1 A hora bien, la fe es la firme seguridad de las realidades que se esperan, la prueba convincente 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 alcanzaron buen testimonio 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 enteramente organizado por la palabra de Dios, de modo que lo que se ve fue hecho de cosas no 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 más excelente sacrificio que Caín, por lo cual alcanzó testimonio de que era justo, dando Dios testimonio sobre sus ofrendas; y muerto, 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 trasladado para no ver muerte, y no fue hallado, porque lo trasladó Dios; y antes que fuese trasladado, 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 Y sin fe es imposible agradar a Dios; porque es necesario que el que se acerca a Dios crea que le hay, 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, cuando fue advertido por Dios acerca de cosas que aún no se veían, con reverencia preparó un arca para salvación de su casa; y por esa fe condenó al mundo, y fue hecho 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, siendo llamado, obedeció para salir al 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 prometida como en tierra ajena, morando en tiendas con 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 fundamentos, cuyo artífice 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 P or la fe, también la misma Sara, siendo estéril, recibió poder para concebir; y dio a luz aun fuera del tiempo de la edad, porque creyó que era fiel quien 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 ése ya muerto en cuanto a esto, salió una descendencia 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 C onforme a la fe murieron todos éstos sin haber recibido lo prometido, sino mirándolo de lejos, y creyéndolo, y saludándolo, y 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 esto dicen, claramente dan a entender que buscan una patria;

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

15 p ues si hubiesen estado recordándose de aquella de donde salieron, ciertamente tenían tiempo 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 aspiran a una mejor, esto es, celestial; por lo cual Dios no se avergüenza de llamarse Dios de ellos; porque 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 unigénito,

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 h abiéndosele dicho: En Isaac te será llamada descendencia;

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

19 c onsiderando que Dios es poderoso para levantar aun de entre los muertos, de donde, en sentido figurado, también le 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 respecto a cosas venideras.

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 apoyado sobre el extremo de su bordón.

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 la salida de los hijos de Israel, y dio órdenes 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 el niño era hermoso, y no temieron el decreto 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 llamarse 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 deleites 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 t eniendo por mayores riquezas el vituperio de Cristo que los tesoros de los egipcios; porque tenía puesta la mirada en el galardón.

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 abandonó Egipto, no temiendo la cólera 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 la aspersión de la sangre, para que el exterminador de los primogénitos no los tocase a ellos.

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 por el Mar Rojo como por tierra seca; e intentando los egipcios hacer lo mismo, fueron ahogados.

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 durante 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 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 digo? Porque el tiempo me faltaría para contar de Gedeón, de Barac, de Sansón, de Jefté, de David, así como 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 mediante la fe conquistaron reinos, hicieron justicia, alcanzaron promesas, taparon bocas de leones,

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

34 a pagaron fuegos impetuosos, escaparon del filo de la espada, se revistieron de poder, siendo débiles, se hicieron fuertes en batallas, 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 sus muertos mediante resurrección; mas otros fueron torturados, no aceptando el rescate, 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 a más de esto prisiones y cárceles.

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

37 F ueron apedreados, aserrados, puestos a prueba, muertos a filo de espada; anduvieron de acá para allá cubiertos con pieles de ovejas y de cabras, menesterosos, atribulados, 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; errando 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, aunque alcanzaron buen testimonio mediante la fe, no recibieron lo prometido;

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 para nosotros algo mejor, para que no fuesen ellos perfeccionados aparte de 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.