Old/New Testament

²⁰ It was by faith in the things that were to come that Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau. ²¹ It was by faith that, when Jacob was dying, he blessed the two sons of Joseph, and “worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.” ²² It was by faith that, when Joseph was coming to the end, he spoke about the exodus of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his own bones.

Faith and the future: Moses and the exodus

²³ It was by faith that, when Moses was born, he was hidden for three months by his parents. They saw that the child was beautiful, and they weren’t afraid of the king’s orders. ²⁴ It was by faith that Moses, when he grew up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, ²⁵ preferring to suffer hardship along with God’s people rather than enjoying the short-term pleasures of sin. ²⁶ He reckoned that reproach suffered for the Messiah was worth more than all the treasures of Egypt; he was looking ahead to the reward.

²⁷ It was by faith that he left Egypt, without fear of Pharaoh’s anger; he kept the invisible one constantly before his eyes. ²⁸ It was by faith that he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn wouldn’t touch them. ²⁹ It was by faith that they crossed the Red Sea as though they were on dry ground, while the Egyptians, when they tried to do the same, were drowned. ³⁰ It was by faith that the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. ³¹ It was by faith that the prostitute Rahab was not destroyed along with those who didn’t believe; she had welcomed the spies in peace.

Faith and the future: the great crowd

³² What more can I say, then? I’ve run out of time to tell you about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets. ³³ It was through faith that they overcame kingdoms, put justice into practice, received promises, shut the mouths of lions, ³⁴ quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were strong where they had been weak, became powerful in battle, and sent foreign armies packing. ³⁵ Women received their dead by resurrection; others were tortured, not accepting release, so that they might receive a better resurrection. ³⁶ Others again experienced painful derision and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment; ³⁷ they were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were put to the sword, they went about in sheepskins or goat-hides, they were destitute, they were persecuted, they were ill-treated— ³⁸ the world didn’t deserve them!—and they wandered in deserts and mountains, in caves and holes in the ground.

³⁹ All these people gained a reputation for their faith; but they didn’t receive the promise. ⁴⁰ God was providing something better for us, so that they wouldn’t reach perfection without our doing so as well.