11:1 Now faith is a sure hope, a conviction about what is not seen;

11:2 this is what the elders were known for.

11:3 By faith we grasp that the ages have been completed by the declaration of God, such that the hidden has become obvious.

11:4 By faith Abel brought a better sacrifice to God than Cain did; he was justified in God’s sight because of his offerings. Even though he is dead, he still speaks through this.

11:5 By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not experience death; he was not found because God took him away. Before this, he was known to have pleased God.

11:6 Now apart from faith it is impossible to please God, for whoever comes to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

11:7 By faith Noah, being given divine revelation about what was not yet seen, paid attention and fully equipped the ark for the rescue of his household, through which he condemned the world and became an heir of justice.

11:8 By faith Abraham obeyed the call to leave for a place he would later inherit, without even knowing where he was going.

11:9 By faith he traveled into the promised land as a foreigner, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, joint heirs of the same promise.

11:10 He waited for the city with foundations whose designer and architect is God.

11:11 By faith Sarah herself, although she was unable to have children, also took hold of the power of the first installment on her descendants, because even though she was well past her prime, she considered the One making the authoritative teaching to be faithful.

11:12 So these children all came from one who was beyond hope of having children; they are as innumerable as the constellations of the heavens, and as uncountable as the sand on the seashore.

11:13 These all died still believing, without having received the promises, but seeing them from a distance and looking forward to them. They spoke openly about their being strangers and exiles on the earth.

11:14 For those who speak like this admit that they seek their own country.

11:15 Of course, they remember the place they left and have every opportunity to return.

11:16 But instead, they long for a better one— a heavenly one. That’s why God is not ashamed of them or to be called their God, and he prepared a city for them.

11:17 By faith Abraham tried to sacrifice Isaac; he who received the promises was trying to sacrifice his only son,

11:18 the one about whom it was said, “Descendants will come from you through Isaac.”

11:19 But Abraham determined that God was able to raise the dead, and in a way, he really did.

11:20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau about what was to come.

11:21 By faith Jacob, who was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons and worshiped while leaning on his staff.

11:22 By faith Joseph, near the end of his life, remembered about the exodus of Israel and gave instructions about his bones.

11:23 By faith the parents of Moses hid him for his first three months, because they saw that the child was gifted, and they did not fear the king’s decree.

11:24 By faith Moses, when he grew up, disowned himself from being called the son of the daughter of Pharaoh,

11:25 preferring to be mistreated with the people of God rather than enjoying a temporary life of ease.

11:26 He considered the shame of the Anointed to be greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, because he looked forward to the reward.

11:27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s fury, because he confidently perceived the invisible.

11:28 By faith he made the Passover and spread blood on the door jambs so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch them.

11:29 By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as though it were dry land; the Egyptians were drowned when they tried it.

11:30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell after being surrounded for seven days.

11:31 By faith the prostitute Rahab was not killed along with the disbelieving, because she welcomed the spies in peace.

11:32 And what more can I say? I don’t have time to tell everything about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephtha, and David, let alone Samuel and all the prophets,

11:33 who through faith subdued kingdoms, brought about justice, saw the fulfillment of promises, closed the mouths of lions,

11:34 extinguished the power of fire, got away from the edge of the sword, were empowered out of weakness, became strong in battle, routed the encampments of foreigners,

11:35 and women received their loved ones resurrected from the dead.Yet on the other hand, others were beaten to death, not expecting to be delivered, so that they might come to a better resurrection.

11:36 Still others went through a trial of being mocked and scourged, some were bound and jailed.

11:37 They were stoned to death, they were cut and killed with the sword, they wandered around in sheepskins and goatskins, needy and harassed and mistreated—

11:38 the world was not worthy of them! They wandered in the wilderness and the mountains, in caves and holes in the ground.

11:39 None of these, though they were all confirmed by faith, were rewarded with the promise of God concerning us.

11:40 They were looking forward to something better, so that they would not be complete without us.