11
By Faith
1Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of #Rom. 8:24; 2 Cor. 4:18; 5:7; 1 Pet. 1:8things not seen. 2For by it the people of old received their commendation. 3By faith we understand that the universe was created by #See Gen. 1:1 the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of #[Rom. 4:17]things that are visible.
4By faith #Gen. 4:4-8; 1 John 3:12 Abel offered to God #Prov. 15:8 a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And #Gen. 4:10 through his faith, though he died, he #ch. 12:24still speaks. 5By faith #Gen. 5:22-24; [2 Kgs. 2:11]Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. 6And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God #1 Chr. 28:9; Jer. 29:12-14; [John 4:24]must believe that he exists and #1 Chr. 28:9; Jer. 29:12-14; [John 4:24]that he rewards those who seek him. 7By faith #Gen. 6:13-22; Luke 17:26; 1 Pet. 3:20 Noah, being warned by God concerning #ver. 1 events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of #Rom. 4:13; [Gen. 6:9; Ezek. 14:14, 20]the righteousness that comes by faith.
8By faith #Gen. 12:1-4; Acts 7:2-4 Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place #Gen. 12:7that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9By faith he went to live in #Acts 7:5 the land of promise, as in a foreign land, #Gen. 12:8; 13:3, 18; 18:1, 9 living in tents #Gen. 35:27with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. 10For he was looking forward to #ch. 12:22; [ch. 13:14] the city that has #Ps. 87:1; Rev. 21:14 foundations, #Rev. 21:2, 10whose designer and builder is God. 11By faith #Gen. 17:19; 18:11-14; 21:2 Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered #ch. 10:23him faithful who had promised. 12Therefore from one man, and #Rom. 4:19 him as good as dead, were born descendants #Gen. 22:17; 32:12; See Gen. 15:5as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.
13These all died in faith, #ver. 39 not having received the things promised, but #ver. 27; John 8:56; [Matt. 13:17] having seen them and greeted them from afar, and #Gen. 23:4; 47:9; [1 Chr. 29:15; Ps. 39:12] having acknowledged that they were #Eph. 2:19strangers and exiles on the earth. 14For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, #[Gen. 24:6-8]they would have had opportunity to return. 16But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed #Gen. 26:24; 28:13; Ex. 3:6; 4:5; [ch. 2:11] to be called their God, for #[ver. 10; Matt. 25:34; John 14:2]he has prepared for them a city.
17By faith #Gen. 22:1-10; James 2:21Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, 18of whom it was said, #Rom. 9:7; Cited from Gen. 21:12“Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” 19#Rom. 4:17-21He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. 20By faith #Gen. 27:27-29, 39, 40Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau. 21By faith #Gen. 48:16, 20 Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, #[Gen. 47:31]bowing in worship over the head of his staff. 22By faith #Gen. 50:24, 25; Ex. 13:19Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones.
23By faith #Ex. 2:2, 3; Acts 7:20 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 #Ex. 1:16, 22the king’s edict. 24By faith Moses, when he was grown up, #Ex. 2:10, 11refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25#[Job 36:21; Ps. 84:10] choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy #1 John 2:17the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26#ch. 13:13; [Ps. 89:50, 51; Phil. 3:7, 8; 1 Pet. 4:14] He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to #ch. 2:2; 10:35the reward. 27By faith he #Ex. 12:37; 13:17, 18 left Egypt, #Ex. 10:28, 29 not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured #ver. 13; See 1 Tim. 1:17as seeing him who is invisible. 28By faith #Ex. 12:21-30he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them.
29By faith #Ex. 14:21-30the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned. 30By faith #Josh. 6:15, 16, 20the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. 31By faith #Josh. 6:25; James 2:25 Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she #Josh. 2:1, 8-13had given a friendly welcome to the spies.
32And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of #Judg. 6:11 Gideon, #Judg. 4:6 Barak, #Judg. 13:24 Samson, #Judg. 11:1 Jephthah, of #1 Sam. 16:1, 13 David and #1 Sam. 1:20Samuel and the prophets— 33who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, #Judg. 14:6; 1 Sam. 17:35; Dan. 6:22stopped the mouths of lions, 34#Dan. 3:25 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, #Judg. 7:21; 1 Sam. 17:51; 2 Sam. 12:29became mighty in war, #Judg. 7:21; 1 Sam. 17:51; 2 Sam. 12:29put foreign armies to flight. 35#1 Kgs. 17:22; 2 Kgs. 4:35Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. 36Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even #Gen. 39:20; Jer. 20:2; 37:15chains and imprisonment. 37#1 Kgs. 21:13; 2 Chr. 24:21 They were stoned, they were sawn in two,#11:37 Some manuscripts add they were tempted #1 Kgs. 19:10; Jer. 26:23 they were killed with the sword. #2 Kgs. 1:8They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— 38of whom the world was not worthy—#1 Sam. 22:1; 1 Kgs. 18:4; 19:9wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
39And all these, #ver. 2, 13; [1 Pet. 1:12]though commended through their faith, #ver. 2, 13; [1 Pet. 1:12]did not receive what was promised, 40since God had provided something better for us, #[Rev. 6:11]that apart from us they should not be made perfect.
