Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

³² What more should I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets.

³³ Men believed God and were able to win over other nations. They made people do what was right. They got what God promised them. They were not eaten by lions.

³⁴ The big, hot fire did not burn them. They got away from men who wanted to kill them with long knives or swords. They were weak, but they became strong. They became very strong to fight. They drove away the armies of their enemies.

³⁵ Women had children who died and were raised to life again. Some people allowed themselves to be beaten to death. They would not go free because they wanted to rise again to a better life.

³⁶ Others were laughed at and beaten very hard. They were even tied with chains and put into prison.

³⁷ They were killed with stones. They were tested. They were cut in pieces. They were killed with swords. They walked about wearing skins of sheep and goats. They were very poor. They were treated very badly. They were punished.

³⁸ They were really too good to be in this world. They walked about in the desert and in the mountains, and in the holes in the hills and in the holes among the rocks on the earth.

³⁹ All of these people had good things said about them because they believed God. But they did not get what God had promised.

⁴⁰ God planned something better. They will be made perfect but only with us.