Hebrews
Chapter 11: 1-19
By Faith
1
Now faith is being sure of
what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. 2This is
what the ancients were commended for.
3By faith
we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not
made out of what was visible. 4By faith Abel offered God a
better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God
spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.
5By faith
Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be
found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one
who pleased God. 6And without faith it is impossible to
please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he
rewards those who earnestly seek him.
7By faith
Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family.
By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by
faith.
8By faith
Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed
and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9By
faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived
in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose
architect and builder is God.
11By faith
Abraham, even though he was past age–and Sarah herself was barren–was enabled to
become a father because he considered him faithful who had made the promise. 12And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came
descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the
seashore.
13All these
people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things
promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that
they were aliens and strangers on earth. 14People who say
such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15If
they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to
return. 16Instead, they were longing for a better
country–a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he
has prepared a city for them.
17By faith
Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the
promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, 18even
though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be
reckoned.” 19Abraham reasoned that God could raise the
dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death.
