1Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
2For by this the elders were commended.
3By faith we understand that the ages were fashioned by the word of God, so that what is seen has not come into being from things visible.
4By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God testifying about his gifts; and through it, though he died, he still speaks.
5By faith Enoch was taken up so as not to see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him up. For before his removal he was commended as having pleased God.
6And without faith it is impossible to please him; for the one who comes to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
7By faith Noah, having been warned about things not yet seen, in reverent fear built an ark for the salvation of his household; through it he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is according to faith.
8By faith Abraham, when called, obeyed to go out to a place he was going to receive as an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going.
9By faith he sojourned in the land of promise as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the fellow heirs of the same promise.
10For he was awaiting the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.
11By faith, even Sarah herself received power to conceive offspring, even beyond the proper time of age, since she considered faithful the one who had promised.
12Therefore also from one man — and him as good as dead — were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven in multitude, and as countless as the sand by the shore of the sea.
13In faith all these died, not having received the promises but having seen them from afar and welcomed them, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and sojourners on the earth.
14For those who say such things make clear that they are seeking a homeland.
15And if indeed they had been remembering that land from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return.
16But as it is, they long for a better one, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God; for he has prepared a city for them.
17By faith Abraham, when tested, offered up Isaac; and he who had received the promises was offering up his one and only son,
18the one to whom it was said, “Through Isaac your offspring shall be named,”
19reasoning that God is able even to raise from the dead — from which he also received him back, figuratively speaking.
20By faith Isaac also blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.
21By faith Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.
22By faith Joseph, as he was coming to his end, made mention of the exodus of the sons of Israel and gave instructions concerning his bones.
23By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful; and they did not fear the king’s decree.
24By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter,
25choosing rather to be mistreated together with the people of God than to have the fleeting enjoyment of sin,
26considering the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward.
27By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the anger of the king; for he persevered as seeing the one who is invisible.
28By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them.
29By faith they crossed the Red Sea as though on dry land; and when the Egyptians attempted it, they were drowned.
30By faith the walls of Jericho fell, having been encircled for seven days.
31By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish along with those who were disobedient, because she had welcomed the spies in peace.
32And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David and Samuel and the prophets—
33who through faith conquered kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
34quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put to flight the armies of foreigners.
35Women received back their dead by resurrection; but others were tortured, not accepting release, so that they might obtain a better resurrection;
36and others experienced mockings and floggings, and still more, chains and imprisonment.
37They were stoned, they were tested, they were sawn in two, they died by murder with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, destitute, oppressed, mistreated—
38of whom the world was not worthy—wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and the holes of the ground.
39And all these, having been commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised,
40since God had foreseen something better for us, so that they would not be made perfect apart from us.
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