1Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, and evidence of things not seen. 2God approved of the men of old because of their faith. 3By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the Word of God. The visible has been made out of things that were not visible. 4By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain. Through this he was commended as righteous. God testified about his gifts. Thus through faith he still speaks even though he is dead. 5By faith Enoch was moved transferredremoved so that he would not see death. He was not found, because God had moved him away. Before he was moved away he saw that he had pleased God well. (Genesis 5:24) 6Without faith it is impossible to please God. He who comes to God must believe that he is and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. 7By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not seen as yet, moved with godly respect. He prepared an ark to save his house. By his faith he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that is according to faith. 8By faith, when Abraham was called, he obeyed. He went to a place that he was to receive for an inheritance. He went even though he did not know where he was going. 9By faith he became an alien in the Promised Land. It was not his land. He lived in tents with Isaac and Jacob. They were heirs with him of the same promise. 10He looked for the city having real foundations, whose builder and maker is God. 11By faith Sarah received strength to conceive seed when she was past age, since she counted him faithful who promised. 12This was to come from one man and him as good as dead. There were born children, as many as the stars of heaven in multitude, and as uncountable as the sand by the seashore. 13These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them and greeted them from afar. They confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14Those who say such things declare that they are seeking a country of their own. 15If indeed they had been thinking of that country from which they came, they would have had opportunity to return. 16They desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Because of this, God is not ashamed to be called their God. He has prepared a city for them! 17By faith Abraham, being tested, offered up Isaac. He that had gladly received the promises was offering up his only-begotten son! 18It was said: »In Isaac your descendants will be called.« 19Abraham reasoned that God is able to raise him from the dead. So he figured he would receive him back. 20By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even concerning things to come. 21By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph. He worshipped while leaning upon the top of his staff. 22By faith Joseph, when his end was near, mentioned the departure of the children of Israel. Then he gave orders concerning his bones. 23By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents. They saw he was a beautiful child and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. 24By faith Moses, when he grew up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. 25He chose to share the bad treatment with the people of God, rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. 26He considered the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt. He looked intently respectfully for the payment of the reward. 27By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the anger of the king. He endured, by seeing him who is invisible. 28By faith he kept the Passover, and the sprinkling of the blood, that the destroyer of the firstborn should not touch them. 29By faith they passed through the Red Sea as though they were on dry land. The Egyptians tried and were drowned. 30By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they had been encircled for seven days. 31By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish with the disobedient, after she welcomed the spies in peace. 32What more shall I say? For the time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, 33who through faith subdued kingdoms, affected righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, and turned to flight foreign armies. 35Women received their dead by a resurrection, and others were tortured, not accepting their deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection: 36And others had trial of cruel mocking and scourging and bonds and imprisonment. 37They were stoned, they were sawed in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword; they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented. 38The world was not worthy of them! They wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. 39And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, did not receive the promise. 40God provided something better for us that they might not be made perfect without us.