Book of Common Prayer

What faith is, and a commendation of the same. The steadfast belief of the fathers in old time.

11 Faith is a sure confidence of things that are hoped for, and a certainty of things that are not seen. ² By it the elders were well reported of.

  ³ Through faith we understand that the world and all the things which are seen were made of nothing by the word of God.

⁴ By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; by which also he being dead still speaks.

⁵ By faith Enoch was translated so that he would not see death, and was not to be found, because God had taken him away. Before he was taken away, he was reported of that he had pleased God. ⁶ But without faith, it is impossible to please him. For the person who comes to God must believe that God is, and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him.

⁷ By faith Noah honoured God after he was warned of things that were not yet seen, and prepared the ark for the saving of his household – through which ark he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

⁸ By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed, to go out into a place that he would afterward receive as an inheritance. And he went out not knowing where he should go. ⁹ By faith he moved into the land that was promised him as into a strange country, and dwelt in tents; and so did Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. ¹⁰ For he looked for a city having a foundation, whose builder and maker is God.

¹¹ Through faith Sarah also received strength to be with child, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised. ¹² And therefore there came from one (and from one who was as good as dead) as many descendants as the stars of the sky, and as the sand of the seashore, which is innumerable.

²⁷ Labour not for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures unto everlasting life, which food the Son of man will give to you. For him has God the Father sealed.

²⁸ Then they said to him, What should we do so that we can work the works of God? ²⁹ Jesus answered and said to them, This is the work of God: to believe on him whom he has sent.

³⁰ They said to him, What sign will you show then, so that we can see and believe you? What work do you do? ³¹ Our fathers ate manna in the desert, as it is written: He gave them bread from heaven to eat.

³² Jesus said to them, Truly truly I say to you, Moses did not give you bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. ³³ For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.

³⁴ Then they said to him, Lord, give us this bread forevermore.

³⁵ And Jesus said to them, I am that bread of life. He who comes to me shall not hunger, and he who believes on me shall never thirst. ³⁶ But I said to you that you have seen me, and yet do not believe. ³⁷ All whom the Father gives me shall come to me, and him who comes to me, I cast not away. ³⁸ For I came down from heaven not to do my own will, but the will of him who has sent me. ³⁹ And this is the will of the Father who has sent me: that of everything that he has given me, I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. ⁴⁰ And this is the will of him who sent me: that every person who sees the Son and believes on him should have everlasting life. And I will raise him up at the last day.