Faith at the Dawn of History(A)

By faith (B)Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still (C)speaks.

By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, (D)“and was not found, because God had taken him”; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

By faith (E)Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, (F)prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of (G)the righteousness which is according to faith.

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By faith Abel offered to God a greater sacrifice than Cain, by which he was approved that he was righteous, because[a] God approved him for his gifts, and through it[b] he still speaks, although he[c] is dead. By faith Enoch was taken up, so that he did not experience death, and he was not found, because God took him up. For before his removal, he had been approved as having been pleasing[d] to God. Now without faith it is impossible to please him, for the one who approaches God must believe that he exists and is a rewarder of those who seek him. By faith Noah, having been warned about things not yet seen, out of reverence constructed an ark for the deliverance of his family, by which he pronounced sentence on the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

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Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 11:4 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the temporal participle (“was”)
  2. Hebrews 11:4 I.e., his faith
  3. Hebrews 11:4 Here “although” is supplied as a component of the participle (“is dead”) which is understood as concessive
  4. Hebrews 11:5 Literally “to be pleasing”