¹Now faith is assurance of things hoped for , proof of things not seen.

²For by this , the elders obtained approval .

³By faith we understand that the universe has been framed by the word of God , so that what is seen has not been made out of things which are visible .

⁴By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain , through which he had testimony given to him that he was righteous , God testifying with respect to his gifts ; and through it he , being dead, still speaks .

⁵By faith Enoch was taken away, so that he wouldn’t see death , and he was not found , because God translated him . For he has had testimony given to him that before his translation he had been well pleasing to God .

⁶Without faith it is impossible to be well pleasing to him , for he who comes to God must believe that he exists, and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him .

⁷By faith Noah , being warned about things not yet seen, moved with godly fear , prepared a ship for the saving of his house , through which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith .[#11:7 or, reverence]

⁸By faith Abraham, when he was called , obeyed to go out to the place which he was to receive for an inheritance . He went out , not knowing where he went .

⁹By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise , as in a land not his own, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob , the heirs with him of the same promise .

¹⁰For he was looking for the city which has foundations , whose builder and maker is God .

¹¹By faith even Sarah herself received power to conceive , and she bore a child when she was past age , since she counted him faithful who had promised .

¹²Therefore as many as the stars of the sky in multitude , and as innumerable as the sand which is by the sea shore , were fathered by one man , and him as good as dead .

¹³These all died in faith , not having received the promises , but having seen them and embraced them from afar , and having confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth .[#11:13 TR adds “and being convinced of”]

¹⁴For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own .

¹⁵If indeed they had been thinking of that country from which they went out , they would have had enough time to return.

¹⁶But now they desire a better country, 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, being tested , offered up Isaac . Yes, he who had gladly received the promises was offering up his only born son,[#11:17 The phrase “only born” is from the Greek word “μονογενη”, which is sometimes translated “only begotten” or “one and only”.]

¹⁸to whom it was said , “Your offspring will be accounted as from Isaac ,”[#Genesis 21:12]

¹⁹concluding that God is able to raise up even from the dead . Figuratively speaking, he also did receive him back from the dead .

²⁰By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau , even concerning things to come .

²¹By faith Jacob , when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph , and worshipped , leaning on the top of his staff .

²²By faith Joseph , when his end was near, made mention of the departure of the children 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 he was a beautiful child ; and they were not afraid of the king ’s commandment .

²⁴By faith Moses , when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh ’s daughter ,

²⁵choosing rather to share ill treatment with God ’s people than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a time,

²⁶considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he looked to the reward .

²⁷By faith he left 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 on dry land . When the Egyptians tried to do so , they were swallowed up .

³⁰By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days .

³¹By faith Rahab the prostitute didn’t perish with those who were disobedient, having received the spies in peace .

³²What more shall I say ? For the time would fail me if I told of Gideon , Barak, Samson , Jephthah , David , Samuel , and the prophets —

³³who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked out righteousness , obtained promises , stopped the mouths of lions ,[#Daniel 6:22-23]

³⁴quenched the power of fire , escaped the edge of the sword , from weakness were made strong , grew mighty in war , and caused foreign armies to flee .[#Daniel 3:1-30; #1 Kings 19:1-3; 2 Kings 6:31—7:20]

³⁵Women received their dead by resurrection. Others were tortured , not accepting their deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection.[#1 Kings 17:17-23; 2 Kings 4:32-37]

³⁶Others were tried by mocking and scourging , yes , moreover by bonds and imprisonment .

³⁷They were stoned . They were sawn apart. They were tempted . They were slain with the sword . They went around in sheep skins and in goat skins ; being destitute , afflicted , ill-treated —[#2 Chronicles 24:20-21; #Jeremiah 26:20-23; 1 Kings 19:10]

³⁸of whom the world was not worthy—wandering in deserts , mountains , caves , and the holes of the earth .

³⁹These all , having been commended for their faith , didn’t receive the promise ,

⁴⁰God having provided some better thing concerning us , so that apart from us they should not be made perfect .