1 N ow faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things hope for, being the proof of things do not see and the conviction of their reality.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

2 F or by '> trust and holy fervor born of faith] the men of old had divine testimony borne to them and obtained a good report.

For by it the elders obtained a good report.

3 B y faith we understand that the worlds were framed (fashioned, put in order, and equipped for their intended purpose) by the word of God, so that what we see was not made out of things which are visible.

Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

4 b y faith Abel brought God a better and more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, because of which it was testified of him that he was righteous, and God bore witness by accepting and acknowledging his gifts. And though he died, yet he is still speaking.

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 speaketh.

5 B ecause of faith Enoch was caught up and transferred to heaven, so that he did not have a glimpse of death; and he was not found, because God had translated him. For even before he was taken to heaven, he received testimony that he had pleased and been satisfactory to God.

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 B ut without faith it is impossible to please and be satisfactory to Him. For whoever would come near to God must believe that God exists and that He is the rewarder of those who earnestly and diligently seek Him.

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

7 b y faith Noah, being forewarned by God concerning events of which as yet there was no visible sign, took heed and diligently and reverently constructed and prepared an ark for the deliverance of his own family. By this he passed judgment and sentence on the world’s unbelief and became an heir and possessor of righteousness ( that relation of being right into which God puts the person who has faith).

By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

8 b y faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed and went forth to a place which he was destined to receive as an inheritance; and he went, although he did not know or trouble his mind about where he was to go.

By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

9 b y faith he dwelt as a temporary resident in the land which was designated in the promise in a strange country, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs with him of the same promise.

By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:

10 F or he was looking forward to the city which has fixed and firm foundations, whose Architect and Builder is God.

For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

11 B ecause of faith also Sarah herself received physical power to conceive a child, even when she was long past the age for it, because she considered Who had given her the promise to be reliable and trustworthy and true to His word.

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.

12 S o from one man, though he was physically as good as dead, there have sprung descendants whose number is as the stars of heaven and as countless as the innumerable sands on the seashore.

Therefore sprang there 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 T hese people all died controlled and sustained by their faith, but not having received the tangible fulfillment of promises, only having seen it and greeted it from a great distance by faith, and all the while acknowledging and confessing that they were strangers and temporary residents and exiles upon the earth.

These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

14 N ow those people who talk as they did show plainly that they are in search of a fatherland (their own country).

For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.

15 I f they had been thinking with remembrance of that country from which they were emigrants, they would have found constant opportunity to return to it.

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

16 B ut the truth is that they were yearning for and aspiring to a better and more desirable country, that is, a heavenly. For that reason God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.

But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

17 B y faith Abraham, when he was put to the test '> still in progress], had already brought Isaac for an offering; he who had gladly received and welcomed promises was ready to sacrifice his only son,

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

18 O f whom it was said, Through Isaac shall your descendants be reckoned.

Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:

19 F or he reasoned that God was able to raise up even from among the dead. Indeed in the sense that Isaac was figuratively dead, he did receive him back from the dead.

Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.

20 f aith Isaac, looking far into the future, invoked blessings upon Jacob and Esau.

By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.

21 b y faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons and bowed in prayer over the top of his staff.

By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff.

22 b y faith Joseph, when nearing the end of his life, referred to the departure of the Israelites out of Egypt and gave instructions concerning the burial of his own bones.

By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones.

23 b y faith Moses, after his birth, was kept concealed for three months by his parents, because they saw how comely the child was; and they were not overawed and terrified by the king’s decree.

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.

24 b y faith Moses, when he had grown to maturity and become great, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter,

By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter;

25 B ecause he preferred to share the oppression and bear the shame of the people of God rather than to have the fleeting enjoyment of a sinful life.

Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;

26 H e considered the contempt and abuse and shame the Christ (the Messiah Who was to come) to be greater wealth than all the treasures of Egypt, for he looked forward and away to the reward (recompense).

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

27 b y faith he left Egypt behind him, being unawed and undismayed by the wrath of the king; for he never flinched but held staunchly to his purpose and endured steadfastly as one who gazed on Him Who is invisible.

By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.

28 B y faith (simple trust and confidence in God) he instituted and carried out the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn (the angel) might not touch those.

Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.

29 b y faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but when the Egyptians tried to do the same thing they were swallowed up.

By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.

30 B ecause of faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encompassed for seven days.

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

31 b y faith Rahab the prostitute was not destroyed along with those who refused to believe and obey, because she had received the spies in peace.

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

32 A nd what shall I say further? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets,

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 W ho by faith subdued kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promised blessings, closed the mouths of lions,

Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions.

34 E xtinguished the power of raging fire, escaped the devourings of the sword, out of frailty and weakness won strength and became stalwart, even mighty and resistless in battle, routing alien hosts.

Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.

35 w omen received again their dead by a resurrection. Others were tortured to death with clubs, refusing to accept release, so that they might be resurrected to a better life.

Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:

36 O thers had to suffer the trial of mocking and scourging and even chains and imprisonment.

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

37 T hey were stoned to death; they were lured with tempting offers; they were sawn asunder; they were slaughtered by the sword; they had to go about wrapped in the skins of sheep and goats, utterly destitute, oppressed, cruelly treated—

They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;

38 o f whom the world was not worthy—roaming over the desolate places and the mountains, and in caves and caverns and holes of the earth.

(Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

39 A nd all of these, though they won divine approval by their faith, did not receive the fulfillment of what was promised,

And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:

40 B ecause God had us in mind and had something better and greater in view for us, so that they should not come to perfection apart from us.

God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.