¹ NOW faith is the realizing confidence of the things hoped for, and the demonstration of things unseen:

² for thereby the ancients obtained a testimony of approbation.

³ By faith we understand that the worlds were exactly formed by the word of God, so that the visible objects were not made out of things which now appear.

⁴ By faith Abel offered unto God a sacrifice of more excellence than Cain, by which he received a testimony that he was a righteous man, God bearing witness upon his gifts: and by this, though dead, he still speaketh.

⁵ By faith Enoch was translated, so as not to see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he was recorded to have been acceptable to God.

⁶ But without faith it is impossible to be acceptable; for he must believe, who cometh unto God, that he exists, and is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him.

⁷ By faith Noah, being divinely warned respecting things not yet seen, filled with reverential awe, prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

⁸ By faith Abraham, called to go forth unto a place which he should in future obtain as an heritage, obeyed; and he went forth, not knowing whither he was going.

⁹ By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the co-heirs of the same promise.

¹⁰ For he expected a city having foundations, of which God is the planner and architect.

¹¹ By faith also that very Sarah, who was barren, received ability for the conception of seed, and past the usual time of life brought forth a child, because she accounted that he who promised it, would be true to his promise.

¹² Wherefore even from one person, and he become dead in respect to these matters, there sprang a race, as the stars of heaven for multitude, and as the sand, which is on the shore of the sea, innumerable.

¹³ All these died in faith, not having received the promises, but beholding them at a great distance, though believing and embracing them, and confessing that they were strangers and sojourners in the land.

¹⁴ Now they who speak thus, shew evidently that they are in earnest search of their native country.

¹⁵ And if indeed they had fixed their minds on that from whence they had gone forth, they might have had opportunity to go back to it again.

¹⁶ But now their longing desires are after a better country, that is, the heavenly one: wherefore God is not ashamed of them to be called their God: for he hath prepared a city for them.

¹⁷ By faith Abraham, when tried, offered up Isaac; and he who had received the promise, presented in sacrifice his only begotten son,

¹⁸ unto whom it had been said, “That by Isaac shall there be a seed bearing thy name¹:”

1. Gen. xxi. 12.

¹⁹ reasoning that God was able to raise him up again, even from the dead; from whence also figuratively he had received him.

²⁰ By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau with regard to future things.

²¹ By faith, dying Jacob blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and bowed down in adoration upon the top of his staff.

²² By faith Joseph, approaching his end, made mention of the children of Israel’s departure thence; and gave a charge respecting his bones.

²³ By faith Moses, after he was born, was hid three months by his parents, because they saw the child singularly beautiful; and they were not intimidated by the command of the king.

²⁴ By faith Moses, when he became a grown man, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter;

²⁵ choosing rather to suffer afflictions with the people of God, than to have a temporary fruition of sin;

²⁶ esteeming the reproach of Christ riches greater than the treasures of Egypt: for he looked earnestly to the recompence of reward.

²⁷ By faith he forsook Egypt, not intimidated by the wrath of the king: for he boldly persisted, as seeing the invisible Jehovah.

²⁸ By faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of the blood, that the destroyer of the first-born might not touch them.

²⁹ By faith they passed through the Red sea, as on dry ground; which the Egyptians attempting to do were swallowed up.

³⁰ By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after being circled round seven days.

³¹ By faith Rahab the harlot perished not with those who were infidels, having received the spies in peace.

³² And what more shall I say: for the time would fail me if I should make a narration concerning Gideon, and Barac, and Sampson, and Jephtha, and David, and Samuel, and the prophets:

³³ who by faith vanquished kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,

³⁴ extinguished the force of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, they were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in battle, routed the armies of aliens.

³⁵ Women received by a resurrection their dead: but others were tortured, not accepting a release; that they might obtain a better resurrection:

³⁶ and others had trials of mockeries and whippings, yea and farther of chains and imprisonment:

³⁷ they were stoned, they were sawn asunder, they experienced the severest trials, they were slain by the edge of the sword: they went about wrapped in skins of sheep and goats, destitute of all things, pressed down with afflictions, suffering all kind of misery;

³⁸ of whom the world was not worthy: they wandered up and down in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens, and caverns of the earth.

³⁹ And these all though having obtained a testimony by faith, received not the promise:

⁴⁰ God having provided for us something better, that without us they should not attain to perfection.