Beginning
The Saints Have Always Endured By Faith
11 Now[a] faith is the assurance[b] of things being hoped-for[c], the conviction[d] of things not being seen[e]. 2 For in this the elders[f] were attested.
The Early Times
3 By faith we understand that the worlds have been prepared by the word of God, so that the thing being seen has not[g] come-into-being from things being visible. 4 By faith Abel offered to God a greater sacrifice than Cain, through which he was attested to be righteous— God testifying about his gifts. And through it, [although] having died, he is still speaking. 5 By faith Enoch was removed[h], so as not to see death: “And he was not found because God removed him” [Gen 5:24]. For before the removal, he has been attested to have pleased God. 6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him. For the one coming-to God must believe that He is, and He becomes the rewarder to the ones seeking Him out. 7 By faith Noah, having been warned about the things not yet being seen, having been reverent, prepared the ark for the salvation[i] of his household, through which he condemned the world and became an inheritor of the righteousness according-to faith.
The Time of The Patriarchs
8 By faith Abraham, being called, obeyed to go out to a place which he was going-to receive for an inheritance. And he went out not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he stayed[j] in the land of the promise as a land belonging-to-another, having dwelled in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the fellow-heirs of the same promise. 10 For he was waiting-for the city having foundations, of which[k] God is designer[l] and maker[m]. 11 By faith— and Sarah herself being barren— he[n] received power for the foundation[o] of a seed[p] even beyond the time of mature-age, since he regarded the One having promised to be faithful. 12 Therefore indeed from one man— and he having become impotent as to these[q] things— were born[r] seed as the stars of heaven in number, and countless as the sand by the shore of the sea. 13 In accordance with faith, these[s] all died not having received the promises, but having seen them from a distance, and having greeted them, and having confessed that they are strangers and pilgrims[t] on the earth. 14 For the ones saying such things are making-clear that they are seeking-for a homeland. 15 And if they had been remembering that homeland from which they came out, they would have had opportunity to return— 16 but as-it-is, they are aspiring-to a better homeland; that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed-of them, to be called their God. For He prepared a city for them. 17 By faith Abraham has offered Isaac while being tested. And the one having received the promises was offering his only-born[u], 18 with-regard-to whom[v] it was said [in Gen 21:12] that “In Isaac a seed will be called for you”, 19 having considered[w] that God was able to raise him even from the dead, from-which[x] he also received him back in a symbol[y]. 20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau even concerning coming things. 21 By faith Jacob, while dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph and “worshiped [leaning] on the top of his staff ” [Gen 47:31]. 22 By faith Joseph, while coming-to-an-end[z], mentioned concerning the departure[aa] of the sons of Israel and gave-commands concerning his bones.
The Time of The Exodus
23 By faith Moses, having been born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw the child was beautiful and did not fear the edict of the king. 24 By faith Moses, having become great[ab], refused to be called son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 having chosen rather to be mistreated-with the people of God than to be having a temporary enjoyment of sin, 26 having regarded the reproach of [ac] the Christ to be greater riches than the treasures of Egypt. For he was looking-away[ad] to the reward. 27 By faith he left Egypt, not having feared the fury of the king. For he persevered[ae] as seeing[af] the invisible One. 28 By faith he has performed the Passover[ag] and the sprinkling of the blood in order that the one destroying the firstborns might not touch them. 29 By faith they crossed[ah] the Red Sea as through dry land— of which having taken the test[ai], the Egyptians were swallowed-up. 30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell, having been encircled for seven days. 31 By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish-with the ones having disobeyed, having welcomed the spies with peace.
What More Shall I Say?
32 And what more may I say? For time will fail me while telling about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, both David and Samuel, and the prophets, 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, worked righteousness[aj], obtained[ak] promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edges of the sword, were strengthened from weakness, became mighty in battle, put-to-flight armies of foreigners. 35 Women received their dead by resurrection— but others were tortured, not accepting redemption[al], in order that they might obtain a better resurrection. 36 And others received a trial of mockings and whippings, and furthermore of bonds and prison. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn-in-two, they died by murder of the sword. They went-around in sheepskins, in skins of-goats, being in-need, being afflicted, being mistreated— 38 of whom the world was not worthy— wandering in desolate-places and mountains and caves and openings of the earth.
They Did Not Receive The Promise, For God Had a Better Promise For Us
39 And these all, having been attested through their faith, did not receive the promise— 40 God having provided[am] something better for us, in order that they should not be perfected[an] apart from us.
So Run Your Race With Endurance, Looking To Jesus
12 So-therefore we also[ao], having so large a cloud of witnesses[ap] surrounding us, having laid-aside every weight[aq] and the easily-entangling[ar] sin, let us be running the race being set-before us with endurance 2 while looking-away toward the author and perfecter[as] of the faith[at]— Jesus— Who endured a cross for[au] the joy being set-before Him, having disregarded[av] the shame[aw], and has sat-down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Consider His Endurance
3 For consider[ax] the One having endured such opposition[ay] by sinners against Himself, in order that you may not be weary in your souls, losing-heart— 4 you did not yet resist to the point of blood while struggling against sin!
And Have You Forgotten That God Disciplines Those He Loves?
5 And have[az] you completely-forgotten[ba] the exhortation which speaks[bb] to you as sons?: “My son, do not be thinking-lightly[bc] of the discipline[bd] of the Lord, nor losing-heart while being rebuked by Him. 6 For the one whom the Lord loves He disciplines, and He whips[be] every son whom He accepts” [Prov 3:11-12].
God Is Dealing With You As Sons
7 You are enduring[bf] [your trials] for discipline; God is dealing with you as with sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers[bg], then you are illegitimate[bh] children and not sons.
And God Is Disciplining You For Your Benefit
9 Furthermore, we had fathers of our flesh[bi] as discipliners and were respecting them— but shall we not much more be subject to the Father of [our] spirits and live? 10 For the ones were disciplining us for a few days according to the thing seeming good to them; but the One does so for our benefit[bj], so that we may share-in His holiness.
And His Discipline Will Yield The Fruit of Righteousness
11 And all discipline for the present does not seem to be a thing of joy, but of grief— but later it yields[bk] the peaceful fruit of righteousness to the ones having been trained by it.
Therefore Straighten Up And Walk Straight Paths
12 Therefore straighten-up[bl] the hands having been slackened[bm] and the knees having been made-feeble[bn], 13 and be making straight paths for your feet, in order that the lame part may not be dislocated[bo] but rather may be healed.
Pursue Peace And Holiness
14 Be pursuing peace with[bp] all people, and the holiness without which no one will see the Lord, 15 while exercising-oversight that someone may not be coming-short of the grace of God; that some root of [bq] bitterness growing[br] up may not be causing-trouble and many be defiled[bs] by it; 16 that someone may not be sexually-immoral or[bt] profane like Esau, who sold his own firstborn-rights[bu] for one meal[bv]. 17 For you know that indeed afterward, while wanting to inherit the blessing, he was rejected— for he did not find a place of [bw] repentance— even-though having sought-for it[bx] with tears.
For You Have Come To The City of God, The Heavenly Jerusalem
18 For you have not come-to a mountain being touched[by], and a fire having been burning, and darkness and gloom and a storm, 19 and a blast of a trumpet, and a sound of words— of which, the ones having heard begged that a word not be added to them. 20 For they were not bearing the thing being commanded: “If even a wild-animal should touch the mountain, it shall be stoned” [Ex 19:12-13]. 21 And so fearful was the thing appearing[bz], Moses said “I am terrified and trembling”. 22 But you have come to Mount Zion; and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem; and the myriads of angels, a festive-gathering[ca]; 23 and the church[cb] of the firstborn ones having been registered[cc] in the heavens; and the Judge, God of all; and the spirits of righteous ones having been perfected; 24 and the mediator of the new covenant, Jesus; and the blood of sprinkling speaking better than Abel.
Do Not Refuse The One Warning From Heaven, But Worship Him With Gratitude
25 Be watching-out that you not refuse[cd] the One speaking. For if those did not escape, having refused the One warning on earth, much more we will not escape: the ones turning-away-from the One warning from the heavens— 26 Whose voice shook the earth at that time, but now He has promised, saying [in Hag 2:6] “I will shake once more not only the earth, but also the heaven”. 27 And the phrase “once more” indicates the removal of the things being shaken— as of things having been made— so that the things not being shaken may continue. 28 Therefore while receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us have gratitude, through which we may worship[ce] God pleasingly[cf], with reverence and awe. 29 For indeed our God is a consuming fire.
Be Loving, Pure, and Content
13 Let brotherly-love continue. 2 Do not be forgetting hospitality, for through this some having entertained[cg] angels did not know it. 3 Remember[ch] the prisoners, as-though having been imprisoned-with them; the ones being mistreated, as-though[ci] also yourselves being in their body. 4 Let marriage be[cj] honored[ck] by all[cl], and the bed undefiled. For God will judge the sexually-immoral-ones and adulterers. 5 Let character be without-love-of-money, being content with the present things. For He Himself has said [in Deut 31:6] “I will never[cm] let you go[cn], nor will I by any means forsake[co] you”, 6 so that while being confident we say “The Lord is a helper for me and I will not fear. What[cp] will a human do to me?” [Ps 118:6].
Imitate The Faith of Your Leaders. Do Not Be Carried Away By Strange Teachings
7 Remember the ones leading you, who spoke the word of God to you, whose faith[cq] be imitating while looking-carefully-at the result[cr] of their way-of-life[cs]. 8 Jesus[ct] Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. 9 Do not be carried-away[cu] by various[cv] and strange[cw] teachings. For it is good for the heart to be established[cx] by grace, not by foods in-connection-with[cy] which the ones walking were not profited.
We Have a Spiritual Altar. Let Us Go Out And Offer Sacrifices of Praise
10 We have an altar[cz] from which the ones serving[da] in the tabernacle have no right[db] to eat. 11 For of animals from which the blood is brought into the Holies by the high priest for sin— the bodies of these are burned-up[dc] outside of the camp. 12 Therefore[dd] Jesus also, in order that He might make the people holy with His own blood, suffered outside[de] of the gate. 13 So-indeed[df], let us go-out[dg] to Him outside of the camp, bearing His reproach. 14 For here we do not have an abiding city, but we are seeking-for the one coming. 15 Therefore through Him let us be continually offering a sacrifice of [dh] praise to God— that is, the fruit of lips praising[di] His name. 16 And do not be forgetting good-doing and sharing. For with such sacrifices God is pleased.
Yield To Your Leaders
17 Be obeying[dj] the ones leading you and be yielding[dk], for they are keeping-watch for your souls as ones who will render an account— in order that they may be doing this with joy, and not while groaning, for this would be unprofitable for you.
Pray For Us
18 Be praying for us. For we are persuaded that we have a good conscience, wanting to conduct-ourselves well[dl] in all[dm] things. 19 And I especially appeal-to you to do this in order that I may be restored to you sooner.
May God Prepare You To Do His Will
20 Now may the God of peace— the One having brought-up from the dead the Great Shepherd of the sheep in-connection-with[dn] the blood of the eternal covenant, our Lord Jesus— 21 prepare[do] you in every good thing so that you may do His will, while doing in us the pleasing thing in His sight through Jesus Christ, to Whom be the glory forever and ever, amen.
22 Now I exhort you, brothers, bear-with the word of exhortation. For indeed I wrote-to you with a few[dp] words. 23 Take-notice-of [dq] our brother Timothy having been released[dr], with whom if he comes quicker[ds], I will see you. 24 Greet all the ones leading you and all the saints. The ones from Italy greet you. 25 Grace be with you all.
Disciples' Literal New Testament: Serving Modern Disciples by More Fully Reflecting the Writing Style of the Ancient Disciples, Copyright © 2011 Michael J. Magill. All Rights Reserved. Published by Reyma Publishing