Hebrews 11:4-38

4By faith 1Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he was 2attested to be 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 before he was taken up, he was attested to have been pleasing to God. 6And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for the one who 9comes to God must believe that He exists, and that He proves to be One who rewards 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 left, not knowing where he was going. 9By faith he lived as a stranger in 20the land of promise, as in a foreign land, 21living 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 even from one man, and 29one who was as good as dead 30at that, there were born descendants who were 31just as the stars of heaven in number, and as the innumerable grains of sand along the seashore.

1332All these died in faith, 33without receiving the promises, but 34having seen and 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 which they left, 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 the one who had 44received the promises was offering up his 45only son; 18it was he to whom it was said, “46Through Isaac your 47descendants shall be named.” 1948He considered that 49God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which he also received him back 50as a 5152type. 20By faith 53Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even regarding things to come. 21By faith 54Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and 55worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. 22By faith 56Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the exodus of the sons of Israel, and gave orders concerning his bones.

23By faith 57Moses, 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 58king’s edict. 24By faith Moses, 59when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25choosing rather to 60endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the temporary pleasures of sin, 2661considering the 62reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the 63reward. 27By faith he 64left Egypt, not 65fearing the wrath of the king; for he persevered, as though 66seeing Him who is unseen. 28By faith he 6768kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that 69the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch them. 29By faith they 70passed through the Red Sea as through dry land; and the Egyptians, when they attempted it, were 71drowned.

30By faith 72the walls of Jericho fell down 7374after the Israelites had marched around them for seven days. 31By faith the prostitute 75Rahab did not perish along with those who were disobedient, after she had welcomed the spies 76in peace.

32And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of 77Gideon, 78Barak, 79Samson, 80Jephthah, of 81David and 82Samuel and the prophets, 33who by faith 83conquered kingdoms, 84performed acts of righteousness, 85obtained promises, 86shut the mouths of lions, 3487quenched the power of fire, 88escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, 89became mighty in war, 90put foreign armies to flight. 3591Women received back their dead by resurrection; and others were tortured, not accepting their 92release, so that they might obtain a better resurrection; 36and others 93experienced mocking and flogging, and further, 94chains and imprisonment. 37They were 95stoned, they were sawn in two, 96they were tempted, they were 97put to death with the sword; they went about 98in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, 99tormented 38(people of whom the world was not worthy), 100wandering in deserts, on mountains, and sheltering in caves and holes 101in the ground.