1 A hora bien, la fe es la certeza de lo que se espera, la convicción de lo que no se ve.

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 ella recibieron aprobación los antiguos.

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 que el universo fue preparado por la palabra de Dios, de modo que lo que se ve no fue hecho de cosas visibles.

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 P or la fe Abel ofreció a Dios un mejor sacrificio que Caín, por lo cual alcanzó el testimonio de que era justo, dando Dios testimonio de sus ofrendas; y por la fe, estando muerto, todavía habla.

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 trasladado al cielo para que no viera muerte; y no fue hallado porque Dios lo traslado; porque antes de ser trasladado recibió 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 Y sin fe es imposible agradar a Dios; porque es necesario que el que se acerca a Dios crea que El existe, y que es remunerador 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, siendo advertido por Dios acerca de cosas que aún no se veían, con temor preparó un arca para la salvación de su casa, por la cual condenó al mundo, y llegó a ser heredero de la justicia que es según 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, al ser llamado, obedeció, saliendo para un lugar que había de recibir como herencia; y salió sin saber adónde 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 como extranjero en la tierra de la promesa como en tierra extraña, viviendo en tiendas como Isaac y Jacob, coherederos 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 que tiene cimientos, cuyo arquitecto y constructor es Dios.

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

11 T ambién por la fe Sara misma recibió fuerza para concebir, aun pasada ya la edad propicia, pues consideró fiel al 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 nació de uno (y éste casi muerto con respecto a esto) una descendencia como las estrellas del cielo en numero, e innumerable como la arena que esta 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 T odos éstos murieron en fe, sin haber recibido las promesas, pero habiéndolas visto y aceptado con gusto desde lejos, confesando que eran extranjeros y peregrinos 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 dicen tales cosas, claramente dan a entender que buscan una patria propia.

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

15 Y si en verdad hubieran estado pensando en aquella patria de donde salieron, habrían tenido oportunidad de volver.

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 P ero en realidad, anhelan una patria mejor, es decir, celestial. Por lo cual, Dios no se avergüenza de ser llamado Dios de ellos, pues les ha preparado una 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 Abraham, cuando fue probado, ofreció a Isaac; y el que había recibido las promesas ofrecía a su único hijo;

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 f ue a él a quien se le dijo: En Isaac te sera llamada descendencia.

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

19 E l consideró que Dios era poderoso para levantar aun de entre los muertos, de donde también, en sentido figurado, lo volvió a recibir.

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 bendijo Isaac a Jacob y a Esaú, aun respecto a cosas futuras.

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

21 P or la fe Jacob, al morir, bendijo a cada uno de los hijos de José, y adoró, apoyándose sobre el extremo de su bastón.

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, al morir, mencionó el éxodo de los hijos de Israel, y dio instrucciones 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, cuando nació, fue escondido por sus padres durante tres meses, porque vieron que era un niño hermoso y no temieron el edicto 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, cuando era ya grande, rehusó ser llamado hijo de la hija de 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 maltratado con el pueblo de Dios, que gozar de los placeres temporales del 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 c onsiderando como mayores riquezas el oprobio de Cristo que los tesoros de Egipto; porque tenía la mirada puesta en la recompensa.

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 salió de Egipto sin temer la ira del rey, porque se mantuvo firme como viendo al Invisible.

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 rociamiento de la sangre, para que el exterminador de 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 Rojo como por tierra seca, y cuando los egipcios lo intentaron hacer, se ahogaron.

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, después de ser rodeados por siete días.

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

31 P or la fe la ramera Rahab no pereció con los desobedientes, por haber recibido a los espías en 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 diré? Pues el tiempo me faltaría para contar de Gedeón, Barac, Sansón, Jefté, David, Samuel y 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 uienes por la fe conquistaron reinos, hicieron justicia, obtuvieron promesas, cerraron bocas de leones,

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

34 a pagaron la violencia del fuego, escaparon del filo de la espada; siendo débiles, fueron hechos fuertes, se hicieron poderosos en la guerra, pusieron en fuga a ejércitos extranjeros.

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 a sus muertos mediante la resurrección; y otros fueron torturados, no aceptando su liberación, a fin de obtener una 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 hasta cadenas y prisiones.

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

37 F ueron apedreados, aserrados, tentados, muertos a espada; anduvieron de aquí para allá cubiertos con pieles de ovejas y de cabras; destituidos, afligidos, 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 ( de los cuales el mundo no era digno), errantes por desiertos y montañas, por cuevas y 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, habiendo obtenido aprobación por su 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 orque Dios había provisto algo mejor para nosotros, a fin de que ellos no fueran hechos perfectos 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.