By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was approved as a righteous man, because God approved his gifts, and even though he is dead, he still speaks through his faith.(A)

By faith Enoch was taken away, and so he did not experience death. He was not to be found because God took him away.[a] For before he was taken away, he was approved as one who pleased God.(B) Now without faith it is impossible to please God, since the one who draws near to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

By faith Noah, after he was warned about what was not yet seen and motivated by godly fear, built an ark to deliver his family. By faith he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.(C)

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Footnotes

  1. 11:5 Gn 5:21–24

The Examples of Abel, Enoch, and Noah

By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable[a] sacrifice than Cain’s. Through this he received approval as righteous, God himself giving approval to his gifts; he died, but through his faith[b] he still speaks.(A) By faith Enoch was taken so that he did not experience death, and “he was not found, because God had taken him.” For it was attested before he was taken away that “he had pleased God.”(B) And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would approach God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. 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.(C)

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Footnotes

  1. 11.4 Gk greater
  2. 11.4 Gk through it