1 ¶ Es pues la fe, la sustancia de las cosas que se esperan, la demostración de las cosas que no se ven.

Now 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.

2 P orque por ésta alcanzaron testimonio los ancianos.

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

3 P or la fe entendemos haber sido compuestos los siglos por la palabra de Dios, siendo hecho lo que se ve, de lo que no se veía.

By 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.

4 ¶ Por la fe, Abel ofreció a Dios mayor sacrificio que Caín; por la cual alcanzó testimonio de que era justo, dando Dios testimonio a sus presentes, y difunto, aún habla por ella.

by 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.

5 P or la fe, Enoc fue traspuesto para no ver muerte, y no fue hallado, porque lo traspuso Dios; y antes que fuera traspuesto tuvo testimonio de haber agradado a Dios.

Because 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.

6 P ero sin fe es imposible agradar a Dios, porque es necesario que el que a Dios se allega, crea que existe, y que es galardonador de los que le buscan.

But 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.

7 P or la fe, Noé habiendo recibido revelación de cosas que aun no se veían, aparejó con mucho cuidado el arca en que su casa se salvara; arca por la cual condenó al mundo, y fue hecho heredero de la justicia que es por la fe.

by 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).

8 P or la fe, Abraham siendo llamado, oyó para salir al lugar que había de recibir por heredad; y salió sin saber a dónde iba.

by 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.

9 P or la fe, habitó en la tierra prometida como en tierra ajena, morando en cabañas con Isaac y Jacob, herederos juntamente de la misma promesa;

by 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.

10 p orque esperaba la ciudad con fundamentos, el artífice y hacedor de la cual es Dios.

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

11 P or la fe también la misma Sara, (siendo estéril) recibió fuerza para concebir generación; y dio a luz aun fuera del tiempo de la edad, porque creyó ser fiel el que lo había prometido.

Because 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.

12 P or lo cual también de uno, y ese ya muerto, salieron como las estrellas del cielo en multitud, y como la arena innumerable que está a la orilla del mar.

So 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.

13 E n fe murieron todos éstos sin haber recibido las promesas; sino mirándolas de lejos, y creyéndolas, y abrazándolas; y confesando que eran peregrinos y advenedizos sobre la tierra.

These 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.

14 P orque los que esto dicen, claramente dan a entender que buscan su patria natural.

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

15 Q ue si se acordaran de aquella de donde salieron, cierto tenían tiempo para volverse;

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

16 m as empero deseaban la mejor, es a saber, la celestial, por lo cual Dios no se avergüenza de llamarse Dios de ellos; porque les había aparejado ciudad.

But 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.

17 P or la fe, ofreció Abraham a Isaac cuando fue probado; y ofrecía al unigénito en el cual había recibido las promesas,

By 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,

18 ( habiéndole sido dicho: En Isaac te será llamada simiente);

Of whom it was said, Through Isaac shall your descendants be reckoned.

19 p ensando dentro de sí, que aun de los muertos es Dios poderoso para levantar, por lo cual también le volvió a recibir por figura.

For 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.

20 P or la fe también bendijo Isaac a Jacob y a Esaú de lo que habían de ser.

faith Isaac, looking far into the future, invoked blessings upon Jacob and Esau.

21 P or la fe, Jacob muriéndose bendijo a cada uno de los hijos de José; y adoró estribando sobre la punta de su vara.

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

22 P or la fe, José, muriéndose, se acordó de la partida de los hijos de Israel; y dio mandamiento acerca de sus huesos.

by 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.

23 P or la fe, Moisés, nacido, fue escondido por sus padres por tres meses, porque le vieron hermoso niño; y no temieron el mandamiento del rey.

by 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.

24 P or la fe, Moisés, hecho ya grande, rehusó ser hijo de la hija del Faraón,

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

25 e scogiendo antes ser afligido con el pueblo de Dios, que gozar de comodidades temporales de pecado.

Because 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.

26 T eniendo por mayores riquezas el vituperio del Cristo que los tesoros de los egipcios, porque miraba a la remuneración.

He 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).

27 P or la fe, dejó a Egipto no temiendo la ira del rey; porque como aquel que ve al Invisible se esforzó.

by 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.

28 P or la fe, celebró la pascua y el derramamiento de la sangre, para que el que mataba los primogénitos no los tocara.

By 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.

29 P or la fe, pasaron el mar Bermejo como por tierra seca, lo cual probando los egipcios, fueron consumidos.

by 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.

30 P or la fe, cayeron los muros de Jericó con rodearlos siete días.

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

31 P or la fe, Rahab la ramera no pereció juntamente con los desobedientes habiendo recibido a los espías con paz.

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

32 ¶ ¿Y qué más digo? Porque el tiempo me faltará contando de Gedeón, de Barac, de Sansón, de Jefté, de David, de Samuel, y de los profetas,

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

33 q ue por fe ganaron reinos, obraron justicia, alcanzaron promesas, taparon las bocas de los leones,

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

34 a pagaron fuegos impetuosos, evitaron filo de espada, convalecieron de enfermedades, fueron hechos fuertes en batallas, trastornaron campos de enemigos extraños;

Extinguished 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.

35 l as mujeres recibieron sus muertos por resurrección, unos fueron estirados, menospreciando la vida, para ganar mejor resurrección.

women 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.

36 O tros experimentaron vituperios, y azotes; y a más de esto prisiones y cárceles.

Others had to suffer the trial of mocking and scourging and even chains and imprisonment.

37 O tros fueron apedreados, otros cortados en piezas, otros tentados, otros muertos a espada; otros anduvieron perdidos cubiertos de pieles de ovejas y de cabras, pobres, angustiados, maltratados,

They 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—

38 d e los cuales el mundo no era digno; errantes por los desiertos, por los montes, por las cuevas y por las cavernas de la tierra.

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

39 Y todos éstos, aprobados por testimonio de la fe, no recibieron la promesa,

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

40 p roveyendo Dios alguna cosa mejor para nosotros, que aquellos no fueran perfeccionados sin nosotros.

Because 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.