Hebrews 11

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1. 1Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
2. 2For by it the elders received a good report.
3. 3By faith we understand that the worlds were created by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made from things that are visible.
4. 4By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he, being dead, still speaks.
5. 5By faith, Enoch was translated so that he would not see death, and he was not found because God had translated him. Before his translation, he had this testimony, that he pleased God.
6. 6Without faith it is impossible to please God. Anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
7. 7By faith, Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, moved with fear and prepared an ark to save his family. By this, he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is by faith.
8. 8By faith, Abraham obeyed when he was called to go to a place he would later receive as an inheritance. He went out, not knowing where he was going.
9. 9By faith, he lived as a foreigner in the land of promise, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise.
10. 10He was looking for a city with foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
11. 11Through faith also Sarah herself received strength to conceive seed, and gave birth to a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.
12. 12So from one man — and a man as good as dead — came descendants as countless as the stars in the sky and as numberless as the grains of sand on the seashore.
13. 13All these people died in faith, not having received the promises, but they saw them from a distance, were convinced of them, welcomed them, and openly admitted that they were strangers and pilgrims on this earth.
14. 14People who talk like that make it clear they are searching for a homeland.
15. 15If they had been thinking about the country they left, they would have had the chance to return.
16. 16Instead, they longed for a better homeland — a heavenly one. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God. He has prepared a city for them.
17. 17By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac: and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,
18. 18the son about whom God had said, "Your descendants will come through Isaac."
19. 19Abraham reasoned that God was able to raise Isaac from the dead, and in a figurative sense, he did receive him back from death.
20. 20By faith, Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau with words about their future.
21. 21By faith, Jacob, as he lay dying, blessed each of Joseph's sons and worshiped while leaning on the top of his staff.
22. 22By faith, Joseph, when he was near death, spoke of the departure of the children of Israel and gave instructions about his bones.
23. 23By faith, Moses' parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was a beautiful child, and they were not afraid of the king's command.
24. 24By faith, Moses — once he had grown up — refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter.
25. 25He chose to suffer alongside God's people rather than enjoy the temporary pleasures of sin.
26. 26He considered the reproach of Christ to be greater riches than the treasures of Egypt, because he was focused on the reward that was coming.
27. 27By faith, he left Egypt without fearing the king's anger, for he persevered as if seeing him who is invisible.
28. 28By faith, he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the one who destroyed the firstborn would not touch them.
29. 29By faith, they passed through the Red Sea as if it were dry land, but the Egyptians who attempted to do so were drowned.
30. 30By faith, the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days.
31. 31By faith the prostitute Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace.
32. 32What more can I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets.
33. 33Through faith, they conquered kingdoms, practiced righteousness, obtained promises, and shut the mouths of lions.
34. 34quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, grew valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of foreigners.
35. 35Women received their dead back to life again. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, because they were looking forward to a better resurrection.
36. 36Still others endured mockery and flogging, and even chains and prison.
37. 37They were stoned, sawed in half, tempted, and killed with swords. They wandered around in sheepskins and goatskins, being poor, afflicted, and tormented.
38. 38(Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
39. 39All of these, having obtained a good report through faith, did not receive the promise.
40. 40God had provided something better for us, so that they would not be made perfect without us.