By Faith

1 Now faith is the assurance of things ^ohoped for, the conviction of things ^pnot seen. 2 For by it the people of old received their commendation. 3 By faith we understand that ^qthe universe was created ^rby the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.

4 By faith ^sAbel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. 5 By faith ^tEnoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. 6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. 7 By faith ^uNoah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear ^vconstructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the ^wrighteousness that comes by faith.

8 By faith ^xAbraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith ^yhe went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the ^zcity that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. 11 By faith ^aSarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful ^bwho had promised. 12 Therefore from one man, and him ^cas good as dead, were born descendants ^das many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.

13 These all died in faith, ^enot having received the things promised, but having ^fseen them and greeted them from afar, and ^ghaving acknowledged that they were strangers and ^hexiles on the earth. 14 For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15 If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ⁱashamed to be called ^jtheir God, for he has prepared for them a city.

17 ^kBy faith Abraham, ^lwhen he was tested, ^moffered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, 18 of whom it was said, ⁿ“Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” 19 ^oHe considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. 20 By faith ^pIsaac invoked future blessings on Jacob ^qand Esau. 21 By faith ^rJacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, ^sbowing in worship over the head of his staff. 22 By faith ^tJoseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning ^uhis bones.

23 By faith ^vMoses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was ^wbeautiful, and they were not afraid of ^xthe king’s edict. 24 By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the ^yson of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26 He considered the ^zreproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the ^areward. 27 By faith ^bhe left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is ^cinvisible. 28 By faith ^dhe kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the ^eDestroyer of the firstborn might not touch them.

29 By faith ^fthe people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned. 30 By faith ^gthe walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. 31 ^hBy faith ⁱRahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.

32 And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of ^jGideon, ^kBarak, ^lSamson, ^mJephthah, of ⁿDavid and ^oSamuel and the prophets— 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, ^pstopped the mouths of lions, 34 ^qquenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. 35 ^rWomen received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. 36 ^sOthers suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were ^tstoned, they were sawn in two,¹ they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— 38 of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and ^uin dens and caves of the earth.

39 And all these, though ^vcommended through their faith, ^wdid not receive what was promised, 40 since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not ^xbe made perfect.

Blessed Are the Forgiven

A ^sMaskil¹ of David.