1 N ow faith is being sure we will get what we hope for. It is being sure of what we cannot see.

Or la fede è certezza di cose che si sperano, dimostrazione di realtà che non si vedono.

2 G od was pleased with the men who had faith who lived long ago.

Infatti, per essa fu resa buona testimonianza agli antichi.

3 T hrough faith we understand that the world was made by the Word of God. Things we see were made from what could not be seen.

Per fede comprendiamo che i mondi sono stati formati dalla parola di Dio; così le cose che si vedono non sono state tratte da cose apparenti.

4 B ecause Abel had faith, he gave a better gift in worship to God than Cain. His gift pleased God. Abel was right with God. Abel died, but by faith he is still speaking to us.

Per fede Abele offrì a Dio un sacrificio più eccellente di quello di Caino; per mezzo di essa gli fu resa testimonianza che egli era giusto, quando Dio attestò di gradire le sue offerte; e per mezzo di essa, benché morto, egli parla ancora.

5 B ecause Enoch had faith, he was taken up from the earth without dying. He could not be found because God had taken him. The Holy Writings tell how he pleased God before he was taken up.

Per fede Enoc fu rapito perché non vedesse la morte, e non fu più trovato, perché Dio lo aveva portato via; infatti, prima che fosse portato via, ebbe la testimonianza di essere stato gradito a Dio.

6 A man cannot please God unless he has faith. Anyone who comes to God must believe that He is. That one must also know that God gives what is promised to the one who keeps on looking for Him.

Ora senza fede è impossibile piacergli, poiché chi si accosta a Dio deve credere che egli è, e che ricompensa tutti quelli che lo cercano.

7 B ecause Noah had faith, he built a large boat for his family. God told him what was going to happen. His faith made him hear God speak and he obeyed. His family was saved from death because he built the boat. In this way, Noah showed the world how sinful it was. Noah became right with God because of his faith in God.

Per fede Noè, divinamente avvertito di cose che non si vedevano ancora, con pio timore, preparò un’arca per la salvezza della sua famiglia; con la sua fede condannò il mondo e fu fatto erede della giustizia che si ha per mezzo della fede.

8 B ecause Abraham had faith, he obeyed God when God called him to leave his home. He was to go to another country that God promised to give him. He left his home without knowing where he was going.

Per fede Abraamo, quando fu chiamato, ubbidì, per andarsene in un luogo che egli doveva ricevere in eredità; e partì senza sapere dove andava.

9 H is faith in God kept him living as a stranger in the country God had promised to him. Isaac and Jacob had received the same promise. They all lived in tents together.

Per fede soggiornò nella terra promessa come in terra straniera, abitando in tende, come Isacco e Giacobbe, eredi con lui della stessa promessa,

10 A braham was looking to God and waiting for a city that could not be moved. It was a city planned and built by God.

perché aspettava la città che ha le vere fondamenta e il cui architetto e costruttore è Dio.

11 B ecause Sarah had faith, she was able to have a child long after she was past the age to have children. She had faith to believe that God would do what He promised.

Per fede anche Sara, benché sterile e fuori di età, ricevette forza di concepire, perché ritenne fedele colui che aveva fatto la promessa.

12 A braham was too old to have children. But from this one man came a family with as many in it as the stars in the sky and as many as the sand by the sea.

Perciò da una sola persona, e già svigorita, è nata una discendenza numerosa come le stelle del cielo, come la sabbia lungo la riva del mare che non si può contare.

13 T hese people all died having faith in God. They did not receive what God had promised to them. But they could see far ahead to all the things God promised and they were glad for them. They knew they were strangers here. This earth was not their home.

Tutti costoro sono morti nella fede, senza ricevere le cose promesse, ma le hanno vedute e salutate da lontano, confessando di essere forestieri e pellegrini sulla terra.

14 P eople who say these things show they are looking for a country of their own.

Infatti, chi dice così dimostra di cercare una patria;

15 T hey did not think about the country they had come from. If they had, they might have gone back.

e se avessero avuto a cuore quella da cui erano usciti, certo avrebbero avuto tempo di ritornarvi!

16 B ut they wanted a better country. And so God is not ashamed to be called their God. He has made a city for them.

Ma ora ne desiderano una migliore, cioè quella celeste; perciò Dio non si vergogna di essere chiamato il loro Dio, poiché ha preparato loro una città.

17 B ecause Abraham had faith, when he was tested, he gave his son Isaac as a gift on the altar in worship. God had made a promise to Abraham that He would give him a son. And yet Abraham was willing to give his only son as a gift on the altar in worship.

Per fede Abraamo, quando fu messo alla prova, offrì Isacco; egli, che aveva ricevuto le promesse, offrì il suo unigenito.

18 G od had said to Abraham, “Your family will come from Isaac.”

Eppure Dio gli aveva detto: «È in Isacco che ti sarà data una discendenza ».

19 A braham believed God was able to bring Isaac back to life again. And so it may be said that Abraham did receive him back from death.

Abraamo era persuaso che Dio è potente da risuscitare anche i morti; e riebbe Isacco come per una specie di risurrezione.

20 B ecause Isaac had faith, he said that good would come to Jacob and Esau in the future.

Per fede Isacco benedisse Giacobbe ed Esaù anche riguardo a cose future.

21 B ecause Jacob had faith, he said that good would come to each of Joseph’s sons as he was dying. He used his walking stick to hold him up as he prayed to God.

Per fede Giacobbe, morente, benedisse ciascuno dei figli di Giuseppe e adorò appoggiandosi in cima al suo bastone.

22 B ecause Joseph had faith, he spoke of the Jews leaving the country of Egypt. He was going to die soon, and he told them to bury his body in the country where they were going.

Per fede Giuseppe, quando stava per morire, fece menzione dell’esodo dei figli d’Israele e diede disposizioni circa le sue ossa.

23 B ecause of faith, Moses, after he was born, was hidden by his parents for three months. They saw that he was a beautiful child. They were not afraid of the king when he said that all baby boys should be killed.

Per fede Mosè, quando nacque, fu tenuto nascosto per tre mesi dai suoi genitori, perché videro che il bambino era bello, e non ebbero paura dell’editto del re.

24 B ecause Moses had faith, he would not be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter when he grew up.

Per fede Mosè, fattosi grande, rifiutò di essere chiamato figlio della figlia del faraone,

25 H e chose to suffer with God’s people instead of having fun doing sinful things for awhile.

preferendo essere maltrattato con il popolo di Dio che godere per breve tempo i piaceri del peccato,

26 A ny shame that he suffered for Christ was worth more than all the riches in Egypt. He kept his eyes on the reward God was going to give him.

stimando gli oltraggi di Cristo ricchezza maggiore dei tesori d’Egitto, perché aveva lo sguardo rivolto alla ricompensa.

27 B ecause Moses had faith, he left Egypt. He was not afraid of the king’s anger. Moses did not turn from the right way but kept seeing God in front of him.

Per fede abbandonò l’Egitto, senza temere la collera del re, perché rimase costante, come se vedesse colui che è invisibile.

28 B ecause Moses had faith, he told all the Jews to put blood over their doors. Then the angel of death would pass over their houses and not kill their oldest sons.

Per fede celebrò la Pasqua e fece l’aspersione del sangue affinché lo sterminatore dei primogeniti non toccasse quelli degli Israeliti.

29 B ecause the Jews had faith, they went through the Red Sea as if they were on dry ground. But when the people of Egypt tried to go through, they were all killed by the water.

Per fede passarono attraverso il mar Rosso come su terra asciutta, mentre gli Egiziani che tentarono di fare la stessa cosa furono inghiottiti.

30 B ecause the Jews had faith, the walls of the city of Jericho fell down after the Jews had walked around the city for seven days.

Per fede caddero le mura di Gerico dopo che gli Israeliti vi ebbero girato attorno per sette giorni.

31 B ecause Rahab had faith, she was kept from being killed along with those who did not obey God. She was a woman who sold the use of her body. But she helped the men who had come in secret to look over the country. There Were Many More Who Had Faith in God

Per fede Raab, la prostituta, non perì con gli increduli, avendo accolto con benevolenza le spie.

32 W hat more should I say? There is not enough time to tell of Gideon and of Barak and of Samson and of Jephthah and of David and of Samuel and of the early preachers.

Che dirò di più? Poiché il tempo mi mancherebbe per raccontare di Gedeone, Barac, Sansone, Iefte, Davide, Samuele e dei profeti,

33 I t was because these people had faith that they won wars over other countries. They were good leaders. They received what God promised to them. They closed the mouths of lions

i quali per fede conquistarono regni, praticarono la giustizia, ottennero l’adempimento di promesse, chiusero le fauci dei leoni,

34 a nd stopped fire that was burning. They got away from being killed with swords. They were made strong again after they had been weak and sick. They were strong in war. They made fighting men from other countries run home.

spensero la violenza del fuoco, scamparono al taglio della spada, guarirono da infermità, divennero forti in guerra, misero in fuga eserciti stranieri.

35 I t was because some women had faith that they received their dead back to life. Others chose to be beaten instead of being set free, because they would not turn against God. In this way, they would be raised to a better life.

Ci furono donne che riebbero per risurrezione i loro morti; altri furono torturati perché non accettarono la loro liberazione, per ottenere una risurrezione migliore;

36 O thers were talked against. Some were beaten. Some were put in chains and in prison.

altri furono messi alla prova con scherni, frustate, anche catene e prigionia.

37 T hey were killed by stones being thrown at them. People were cut in pieces. They were tested. They were killed with swords. They wore skins of sheep and goats and had nothing they could call their own. They were hungry and sick. Everyone was bad to them.

Furono lapidati, segati, uccisi di spada; andarono attorno coperti di pelli di pecora e di capra; bisognosi, afflitti, maltrattati

38 T hey walked around in deserts and in mountains. They looked for caves and holes in the earth to live in. They were too good for this world.

(di loro il mondo non era degno), erranti per deserti, monti, spelonche e per le grotte della terra.

39 I t was because of their faith that God was pleased with them. But they did not receive what God had promised.

Tutti costoro, pur avendo avuto buona testimonianza per la loro fede, non ottennero ciò che era stato promesso;

40 G od had planned something better for us. These men could not be made perfect without us.

perché Dio aveva in vista per noi qualcosa di meglio, in modo che loro non giungessero alla perfezione senza di noi.