Hebrews 11-12

New American Standard Bible 1995

The Triumphs of Faith

11 Now faith is the ^[a](A)assurance of things ^[b](B)hoped for, the ^[c]conviction of ^(C)things not seen. ² For by it the ^(D)men of old ^[d](E)gained approval.

³ By faith we understand that the ^[e](F)worlds were prepared ^(G)by the word of God, so that what is seen ^(H)was not made out of things which are visible. ⁴ By faith ^(I)Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he ^(J)obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying ^[f]about his ^(K)gifts, and through ^[g]faith, though ^(L)he is dead, he still speaks. ⁵ By faith ^(M)Enoch was taken up so that he would not ^(N)see death; and he was not found because God took him up; for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God. ⁶ And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who ^(O)comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. ⁷ By faith ^(P)Noah, being ^(Q)warned by God about ^(R)things not yet seen, ^[h](S)in reverence ^(T)prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of ^(U)the righteousness which is according to faith.

⁸ By faith ^(V)Abraham, when he was called, obeyed ^[i]by going out to a place which he was to ^(W)receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going. ⁹ By faith he lived as an alien in ^(X)the land of promise, as in a foreign land, ^(Y)dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, ^(Z)fellow heirs of the same promise; ¹⁰ for he was looking for ^(AA)the city which has ^(AB)foundations, ^(AC)whose architect and builder is God. ¹¹ By faith even ^(AD)Sarah herself received ^[j]ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him ^(AE)faithful who had promised. ¹² Therefore there was born even of one man, and ^(AF)him as good as dead ^[k]at that, as many descendants ^(AG)as the stars of heaven in number, and innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.

^13 (AH)All these died in faith, ^(AI)without receiving the promises, but ^(AJ)having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and ^(AK)having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. ¹⁴ For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. ¹⁵ And indeed if they had been ^[l]thinking of that country from which they went out, ^(AL)they would have had opportunity to return. ¹⁶ But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a ^(AM)heavenly one. Therefore ^(AN)God is not ^[m]ashamed to be ^(AO)called their God; for ^(AP)He has prepared a city for them.

¹⁷ By faith ^(AQ)Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had ^(AR)received the promises was offering up his only begotten son; ¹⁸ it was he to whom it was said, “^(AS)In Isaac your ^[n]descendants shall be called.” ^19 [o]He considered that ^(AT)God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which he also received him back ^[p]as a ^(AU)type. ²⁰ By faith ^(AV)Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even regarding things to come. ²¹ By faith ^(AW)Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and ^(AX)worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. ²² By faith ^(AY)Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the exodus of the sons of Israel, and gave orders concerning his bones.

²³ By faith ^(AZ)Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the ^(BA)king’s edict. ²⁴ By faith Moses, ^(BB)when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, ²⁵ choosing rather to ^(BC)endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, ^26 (BD)considering the reproach of ^[q]Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the ^(BE)reward. ²⁷ By faith he ^(BF)left Egypt, not ^(BG)fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as ^(BH)seeing Him who is unseen. ²⁸ By faith he ^[r](BI)kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that ^(BJ)he who destroyed the firstborn would not touch them. ²⁹ By faith they ^(BK)passed through the Red Sea as though they were passing through dry land; and the Egyptians, when they attempted it, were ^[s]drowned.

³⁰ By faith ^(BL)the walls of Jericho fell down ^(BM)after they had been encircled for seven days. ³¹ By faith ^(BN)Rahab the harlot did not perish along with those who were disobedient, after she had welcomed the spies ^[t]in peace.

³² And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of ^(BO)Gideon, ^(BP)Barak, ^(BQ)Samson, ^(BR)Jephthah, of ^(BS)David and ^(BT)Samuel and the prophets, ³³ who by faith ^(BU)conquered kingdoms, ^(BV)performed acts of righteousness, ^(BW)obtained promises, ^(BX)shut the mouths of lions, ^34 (BY)quenched the power of fire, ^(BZ)escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, ^(CA)became mighty in war, ^(CB)put foreign armies to flight. ^35 (CC)Women received back their dead by resurrection; and others were tortured, not accepting their ^[u]release, so that they might obtain a better resurrection; ³⁶ and others ^[v]experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also ^(CD)chains and imprisonment. ³⁷ They were ^(CE)stoned, they were ^(CF)sawn in two, ^[w]they were tempted, they were ^(CG)put to death with the sword; they went about ^(CH)in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ^(CI)ill-treated ³⁸ (men of whom the world was not worthy), ^(CJ)wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes ^[x]in the ground.

³⁹ And all these, having ^[y](CK)gained approval through their faith, ^(CL)did not receive ^[z]what was promised, ⁴⁰ because God had ^[aa]provided ^(CM)something better for us, so that ^(CN)apart from us they would not be made perfect.

Jesus, the Example

12 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also ^(CO)lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us ^(CP)run with ^(CQ)endurance the race that is set before us, ^2 [ab]fixing our eyes on Jesus, the ^[ac](CR)author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him ^(CS)endured the cross, ^(CT)despising the shame, and has ^(CU)sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

³ For ^(CV)consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary ^[ad](CW)and lose heart.

A Father’s Discipline

^4 (CX)You have not yet resisted ^[ae](CY)to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin; ⁵ and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons,

⁷ It is for discipline that you endure; ^(DD)God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? ⁸ But if you are without discipline, ^(DE)of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. ⁹ Furthermore, we had ^[af]earthly fathers to discipline us, and we ^(DF)respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to ^(DG)the Father of ^[ag]spirits, and ^(DH)live? ¹⁰ For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, ^(DI)so that we may share His holiness. ¹¹ All discipline ^(DJ)for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the ^(DK)peaceful fruit of righteousness.

¹² Therefore, ^[ah](DL)strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, ¹³ and ^(DM)make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather ^(DN)be healed.

^14 (DO)Pursue peace with all men, and the ^(DP)sanctification without which no one will ^(DQ)see the Lord. ¹⁵ See to it that no one ^(DR)comes short of the grace of God; that no ^(DS)root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be ^(DT)defiled; ¹⁶ that there be no ^(DU)immoral or ^(DV)godless person like Esau, ^(DW)who sold his own birthright for a single meal. ¹⁷ For you know that even afterwards, ^(DX)when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought for it with tears.

Contrast of Sinai and Zion

^18 (DY)For you have not come to ^(DZ)a mountain that can be touched and to a blazing fire, and to darkness and gloom and whirlwind, ¹⁹ and to the ^(EA)blast of a trumpet and the ^(EB)sound of words which sound was such that those who heard ^(EC)begged that no further word be spoken to them. ²⁰ For they could not bear the command, “^(ED)If even a beast touches the mountain, it will be stoned.” ²¹ And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, “^(EE)I am full of fear and trembling.” ²² But ^(EF)you have come to Mount Zion and to ^(EG)the city of ^(EH)the living God, ^(EI)the heavenly Jerusalem, and to ^(EJ)myriads of ^[ai]angels, ²³ to the general assembly and ^(EK)church of the firstborn who ^(EL)are enrolled in heaven, and to God, ^(EM)the Judge of all, and to the ^(EN)spirits of the righteous made perfect, ²⁴ and to Jesus, the ^(EO)mediator of a new covenant, and to the ^(EP)sprinkled blood, which speaks better than ^(EQ)the blood of Abel.

The Unshaken Kingdom

^25 (ER)See to it that you do not refuse Him who is ^(ES)speaking. For ^(ET)if those did not escape when they ^(EU)refused him who ^(EV)warned them on earth, ^[aj]much less will we escape who turn away from Him who ^(EW)warns from heaven. ²⁶ And ^(EX)His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, “^(EY)Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heaven.” ²⁷ This expression, “Yet once more,” denotes ^(EZ)the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. ²⁸ Therefore, since we receive a ^(FA)kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us ^[ak]show gratitude, by which we may ^(FB)offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; ²⁹ for ^(FC)our God is a consuming fire.