The Epistle to the Hebrews

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- Chapter 11 -

(Genesis 1:1–2; John 1:1–5)

Now, faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not apparent.

For this reason, the ancients were given testimony.

By faith, we understand the world to be fashioned by the Word of God, so that the visible might be made by the invisible.

The Faith of Abel, Enoch, Noah

(Genesis 1:4–9)

By faith, Abel offered to God a much better sacrifice than that of Cain, through which he obtained testimony that he was just, in that God offered testimony to his gifts. And through that sacrifice, he still speaks to us, though he is dead.

By faith, Enoch was transferred, so that he would not see death, and he was not found because God had transferred him. For before he was transferred, he had testimony that he pleased God.(a)

But without faith, it is impossible to please God. For whoever approaches God must believe that he exists, and that he rewards those who seek him.

By faith, Noah, having accepted an answer about those things which were not yet seen, being afraid, fashioned an ark for the salvation of his house. Through the ark, he condemned the world, and was established as the heir of the justice that occurs through faith.

The Faith of Abraham and Sarah

(Genesis 15:1–22; Romans 4:1–12)

By faith, the one called Abraham obeyed, going out to the place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.(b)

By faith, he stayed in the Land of the Promise as if in a foreign land, dwelling in cottages, with Isaac and Jacob, co-heirs of the same promise.

For he was awaiting a city having firm foundations, whose designer and builder is God.

By faith also, Sarah herself, being barren, received the ability to conceive offspring, even though she was past that age in life. For she believed him to be faithful, who had promised.

Because of this, there were also born, from one who himself was as if dead, a multitude like the stars of heaven, who are, like the sand of the seashore, innumerable.

All of these passed away, adhering to faith, not having received the promises, yet beholding them from afar and saluting them, and confessing themselves to be sojourners and guests upon the earth.

For those who speak in this way are themselves indicating that they seek a homeland.

And if, indeed, they had been mindful of the very place from which they departed, they certainly would have returned in time.

But now they hunger for a better place, that is, Heaven. For this reason, God is not ashamed to be called their God. For he has prepared a city for them.

By faith, Abraham, when he was tested, offered Isaac, so that he who had received the promises was offering up his only son.

To him, it was said, “Through Isaac, shall your offspring be summoned,”

indicating that God is even able to raise up from the dead. And thus, he also established him as a parable.(c)

The Faith of Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph

(Genesis 27:1–46)

By faith, also, Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, concerning future events.

By faith, Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph; and he reverenced the summit of his rod.(d)

By faith, Joseph, as he was dying, recalled the departure of the sons of Israel, and gave a commandment concerning his bones.

The Faith of Moses

(Exodus 2:1–15; Acts 7:20–22)

By faith, Moses, after being born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they had seen that he was a graceful infant, and they did not fear the king’s edict.

By faith, Moses, after growing up, denied himself a place as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter,

choosing to be afflicted with the people of God, rather than to have the pleasantness of sin for a time,

valuing the reproach of Christ to be a greater wealth than the treasures of the Egyptians. For he looked forward to his reward.(e)

By faith, he abandoned Egypt, not dreading the animosity of the king. For he pressed on, as if seeing him who is unseen.

By faith, he celebrated the Passover and the shedding of the blood, so that he who destroyed the firstborn might not touch them.

By faith, they crossed the Red Sea, as if on dry land, yet when the Egyptians attempted it, they were swallowed up.

The Faith of Many

(Joshua 2:1–24)

By faith, the walls of Jericho collapsed, after being encircled for seven days.

By faith, Rahab, the harlot, did not perish with the unbelievers, after receiving the spies with peace.

And what should I say next? For time is not sufficient for me to give an account of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the Prophets:

those who, by faith, conquered kingdoms, accomplished justice, obtained promises, closed the mouths of lions,

extinguished the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, recovered from infirmities, showed strength in battle, turned back the armies of foreigners.

Women received their dead by means of resurrection. But others suffered severe punishment, not yet receiving redemption, so that they would find a better resurrection.(f)

Truly, others were tested by mocking and lashes, and moreover by chains and imprisonment.

They were stoned; they were cut; they were tempted. With the slaughter of the sword, they were killed. They wandered about in sheepskin and in goatskin, in dire need, in anguish afflicted.

Of them, the world was not worthy, wandering in solitude on mountains, in the caves and caverns of the earth.

And all these, having been proven by the testimony of faith, did not receive the Promise.

God’s Providence holds something better for us, so that not without us would they be perfected.

Footnotes

(a)11:5 Henoch, in my opinion, was transferred to that future time spoken of in the Book of Revelation, since he is one of the two prophets.(Conte)

(b)11:8 He that is called Abraham:or, Abraham being called.(Challoner)

(d)11:21 Adored the top of his rod:The apostle here follows the ancient Greek Bible of the seventy interpreters, (which translates in this manner, Gen. 47. 31.,) and alleges this fact of Jacob, in paying a relative honour and veneration to the top of the rod or sceptre of Joseph, as to a figure of Christ’s sceptre and kingdom, as an instance and argument of his faith. But some translators, who are no friends to this relative honour, have corrupted the text, by translating it, he worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff; as if this circumstance of leaning upon his staff were any argument of Jacob’s faith, or worthy the being thus particularly taken notice of by the Holy Ghost.(Challoner)

(e)11:26 Notice that even before the time of Jesus Christ, Scripture clearly indicates that the faith of the Patriarchs was an implicit faith in Christ.(Conte)

(f)11:35 The verb ‘distenti sunt’ indicates that this suffering is a punishment for offenses, in other words, a metaphor for Purgatory. So this part does not refer to an unjust persecution, nor to the unending suffering of Hell. For those in Purgatory suffer after death, yet find a better resurrection after their suffering. Literally, the verb refers to being racked (stretched out on a rack as an ancient form of severe punishment). The sufferings of Purgatory are more severe than any tortures of earth, although in Purgatory, the faithful souls there only have souls, not bodies, so their sufferings are spiritual only, not physical.(Conte)

(Genesis 1:1–2; John 1:1–5)

Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, proof of things not seen.

For by this, the elders obtained approval.

By faith we understand that the universe has been framed by the word of God, so that what is seen has not been made out of things which are visible.

The Faith of Abel, Enoch, Noah

(Genesis 1:4–9)

By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he had testimony given to him that he was righteous, God testifying with respect to his gifts; and through it he, being dead, still speaks.

By faith Enoch was taken away, so that he wouldn’t see death, and he was not found, because God translated him. For he has had testimony given to him that before his translation he had been well pleasing to God.

Without faith it is impossible to be well pleasing to him, for he who comes to God must believe that he exists, and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him.

By faith Noah, being warned about things not yet seen, moved with godly fear,(a) prepared a ship for the saving of his house, through which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.

The Faith of Abraham and Sarah

(Genesis 15:1–22; Romans 4:1–12)

By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed to go out to the place which he was to receive for an inheritance. He went out, not knowing where he went.

By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a land not his own, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise.

For he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

By faith even Sarah herself received power to conceive, and she bore a child when she was past age, since she counted him faithful who had promised.

Therefore as many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as innumerable as the sand which is by the sea shore, were fathered by one man, and him as good as dead.

These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen

(b)

them and embraced them from afar, and having confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own.

If indeed they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had enough time to return.

But now they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

By faith, Abraham, being tested, offered up Isaac. Yes, he who had gladly received the promises was offering up his only born(c) son,

to whom it was said, “Your offspring will be accounted as from Isaac,” (d)

concluding that God is able to raise up even from the dead. Figuratively speaking, he also did receive him back from the dead.

The Faith of Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph

(Genesis 27:1–46)

By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even concerning things to come.

By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.

By faith Joseph, when his end was near, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones.

The Faith of Moses

(Exodus 2:1–15; Acts 7:20–22)

By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment.

By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter,

choosing rather to share ill treatment with God’s people than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a time,

considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he looked to the reward.

By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.

By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, that the destroyer of the firstborn should not touch them.

By faith they passed through the Red Sea as on dry land. When the Egyptians tried to do so, they were swallowed up.

The Faith of Many

(Joshua 2:1–24)

By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days.

By faith Rahab the prostitute didn’t perish with those who were disobedient, having received the spies in peace.

What more shall I say? For the time would fail me if I told of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets—

who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked out righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,(e)

quenched the power of fire,(f) escaped the edge of the sword,(g) from weakness were made strong, grew mighty in war, and caused foreign armies to flee.

Women received their dead by resurrection.(h) Others were tortured, not accepting their deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection.

Others were tried by mocking and scourging, yes, moreover by bonds and imprisonment.

They were stoned.(i) They were sawn apart. They were tempted. They were slain with the sword.(j) They went around in sheep skins and in goat skins; being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated—

of whom the world was not worthy—wandering in deserts, mountains, caves, and the holes of the earth.

These all, having been commended for their faith, didn’t receive the promise,

God having provided some better thing concerning us, so that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

Footnotes

(a)11:7 or, reverence

(b)11:13 TR adds “and being convinced of”

(c)11:17 The phrase “only born” is from the Greek word “μονογενη”, which is sometimes translated “only begotten” or “one and only”.

(d)11:18 ℘ Genesis 21:12

(e)11:33 ℘ Daniel 6:22-23

(f)11:34 ℘ Daniel 3:1-30

(g)11:34 ℘ 1Kings 19:1-3; 2 Kings 6:31—7:20

(h)11:35 ℘ 1Kings 17:17-23; 2 Kings 4:32-37

(i)11:37 ℘ 2Chronicles 24:20-21

(j)11:37 ℘ Jeremiah 26:20-23; 1 Kings 19:10