Hebrews 11:1-40 - Examples Of Faith In Action
1 Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, and evidence of things not seen. 2 God approved of the men of old because of their faith.
3 By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the Word of God. The visible has been made out of things that were not visible.
4 By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain. Through this he was commended as righteous. God testified about his gifts. Thus through faith he still speaks even though he is dead.
5 By faith Enoch was moved (transferred) (removed) so that he would not see death. He was not found, because God had moved him away. Before he was moved away he saw that he had pleased God well. (Genesis 5:24) 6 Without faith it is impossible to please God. He who comes to God must believe that he is and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
7 By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not seen as yet, moved with godly respect. He prepared an ark to save his house. By his faith he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that is according to faith.
8 By faith, when Abraham was called, he obeyed. He went to a place that he was to receive for an inheritance. He went even though he did not know where he was going. 9 By faith he became an alien in the Promised Land. It was not his land. He lived in tents with Isaac and Jacob. They were heirs with him of the same promise. 10 He looked for the city having real foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
11 By faith Sarah received strength to conceive seed when she was past age, since she counted him faithful who promised. 12 This was to come from one man and him as good as dead. There were born children, as many as the stars of heaven in multitude, and as uncountable as the sand by the seashore.
13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them and greeted them from afar. They confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14 Those who say such things declare that they are seeking a country of their own. 15 If indeed they had been thinking of that country from which they came, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 They desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Because of this, God is not ashamed to be called their God. He has prepared a city for them!
17 By faith Abraham, being tested, offered up Isaac. He that had gladly received the promises was offering up his only-begotten son! 18 It was said: In Isaac your descendants will be called. 19 Abraham reasoned that God is able to raise him from the dead. So he figured he would receive him back.
20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even concerning things to come. 21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph. He worshipped while leaning upon the top of his staff. 22 By faith Joseph, when his end was near, mentioned the departure of the children of Israel. Then he gave orders concerning his bones.
23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents. They saw he was a beautiful child and they were not afraid of the king's edict. 24 By faith Moses, when he grew up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter. 25 He chose to share the bad treatment with the people of God, rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. 26 He considered the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt. He looked intently (respectfully) for the payment of the reward.
27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the anger of the king. He endured, by seeing him who is invisible. 28 By faith he kept the Passover, and the sprinkling of the blood, that the destroyer of the firstborn should not touch them. 29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea as though they were on dry land. The Egyptians tried and were drowned.
30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they had been encircled for seven days. 31 By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish with the disobedient, after she welcomed the spies in peace.
32 What more shall I say? For the time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, 33 who through faith subdued kingdoms, affected righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, and turned to flight foreign armies. 35 Women received their dead by a resurrection, and others were tortured, not accepting their deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection: 36 And others had trial of cruel mocking and scourging and bonds and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawed in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword; they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented. 38 The world was not worthy of them! They wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, did not receive the promise. 40 God provided something better for us that they might not be made perfect without us.