, administered justice, received promises, shut the mouths of lions, 34 put out raging fires, escaped death by[q] the sword, found strength in weakness, became powerful in battle, and routed foreign armies. 35 Women received their dead raised back to life. Other people were brutally tortured, but refused to be ransomed, so that they might gain a better resurrection. 36 Still others endured taunts and floggings, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned to death, sawed in half, and killed with swords. They went around in sheepskins and goatskins. They were needy, oppressed, and mistreated. 38 The world wasn’t worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and from caves to holes in the ground.

39 All these people won approval for their faith but they did not receive what was promised, 40 since God had planned something better for us, so that they would not be perfected without us.

Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 11:1 The Gk. lacks will come about
  2. Hebrews 11:1 The Gk. lacks exist
  3. Hebrews 11:4 The Gk. lacks did
  4. Hebrews 11:4 Lit. it
  5. Hebrews 11:4 Lit. it
  6. Hebrews 11:7 Lit. it
  7. Hebrews 11:12 Lit. He
  8. Hebrews 11:17 Lit. unique one
  9. Hebrews 11:18 Cf. Gen 21:12
  10. Hebrews 11:19 Lit. He
  11. Hebrews 11:19 Lit. him
  12. Hebrews 11:21 The Gk. lacks while leaning
  13. Hebrews 11:22 The Gk. lacks burying
  14. Hebrews 11:26 Or Christ
  15. Hebrews 11:28 Lit. them
  16. Hebrews 11:31 The Gk. lacks a greeting of
  17. Hebrews 11:34 Lit. by the edge of

11 Now de faith pistis is eimi the assurance hypostasis of things hoped for elpizō, the conviction elenchos of things pragma not ou seen blepō. For gar by en it houtos the ho men of the past presbyteros were approved martyreō by God.

By faith pistis we understand noeō that the ho universe aiōn was created katartizō by the word rhēma of God theos, so that eis what ho is seen blepō was ginomai not brought into being ginomai from ek anything observable phainō.

By faith pistis Abel Habel offered prospherō to ho God theos a more acceptable polys sacrifice thusia than para Cain Kain, through dia which hos faith he was attested martyreō as eimi righteous dikaios, God theos himself showing his approval martyreō by epi accepting · ho his autos gifts dōron. · ho And kai though he died apothnēskō, he laleō still eti speaks laleō through dia his autos faith.

By faith pistis Enoch Henōch was taken up metatithēmi so that ho he did not see death thanatos, and kai he could not ou be found heuriskō, because dioti God theos had taken metatithēmi him autos. · ho For gar before pro he ho was taken metathesis he had been approved martyreō as one who had been pleasing euaresteō to ho God theos, and de without chōris faith pistis it is impossible adynatos to please euaresteō him, for gar the ho one who approaches proserchomai God theos must dei believe pisteuō · ho that hoti he exists eimi and kai that he rewards misthapodotēs those ho who seek ekzēteō him autos.

By faith pistis Noah Nōe, having been warned chrēmatizō by God concerning peri events ho as yet unseen mēdepō, took heed eulabeomai and built kataskeuazō an ark kibōtos for eis the safety sōtēria of ho his autos household oikos. By dia this hos act of faith he condemned katakrinō · ho humanity kosmos and kai became ginomai an heir klēronomos of the ho righteousness dikaiosynē that comes by kata faith pistis.

By faith pistis Abraham Abraam obeyed hypakouō when he was called kaleō to go out exerchomai to eis a place topos which hos he would mellō receive lambanō as eis an inheritance klēronomia. · kai He set out exerchomai even though he did not know epistamai where pou he was going erchomai. By faith pistis he migrated paroikeō to eis the land · ho he had been promised epangelia, as hōs to a foreign allotrios land , living katoikeō in en tents skēnē as did meta Isaac Isaak and kai Jacob Iakōb, · ho heirs with synklēronomos him of the ho same autos promise epangelia, · ho 10 for gar he was looking forward to ekdechomai the ho city polis which ho has echō foundations themelios, whose hos designer technitēs and kai builder dēmiourgos is · ho God theos. 11 By faith pistis · kai Abraham was lambanō enabled dynamis to become lambanō a father katabolē—even though Sarah Sarra herself autos was sterile steira and kai beyond para the normal age kairos of childbearing hēlikia because epei he regarded hēgeomai as faithful pistos the ho one who had made the promise epangellomai. 12 And kai so dio it was that from apo this one heis man , and he was already impotent nekroō, there were born gennaō · kai descendants houtos as many as kathōs the ho stars astron of ho heaven ouranos in ho number plēthos and kai as innumerable anarithmētos as hōs the ho grains of sand ammos · ho along para the ho shore cheilos of the ho sea thalassa · ho

13 These houtos all pas died apothnēskō in kata faith pistis, without receiving lambanō the ho fulfillment of the promises epangelia, but alla they saw them autos from a distance porrōthen and kai greeted aspazomai them. · kai They acknowledged homologeō that hoti they were eimi strangers xenos and kai exiles parepidēmos in epi the ho land . 14 For gar those ho who speak legō in such a way toioutos make it clear emphanizō that hoti they are seeking epizēteō a land of their own patris. 15 · kai If ei they had been referring to mnēmoneuō that ekeinos country from apo which hos they had set out ekbainō, they would an have had echō opportunity kairos to return anakamptō. 16 But de as it is nyn, they were longing for oregō a better kreittōn homeland, that houtos is eimi, a heavenly epouranios one . For this reason dio God theos is not ou ashamed epaischunomai · ho to be called epikaleō their autos God theos, for gar he has prepared hetoimazō a city polis to receive them autos.

17 By faith pistis Abraham Abraam, when he was being tested peirazō, offered up prospherō · ho Isaac Isaak; yes kai, he ho who had received anadechomai the ho promises epangelia was offering prospherō his ho only son monogenēs, 18 of pros whom hos he had been told laleō, “It is through en Isaac Isaak that descendants sperma will be named kaleō for you sy.” 19 He considered logizomai that hoti God theos was able dynatos to raise egeirō him up egeirō even kai from ek the dead nekros, · ho and kai, in en a sense parabolē, he did receive komizō him autos back from there hothen.

20 By faith pistis Isaac Isaak invoked blessings on eulogeō Jacob Iakōb and kai Esau ēsau, even kai regarding peri things to come mellō. · ho · ho

21 By faith pistis Jacob Iakōb, while dying apothnēskō, blessed eulogeō each hekastos of ho the sons hyios of Joseph Iōsēph, and kai bowed in worship proskyneō, leaning on epi the ho top akron of ho his autos staff rhabdos.

22 By faith pistis Joseph Iōsēph, at the end of his life teleutaō, spoke mnēmoneuō about peri the ho exodus exodos of the ho sons hyios of Israel Israēl and kai gave instructions entellō regarding peri the burial of ho his autos bones osteon.

23 By faith pistis Moses Mōysēs, when he was born gennaō, was hidden kryptō for three months trimēnos by hypo · ho his autos parents patēr, because dioti they saw that he was an extraordinary asteios · ho child paidion, and kai they were not ou afraid phobeomai of the ho king’ s basileus edict diatagma. · ho

24 By faith pistis Moses Mōysēs, when he was ginomai grown up megas, disdained arneomai to be called legō the son hyios of Pharaoh’ s Pharaō daughter thugatēr, 25 choosing haireō rather mallon to suffer hardship along with synkakoucheomai the ho people laos of ho God theos than ē to enjoy echō the transient proskairos pleasure apolausis of sin hamartia. 26 He considered hēgeomai abuse oneidismos for the sake of ho Christ Christos greater megas wealth ploutos than the ho treasures thēsauros of Egypt Aigyptos, · ho for gar he was looking ahead apoblepō to eis his ho reward misthapodosia. 27 By faith pistis he left kataleipō Egypt Aigyptos, not fearing phobeomai the ho anger thumos of the ho king basileus, for gar he endured kartereō as though hōs seeing horaō the ho one who is invisible aoratos. 28 By faith pistis he kept poieō the ho Passover pascha and kai the ho sprinkling proschysis of ho blood haima, so that hina the ho destroying angel olothreuō would thinganō not touch thinganō · ho their autos firstborn prōtotokos.

29 By faith pistis they crossed diabainō the ho Red erythros Sea thalassa as hōs if on dia dry xēros land ; but when hos the ho Egyptians Aigyptios tried peira lambanō, they were drowned katapinō.

30 By faith pistis the ho walls teichos of Jericho Ierichō fell down piptō after they had been encircled kykloō for epi seven hepta days hēmera.

31 By faith pistis Rahab Rhaab the ho prostitute pornē did not ou perish synapollymi with the ho unbelievers apeitheō, because she had received dechomai the ho spies kataskopos with meta peace eirēnē.

32 And kai what tis more eti shall I say legō? For gar time chronos would fail epileipō me egō if I told diēgeomai · ho about peri Gideon Gedeōn, Barak Barak, Samson Sampsōn, Jephthah Iephthae, about both te David Dauid and kai Samuel Samouēl and kai the ho prophets prophētēs, 33 who hos through dia faith pistis conquered katagōnizomai kingdoms basileia, brought about ergazomai justice dikaiosynē, obtained epitynchanō what was promised epangelia; who shut phrassō the mouths stoma of lions leōn, 34 extinguished sbennymi raging dynamis flames pyr, escaped pheugō the edge stoma of the sword machaira; who after apo weakness astheneia were made strong dynamoō, who became ginomai mighty ischuros in en war polemos and put foreign allotrios armies parembolē to flight klinō. 35 Women gynē received lambanō their autos dead nekros by ek resurrection anastasis. · ho But de others allos were tortured tympanizō, after refusing ou to accept prosdechomai · ho release apolytrōsis, so that hina they might gain tynchanō a better kreittōn resurrection anastasis. 36 Others heteros · de experienced peira jeering empaigmos and kai flogging mastix, and de even eti chains desmos and kai prison phylakē. 37 They were stoned lithazō; they were sawn prizō in en two phonos; they were murdered apothnēskō by the sword machaira. They went about perierchomai in en sheepskins mēlōtē and goatskins aigeios derma, destitute hystereō, persecuted thlibō, mistreated kakoucheō 38 ( of whom hos the ho world kosmos was eimi not ou worthy axios). They wandered aimlessly planaō in epi deserts erēmia and kai on mountains oros, · kai living in caves spēlaion and kai · ho crevices opē in the ho ground , 39 and kai although they houtos all pas had received commendation martyreō for dia their ho faith pistis, they did not ou receive komizō what ho had been promised epangelia, 40 for · ho God theos had provided problepō something tis better kreittōn with peri us hēmeis in mind, so that hina they should teleioō not reach their goal teleioō apart from chōris us hēmeis.