What Faith Is
11 1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 For by it the people of old received their commendation. 3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed by the word of our Father, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.
4 By faith Abel offered to our Father a better sacrifice than Cain did, through which he was commended as righteous, our Father himself commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks.
5 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he did not see death, and he was not found, because our Father had taken him. For before he was taken he was commended for pleasing our Father. 6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever comes to our Father must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
7 By faith Noah, being warned about events not yet seen, in reverent fear built an ark to save his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance, and he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he went to live in the promised land, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is our Father.
11 By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she trusted that the one who had promised was faithful. 12 And so from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as innumerable as the grains of sand by the seashore.
13 These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and welcomed them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. 14 For people who speak like this make it clear that they are seeking a homeland of their own. 15 If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they could have gone back. 16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore our Father is not ashamed to be called their Father, for he has prepared a city for them. a a v16 Hebrews echoes the Old Testament's covenant formula — 'I will be their God, and they will be my people' — which our Father always meant in family terms: 'I will be their Father, and they will be my children.' He is not ashamed of the family name.
17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac; he who had received the promises was offering up his one and only son, 18 of whom it was said, "Through Isaac shall your offspring be named." 19 He considered that our Father was able even to raise him from the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive him back from there.
20 By faith Isaac called down future blessings on Jacob and Esau.
21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff. b b v21 Jacob was elderly and leaning on his staff as he bowed to worship.
22 By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, spoke of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones.
23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king's command.
24 By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, 25 choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of our Father than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26 He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to the reward. c c v26 'The reproach of Christ' means Moses bore the same shame that Christ would later suffer. 27 By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the king's anger, for he kept on as if he could see our Father, who is invisible. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch them.
29 By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but when the Egyptians attempted to do the same, they were drowned.
30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days.
31 By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.
32 And what more shall I say? For there isn't time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David and Samuel and the prophets 33 —who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, and put foreign armies to flight. 35 Women received back their dead by resurrection. Others were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. 36 Still others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, afflicted, mistreated 38 —of whom the world was not worthy—wandering in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.
39 And all these, though they were commended for their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40 since our Father had provided something better for us, so that without us they would not be made perfect.