⁸ By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance,^(A) obeyed and went,^(B) even though he did not know where he was going. ⁹ By faith he made his home in the promised land^(C) like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents,^(D) as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise.^{(E) 10} For he was looking forward to the city^(F) with foundations,^(G) whose architect and builder is God.^{(H) 11} And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age,^(I) was enabled to bear children^(J) because she^[a] considered him faithful^(K) who had made the promise. ¹² And so from this one man, and he as good as dead,^(L) came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.^(M)

¹³ All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised;^(N) they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance,^(O) admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth.^{(P) 14} People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. ¹⁵ If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return.^{(Q) 16} Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one.^(R) Therefore God is not ashamed^(S) to be called their God,^(T) for he has prepared a city^(U) for them.

¹⁷ By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice.^(V) He who had embraced the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, ¹⁸ even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.”^{[b](W) 19} Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead,^(X) and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death.

²⁰ By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future.^(Y)

²¹ By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons,^(Z) and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.

²² By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions concerning the burial of his bones.^(AA)

²³ By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born,^(AB) because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.^(AC)

²⁴ By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.^{(AD) 25} He chose to be mistreated^(AE) along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. ²⁶ He regarded disgrace^(AF) for the sake of Christ^(AG) as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.^{(AH) 27} By faith he left Egypt,^(AI) not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible. ²⁸ By faith he kept the Passover and the application of blood, so that the destroyer^(AJ) of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.^(AK)

²⁹ By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned.^(AL)

³⁰ By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the army had marched around them for seven days.^(AM)

³¹ By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.^[c](AN)

³² And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon,^(AO) Barak,^(AP) Samson^(AQ) and Jephthah,^(AR) about David^(AS) and Samuel^(AT) and the prophets,

³¹ And when the Israelites saw the mighty hand^(A) of the Lord displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared^(B) the Lord and put their trust^(C) in him and in Moses his servant.

¹³ Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid.^(A) Stand firm and you will see^(B) the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see^(C) again. ¹⁴ The Lord will fight^(D) for you; you need only to be still.”^(E)

Psalm 44^[a]

For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A maskil.^[b]

²⁸ Then the man said, “Your name^(A) will no longer be Jacob, but Israel,^[a](B) because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.”^(C)

¹⁸ Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations,^(A) just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”^{[a](B) 19} Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead^(C)—since he was about a hundred years old^(D)—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead.^{(E) 20} Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened^(F) in his faith and gave glory to God,^{(G) 21} being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.^{(H) 22} This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.”^(I)

⁹ Then Samuel^(A) took a suckling lamb and sacrificed it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord. He cried out to the Lord on Israel’s behalf, and the Lord answered him.^(B)

¹⁰ While Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to engage Israel in battle. But that day the Lord thundered^(C) with loud thunder against the Philistines and threw them into such a panic^(D) that they were routed before the Israelites. ¹¹ The men of Israel rushed out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, slaughtering them along the way to a point below Beth Kar.

¹² Then Samuel took a stone^(E) and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer,^[a](F) saying, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.”

⁶ Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.^(A)