Hebrews 11:1-40 - Examples Of Faith In Action

¹ Faith, therefore, is the substance of things waited for, the evidence of things not seen. ² For by it the elders obtained a good report.

³ Through faith we understand that the ages were framed by the word of God, that which is seen being made of that which was not seen.

⁴ By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts, and by it he being dead yet speaks.

⁵ By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death, and was not found because God had translated him, for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. ⁶ But without faith it is impossible to please God; for he that comes to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of those that diligently seek him.

⁷ By faith Noah, having received revelation of things not seen as yet, with great care prepared an ark to the saving of his house, by which he condemned the world and was made heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

⁸ By faith Abraham, being called, hearkened to go out into the place which he should afterwards receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he went. ⁹ By faith he sojourned in the promised land, as in a strange country, dwelling in booths with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; ¹⁰ for he looked for a city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

¹¹ By faith also Sara herself being sterile received strength to conceive seed and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she believed him to be faithful who had promised. ¹² Therefore there sprang even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.

¹³ These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but seeing them afar off and believing them and embracing them and confessing that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. ¹⁴ For those that say such things declare plainly that they seek their native country. ¹⁵ And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from which they came out, they might have had time to have returned. ¹⁶ But now they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one; therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.

¹⁷ By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac, and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, ¹⁸ of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called, ¹⁹ accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence he also received him in a figure.

²⁰ By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning what they should become. ²¹ By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph, and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff. ²² By faith Joseph, as he died, made mention of the departing of the sons of Israel, and gave a commandment concerning his bones.

²³ By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months by his parents because they saw he was a beautiful child, and they were not afraid of the king's commandment. ²⁴ By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, ²⁵ choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, ²⁶ esteeming the reproach of the Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt, for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward.

²⁷ By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible. ²⁸ By faith he kept the passover and the sprinkling of the blood lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them. ²⁹ By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land, which the Egyptians attempted to do and were drowned.

³⁰ By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were compassed about seven days. ³¹ By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish together with the disobedient, having received the spies with peace.

³² And what shall I more say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon and of Barak and of Samson and of Jephthae, of David also and Samuel and of the prophets, ³³ who by faith won kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, ³⁴ quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, recovered from infirmities, were made valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of foreign enemies; ³⁵ women received their dead raised to life again, and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance that they might obtain a better resurrection; ³⁶ and others experienced cruel mockings and scourgings, and added to this, bonds and imprisonment; ³⁷ they were stoned; they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword; they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; poor, afflicted, mistreated, ³⁸ (of whom the world was not worthy); they wandered in deserts and in mountains and in dens and caves of the earth.

³⁹ And these all, approved by testimony of faith, received not the promise, ⁴⁰ God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.