Hebrews 11:4-39

4By faith 1Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he 2obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying 3about his 4gifts, and through 5faith, though 6he is dead, he still speaks. 5By faith 7Enoch was taken up so that he would not 8see death; and he was not found because God took him up; for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God. 6And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who 9comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. 7By faith 10Noah, being 11warned by God about 12things not yet seen, 1314in reverence 15prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of 16the righteousness which is according to faith.

8By faith 17Abraham, when he was called, obeyed 18by going out to a place which he was to 19receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9By faith he lived as an alien in 20the land of promise, as in a foreign land, 21dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, 22fellow heirs of the same promise; 10for he was looking for 23the city which has 24foundations, 25whose architect and builder is God. 11By faith even 26Sarah herself received 27ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him 28faithful who had promised. 12Therefore there was born even of one man, and 29him as good as dead 30at that, as many descendants 31as the stars of heaven in number, and innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.

1332All these died in faith, 33without receiving the promises, but 34having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and 35having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. 14For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. 15And indeed if they had been 36thinking of that country from which they went out, 37they would have had opportunity to return. 16But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a 38heavenly one. Therefore 39God is not 40ashamed to be 41called their God; for 42He has prepared a city for them.

17By faith 43Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had 44received the promises was offering up his only begotten son; 18it was he to whom it was said, “45In Isaac your 46descendants shall be called.” 1947He considered that 48God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which he also received him back 49as a 50type. 20By faith 51Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even regarding things to come. 21By faith 52Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and 53worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. 22By faith 54Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the exodus of the sons of Israel, and gave orders concerning his bones.

23By faith 55Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the 56king’s edict. 24By faith Moses, 57when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25choosing rather to 58endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 2659considering the reproach of 60Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the 61reward. 27By faith he 62left Egypt, not 63fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as 64seeing Him who is unseen. 28By faith he 6566kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that 67he who destroyed the firstborn would not touch them. 29By faith they 68passed through the Red Sea as though they were passing through dry land; and the Egyptians, when they attempted it, were 69drowned.

30By faith 70the walls of Jericho fell down 71after they had been encircled for seven days. 31By faith 72Rahab the harlot did not perish along with those who were disobedient, after she had welcomed the spies 73in peace.

32And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of 74Gideon, 75Barak, 76Samson, 77Jephthah, of 78David and 79Samuel and the prophets, 33who by faith 80conquered kingdoms, 81performed acts of righteousness, 82obtained promises, 83shut the mouths of lions, 3484quenched the power of fire, 85escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, 86became mighty in war, 87put foreign armies to flight. 3588Women received back their dead by resurrection; and others were tortured, not accepting their 89release, so that they might obtain a better resurrection; 36and others 90experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also 91chains and imprisonment. 37They were 92stoned, they were 93sawn in two, 94they were tempted, they were 95put to death with the sword; they went about 96in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, 97ill-treated 38(men of whom the world was not worthy), 98wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes 99in the ground.

39And all these, having 100101gained approval through their faith, 102did not receive 103what was promised,