Hebrews 11

¹Now faith is the assurance of thingshoped for, the proving of things not seen. ²For therein the elders had witness borne to them. ³By faith we understand that the worlds have been framed by the word of God, so that what is seen hath not been made out of things which do appear. ⁴By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he had witness borne to him that he was righteous, God bearing witness in respect of his gifts: and through it he being dead yet speaketh. ⁵By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and he was not found, because God translated him: for before his translation he hath had witness borne to him that he had been well-pleasing unto God: ⁶And without faith it is impossible to be well-pleasing unto him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and thathe is a rewarder of them that seek after him. ⁷By faith Noah, being warned of Godconcerning things not seen as yet, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; through which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. ⁸By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed to go out unto a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. ⁹By faith he became a sojourner in the land of promise, as in a landnot his own, dwelling in tents, with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: ¹⁰for he looked for the city which hath the foundations, whose builder and maker is God. ¹¹By faith even Sarah herself received power to conceive seed when she was past age, since she counted him faithful who had promised: ¹²wherefore also there sprang of one, and him as good as dead, so manyas the stars of heaven in multitude, and as the sand, which is by the sea shore, innumerable. ¹³These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. ¹⁴For they that say such things make it manifest that they are seeking after a country of their own. ¹⁵And if indeed they had been mindful of that countryfrom which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. ¹⁶But now they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city. ¹⁷By faith Abraham, being tried, offered up Isaac: yea, he that had gladly received the promises was offering up his only begotten son; ¹⁸even heto whom it was said, In Isaac shall thy seed be called: ¹⁹accounting that God isable to raise up, even from the dead; from whence he did also in a parable receive him back. ²⁰By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even concerning things to come. ²¹By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaningupon the top of his staff. ²²By faith Joseph, when his end was nigh, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones. ²³By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months by his parents, because they saw he was a goodly child; and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment. ²⁴By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; ²⁵choosing rather to be evil entreated with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; ²⁶accounting the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt: for he looked unto the recompense of reward. ²⁷By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible. ²⁸By faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of the blood, that the destroyer of the firstborn should not touch them. ²⁹By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were swallowed up. ³⁰By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they had been compassed about for seven days. ³¹By faith Rahab the harlot perished not with them that were disobedient, having received the spies with peace. ³²And what shall I more say? for the time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah; of David and Samuel and the prophets: ³³who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, ³⁴quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, waxed mighty in war, turned to flight armies of aliens. ³⁵Women received their dead by a resurrection: and others were tortured, not accepting their deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: ³⁶and others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: ³⁷they were stoned, they were sawn asunder, they were tempted, they were slain with the sword: they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, evil entreated ³⁸(of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves, and the holes of the earth. ³⁹And these all, having had witness borne to them through their faith, received not the promise, ⁴⁰God having provided some better thing concerning us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.