Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.

wherefore, also from one were begotten -- and that of one who had become dead -- as the stars of the heaven in multitude, and as sand that is by the sea-shore -- the innumerable.

All these died in the possession of faith. They had not received the promised blessings, but had seen them from a distance and had greeted them, and had acknowledged themselves to be foreigners and strangers here on earth;

And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.

But no, they were longing for a better, a heavenly, land! And therefore God was not ashamed to be called their God; indeed he had already prepared them a city.

By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,

as to whom it had been said, In Isaac shall thy seed be called:

concluding that God was able to raise him even from the dead; from whence indeed he had in a manner received him.

It was by faith that, when Jacob was dying, he blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bending in prayer over the head of his staff.

By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment.

By faith Moses, when he had become great, refused to be called son of Pharaoh's daughter;

Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.

By faith he forsook Egypt, and feared not the fierceness of the king. For he endured, even as he had seen him which is invisible.

By [having] faith, he established the Passover Festival [Note: This festival was first celebrated in Egypt by the fleeing Israelites, then observed annually in commemoration of that event], and had [lambs'] blood sprinkled [on the door jambs] to prevent the one who destroyed the firstborn children from touching them. [See Ex. 12:23].

By faith they went through the Red Sea as if it had been dry land, though the Egyptians were overcome by the water when they made an attempt to do the same.

By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they had been compassed about for seven days.

By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.

Put out the power of fire, got safely away from the edge of the sword, were made strong when they had been feeble, became full of power in war, and put to flight the armies of the nations.

Women had their dead given back to them living; others let themselves be cruelly attacked, having no desire to go free, so that they might have a better life to come;

And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:

They were stoned [to death], they were sawn in two, they were lured with tempting offers [to renounce their faith], they were put to death by the sword; they went about wrapped in the skins of sheep and goats, utterly destitute, oppressed, cruelly treated

They wandered across deserts and mountains, or hid themselves in caves and in holes in the ground.

And these all, having had witness borne to them through their faith, received not the promise,

because God had us in mind and had something better for us, so that they [these men and women of authentic faith] would not be made perfect [that is, completed in Him] apart from us.

Give thought to him who has undergone so much of the hate of sinners against himself, so that you may not be tired and feeble of purpose.

You have not had to shed blood yet in the struggle against sin.

And if you are left without discipline, of which every true son has had a share, that shows that you are bastards, and not true sons.

Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?

For you know that later on, when he wanted [to regain title to] his inheritance of the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no opportunity for repentance [there was no way to repair what he had done, no chance to recall the choice he had made], even though he sought for it with [bitter] tears.

For they could not endure the order which had been given, "Even a wild beast, if it touches the mountain, shall be stoned to death;"

See that ye refuse not him that speaks. For if those did not escape who had refused him who uttered the oracles on earth, much more we who turn away from him who does so from heaven:

Now this expression "yet once more" signifieth the removing of the things that are shaken, as of things which had been appointed only for a season, that those which cannot be shaken may remain.

Do not neglect to show kindness to strangers; for, in this way, some, without knowing it, have had angels as their guests.

Remember those who are in bonds, as if you yourselves had been bound, and those who suffer affliction, since you yourselves are in the body.

Let marriage be had in honor among all, and let the bed be undefiled: for fornicators and adulterers God will judge.

Remember them that had the rule over you, men that spake unto you the word of God; and considering the issue of their life, imitate their faith.

Be not carried about with divers and strange learning. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace, and not with meats, which have not profited them that have had their pastime in them.

For the blood of the animals offered as sacrifices for sin is brought by the head priest into the Holy of Holies, [but] their bodies are burned outside of the camp.

For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.

Of his purpose he gave us being, by his true word, so that we might be, in a sense, the first-fruits of all the things which he had made.

But he who looks carefully into a perfect law??hat of liberty??nd remains by it, becoming not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work??his man shall be happy in his doing.

for he that violates but one precept of the whole law, is as obnoxious to punishment, as if he had broke thro' all the rest.

For the man who has had no mercy will be judged without mercy, but mercy takes pride in overcoming judging.

Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?

Thou seest that, his faith, had been working together with his works, and by his works did his faith become full-grown, -

And the holy Writings were put into effect which said, And Abraham had faith in God and it was put to his account as righteousness; and he was named the friend of God.

Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?

You are jealous and covet [what others have] and your lust goes unfulfilled; so you murder. You are envious and cannot obtain [the object of your envy]; so you fight and battle. You do not have because you do not ask [it of God].

Be patient, then, Brothers, till the Coming of the Lord. Even the farmer has to wait for the precious fruit of the earth, watching over it patiently, till it has had the spring and summer rains.

And if their prayer is [offered] by faith, [God] will heal the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up [from his sickbed]. And if he had sinned, he will be forgiven for them [Note: This may imply that the man's sickness was the result of some sin. In any event, his forgiveness would follow his repentance].

Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.

You rejoice in this, though now for a short time you have had to struggle in various trials

To them it was revealed that they were serving not themselves but you, when they foretold the very things which have now been openly declared to you by those who, having been taught by the Holy Spirit which had been sent from Heaven, brought you the Good News. Angels long to stoop and look into these things.

Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep a clear head, and set your hope completely on the grace to be given you when Jesus, the Messiah, is revealed.

As obedient children, do not pattern your lives after the evil desires you formerly had when you were ignorant,

knowing, as you do, that it was not with a ransom of perishable wealth, such as silver or gold, that you were set free from your frivolous habits of life which had been handed down to you from your forefathers,

Because you have had a new birth, not from the seed of man, but from eternal seed, through the word of a living and unchanging God.

if you have had any experience of the goodness of the Lord.

Wherefore it is contained in the scripture, "Behold, I put in Zion a head cornerstone, elect and precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be ashamed."

Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,

Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

Submit yourselves unto all manner ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether it be unto the King as unto the chief head;

Show respect for all people [treat them honorably], love the brotherhood [of believers], fear God, honor the king.

Because, like sheep, you had gone out of the way; but now you have come back to him who keeps watch over your souls.

but let the hid man of the heart be uncorrupt, with a meek and a quiet spirit, which spirit is, before God, a thing much set by.

who once were disobedient, when the great patience of God was waiting in the days of Noah, during the building of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons [Noah’s family], were brought safely through the water.

who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him.

Therefore, since Christ has suffered physically, you people should fortify yourselves with the same attitude He had. For the person who has suffered physically [i.e., in standing for Christ] has quit sinning.

This is the purpose that the Gospel was preached to those who have died physically [for the faith]: It was so that, even though they had been judged physically [i.e., by suffering death at the hands of men], they could still live spiritually in the presence of God.

Dearly beloved, be not troubled in this heat, which now is come among you to try you, as though some strange thing had happened unto you:

be shepherds of the flock of God that is among you, not as though you had to but of your own free will, not from the motive of personal profit but freely,

In like manner, ye who are younger persons, be in subjection to your elders: but all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed from head to foot with humility: for God sets himself in opposition to the proud, but he giveth grace to the lowly.

For when we made known to you the power and Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, we were not eagerly following cleverly devised legends, but we had been eye-witnesses of His majesty.

For Jesus had received honor and glory from God, the Father, when [God's] voice came to Him from the Majestic Glory saying, "This is my dearly loved Son, and I am very pleased with Him."

We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:

knowing this first, that the scope of no prophecy of scripture is had from its own particular interpretation,

For these words did not ever come through the impulse of men: but the prophets had them from God, being moved by the Holy Spirit.

And through greedy desires and deceptive words they will exploit you [for evil purposes]. But the judgment that they have had coming for a long time, will not delay, but will eventually awaken [i.e., arrive] to bring destruction upon them.

For if God spared not the angels who had sinned, but having cast them down to the deepest pit of gloom has delivered them to chains of darkness to be kept for judgment;

and if He rescued the righteous man Lot, who had become very disturbed by unrestrained wickedness [of the people there in Sodom].

With eyes full of adultery, they cannot get enough of sin. They seduce unsteady souls and have had their hearts expertly trained in greed. They are doomed to a curse.

leaving the straight way, they have wandered off, following in the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the reward of iniquity; and had the conviction of his own conscience:

but had reproof of his own wickedness the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the folly of the prophet.

for overswellings of vanity speaking, they do entice in desires of the flesh -- lasciviousnesses, those who had truly escaped from those conducting themselves in error,

For if, after they had escaped the pollutions of the world, through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled and vanquished by them, their last state is worse than the first;

For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.

It has happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog turning to his own vomit again, and the sow that had washed to wallowing in the mire.

For they are willingly ignorant of this, that by the word of God, the heavens of old had their being as also the earth consisting of water and subsisting by water,

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

And as he said in all his letters, which had to do with these things; in which are some hard sayings, so that, like the rest of the holy Writings, they are twisted by those who are uncertain and without knowledge, to the destruction of their souls.

Ye, then, beloved, knowing before, take heed, lest, together with the error of the impious being led away, ye may fall from your own stedfastness,

Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.

He who says that he is in the light, and has hate in his heart for his brother, is still in the dark.

But he who has hate for his brother is in the dark, walking in the dark with no knowledge of where he is going, unable to see because of the dark.

I am writing to you, fathers,
because you have come to know
the One who is from the beginning.
I am writing to you, young men,
because you have had victory over the evil one.

I have written to you, children,
because you have come to know the Father.
I have written to you, fathers,
because you have come to know
the One who is from the beginning.
I have written to you, young men,
because you are strong,
God’s word remains in you,
and you have had victory over the evil one.

They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.

Think what love the Father has had for us, in letting us be called God's children, for that is what we are. This is why the world does not know what we are??ecause it has never come to know him.

No one who abides in Him [who remains united in fellowship with Him—deliberately, knowingly, and habitually] practices sin. No one who habitually sins has seen Him or known Him.