CHAPTER 11
By faith
we understand that
the
universe
was formed
by God’s command,
so that
what
is seen
was not made
out of
what
was visible.
By faith
Abel
offered
God
a better
sacrifice
than
Cain did.
By
faith
he was commended
as
righteous
when God
gave approval
to
his
gifts.
And
by
faith
he still speaks,
even though he is dead.
By faith
Enoch
was taken up
so that
he did not see
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.
And
without
faith
it is impossible
to please God,
because
anyone who
approaches
Him
must
believe
that
He exists
and that
He rewards
those who
earnestly seek
Him.
By faith
Noah,
when warned
about
things
not yet
seen,
in godly fear
built
an ark
to
save
his
family.
By
faith
he condemned
the
world
and
became
heir
of the
righteousness that
comes by
faith.
By faith
Abraham,
when called
to go
to
a place
he would later
receive
as
his inheritance,
obeyed
and
went,
without
knowing
where
he was going.
By faith
he dwelt
in
the
promised
land
as a stranger
in a foreign country.
He lived
in
tents,
as did
Isaac
and
Jacob,
who were
heirs with him
of the
same
promise.
By faith
Sarah,
even though
she
was barren
and
beyond
the opportune
age,
was enabled
to
conceive
a child,
because
she considered
Him
faithful
who had promised.
And
so
from
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.
All
these people
died
in
faith,
without
having received
the things
they were promised.
However,
they saw them
and
welcomed
them
from afar.
And
they acknowledged
that
they were
strangers
and
exiles
on
the
earth.
If
they had been thinking of
the country
they had left,
they would have had
opportunity
to return.
Instead,
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.
By faith
Abraham,
when he was tested,
offered up
Isaac on the altar .
He who
had received
the
promises
was ready to offer
his
one and only son,
Abraham reasoned
that
God
could
raise
the dead,
and in
a sense,
he did receive
Isaac
back
from death.
By faith
Jacob,
when he was dying,
blessed
each
of
Joseph’s
sons
and
worshiped
as he leaned on
the
top
of
his
staff.
By faith
Joseph,
when his end was near,
spoke about
the
exodus
of the
Israelites
and
gave instructions
about
his
bones.
By faith
Moses’
parents
hid him
for three months
after his birth,
because
they saw
he was
a beautiful
child,
and
they were unafraid
of the
king’s
edict.
He chose
to suffer oppression with
God’s
people
rather
than
to experience
the fleeting
enjoyment
of sin.
He valued
disgrace
for Christ
above the
treasures
of Egypt,
for
he was looking
ahead
to his
reward.
By faith
Moses left
Egypt,
not
fearing
the
king’s
anger;
he persevered
because
he saw
Him who is
invisible.
By faith
he kept
the
Passover
and
the
sprinkling
of blood,
so that
the
destroyer
of the
firstborn
would not touch
Israel’s own firstborn .
By faith
the people passed through
the
Red
Sea
as
on
dry
land;
but when the
Egyptians
tried to follow,
they were drowned.
By faith
the
prostitute
Rahab,
because she welcomed
the
spies
in
peace,
did not perish with
those who
were disobedient.
And
what
more
shall I say?
Time
will not allow
me
to tell
of
Gideon,
Barak,
Samson,
Jephthah,
David,
Samuel,
and
the
prophets,
who
through
faith
conquered
kingdoms,
administered
justice,
and obtained
what was promised;
who shut
the mouths
of lions,
quenched
the raging
fire,
and escaped
the edge
of the sword;
who gained strength
from
weakness,
became
mighty
in
battle,
and put
foreign
armies to flight.
Women
received back
their
dead,
raised to life again.
Others
were tortured
and refused
their
release,
so that
they might gain
a better
resurrection.
They were stoned,
they were sawed in two,
they were put to death
by
the sword.
They went around
in
sheepskins
and
goatskins,
destitute,
oppressed,
and mistreated.
The
world
was
not
worthy
of them.
They wandered
in
deserts
and
mountains,
and hid in
caves
and
holes
in the
ground.