By Faith

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

4 By faith ^hAbel offered to God ⁱa more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And ^jthrough his faith, though he died, he ^kstill speaks. 5 By faith ^lEnoch 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 ^mmust believe that he exists and ^mthat he rewards those who seek him. 7 By faith ⁿNoah, being warned by God concerning ^oevents as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of ^pthe righteousness that comes by faith.

8 By faith ^qAbraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place ^rthat he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he went to live in ^sthe land of promise, as in a foreign land, ^tliving in tents ^uwith Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to ^vthe city that has ^wfoundations, ^xwhose designer and builder is God. 11 By faith ^ySarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered ^zhim faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore from one man, and ^ahim as good as dead, were born descendants ^bas many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.

13 These all died in faith, ^cnot having received the things promised, but ^dhaving seen them and greeted them from afar, and ^ehaving acknowledged that they were ^fstrangers and exiles 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, ^gthey 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 ashamed ^hto be called their God, for ⁱhe has prepared for them a city.

17 By faith ^jAbraham, when he was tested, offered 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, ^k“Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” 19 ^lHe considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. 20 By faith ^mIsaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau. 21 By faith ⁿJacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, ^obowing in worship over the head of his staff. 22 By faith ^pJoseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones.

23 By faith ^qMoses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of ^rthe king’s edict. 24 By faith Moses, when he was grown up, ^srefused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 ^tchoosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy ^uthe fleeting pleasures of sin. 26 ^vHe considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to ^wthe reward. 27 By faith he ^xleft Egypt, ^ynot being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured ^zas seeing him who is invisible. 28 By faith ^ahe kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them.

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

32 And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of ^fGideon, ^gBarak, ^hSamson, ⁱJephthah, of ^jDavid and ^kSamuel and the prophets— 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, ^lstopped the mouths of lions, 34 ^mquenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, ⁿbecame mighty in war, ⁿput foreign armies to flight. 35 ^oWomen received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. 36 Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even ^pchains and imprisonment. 37 ^qThey were stoned, they were sawn in two,^{1 r}they were killed with the sword. ^sThey went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— 38 of whom the world was not worthy—^twandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

39 And all these, ^uthough commended through their faith, ^udid not receive what was promised, 40 since God had provided something better for us, ^vthat apart from us they should not be made perfect.

Blessed Are the Forgiven

A Maskil¹ of David.