New Testament in a Year
What Is Faith?
11 Faith means ·being sure [the assurance; or the tangible reality; or the sure foundation] of the things we hope for and ·knowing that something is real even if we do not see it [the conviction/assurance/evidence about things not seen]. 2 Faith is the reason ·we remember [or God commended/approved] ·great people who lived in the past [the people of old; the ancients; our spiritual ancestors].
3 It is by faith we understand that the ·whole world [universe; cosmos; ages] was made by God’s ·command [word; Gen. 1] so what we see was ·made by something that cannot be seen [L not made from/by visible things].
4 It was by faith that Abel offered God a ·better [more acceptable] sacrifice than Cain [Gen. 4:4–8]. God ·said he was pleased with [commended him for; bore testimony to] the gifts Abel offered and ·called Abel [commended him as; testified that he was] a ·good [righteous] man because of his faith. Abel died, but through his faith he is still speaking [12:24].
5 It was by faith that Enoch was taken to heaven so he would not ·die [experience/L see death]. He could not be found, because God had taken him away [Gen. 5:22–24]. Before he was taken, ·the Scripture says that he was [L he was commended as] a man who truly pleased God. 6 [L And] Without faith no one can please God. [L For; Because] Anyone who comes to God must believe that he ·is real [exists] and that he rewards those who ·truly want to find [earnestly/sincerely seek] him.
7 It was by faith that Noah heard God’s warnings about things he could not yet see [Gen. 6:13–22]. He ·obeyed God [responded with reverent fear] and built a ·large boat [T ark] to save his ·family [household]. By his faith, Noah ·showed that the world was wrong [L condemned/pronounced judgment against the world], and he became ·one of those who are made right with God [L an heir of the righteousness that comes] through faith.
8 It was by faith Abraham obeyed God’s call to go to another place ·God promised to give him [L he would later receive as an inheritance; Gen. 12:1–4, 7]. He left his own country, not knowing where he was ·to go [going]. 9 It was by faith that he lived like a ·foreigner [stranger; resident alien] in the ·country God promised to give him [Promised Land]. He lived in tents with Isaac and Jacob, who ·had received [were co-heirs of] that same promise from God. 10 [L For] Abraham was waiting for the city [C the heavenly Jerusalem, symbolic of the presence of God; Heb. 12:22; Rev. 21:2] that has real foundations—the city ·planned and built by [L whose architect/designer and builder is] God.
11 ·He was too old to have children, and Sarah [or Sarah was too old and] ·could not have children [was barren/sterile]. It was by faith that ·Abraham was made able to become a father, because he [or Sarah was made able to bear children, because she] ·trusted God [L considered God faithful/trustworthy] to do what he had promised[a] [Gen. 21:2]. 12 This man was so old he was ·almost [as good as] dead, but from ·him [L one man] ·came [L were fathered/T begotten] as many descendants as there are stars in the sky. Like the sand on the seashore, they could not be counted [Gen. 15:5; 22:17; 32:12].
13 All these great people died in faith. They did not ·get [receive] the things that God promised his people, but they saw them ·coming far in the future [L from afar] and ·were glad [welcomed/greeted them]. They ·said [acknowledged/recognized that] they were like ·strangers [foreigners] and ·visitors [sojourners; refugees; resident aliens] on earth. 14 When people say such things, they show they are looking for a ·country that will be their own [homeland]. 15 If they had been thinking about the country they had left, they ·could have gone back [L would have had an opportunity to return]. 16 But [as it is; L now] they were ·waiting [desiring; longing] for a better country—a heavenly one. So God is not ashamed to be called their God, because he has prepared a city for them.
17 It was by faith that Abraham, when God tested him, offered his son Isaac as a sacrifice [Gen. 22:1–10]. ·God made the promises to Abraham, but Abraham [L The one who received the promises] was ready to offer his ·own [unique; one of a kind; John 3:16] son as a sacrifice. 18 God had said, “·The descendants I promised you will be from Isaac [Through Isaac your offspring/seed will carry on your name; Gen. 21:12].” 19 Abraham ·believed [considered; reasoned] that God ·could [had the power to] raise the dead, and ·really [in one sense; in a manner of speaking; figuratively speaking], it was as if Abraham ·got [received] Isaac back from death.
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