1 Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, a conviction of things not seen. 2 For therein the elders had witness borne to them. 3 By faith we understand that the worlds have been framed by the word of God, so that what is seen hath not been made out of things which appear. 4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he had witness borne to him that he was righteous, God bearing witness in respect of his gifts: and through it he being dead yet speaketh. 5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and he was not found, because God translated him: for he hath had witness borne to him that before his translation he had been well-pleasing unto God: 6 And without faith it is impossible to be well-pleasing unto him; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that seek after him. 7 By faith Noah, being warned of God concerning things not seen as yet, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; through which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. 8 By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed to go out unto a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. 9 By faith he became a sojourner 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: 10 for he looked for the city which hath the foundations, whose builder and maker is God. 11 By faith even Sarah herself received power to conceive seed when she was past age, since she counted him faithful who had promised: 12 wherefore also there sprang of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of heaven in multitude, and as the sand, which is by the sea-shore, innumerable. 13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14 For they that say such things make it manifest that they are seeking after a country of their own. 15 And if indeed they had been mindful of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But now they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God; for he hath prepared for them a city. 17 By faith Abraham, being tried, offered up Isaac: yea, he that had gladly received the promises was offering up his only begotten son; 18 even he to whom it was said, In Isaac shall thy seed be called: 19 accounting that God is able to raise up, even from the dead; from whence he did also in a figure receive him back. 20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even concerning things to come. 21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff. 22 By faith Joseph, when his end was nigh, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones. 23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months by his parents, because they saw he was a goodly child; and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment. 24 By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; 25 choosing rather to share ill treatment with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; 26 accounting the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt: for he looked unto the recompense of reward. 27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible. 28 By faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of the blood, that the destroyer of the firstborn should not touch them. 29 By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were swallowed up. 30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they had been compassed about for seven days. 31 By faith Rahab the harlot perished not with them that were disobedient, having received the spies with peace. 32 And what shall I more say? for the time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah; of David and Samuel and the prophets: 33 who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, waxed mighty in war, turned to flight armies of aliens. 35 Women received their dead by a resurrection: and others were tortured, not accepting their deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: 36 and others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: 37 they were stoned, they were sawn asunder, they were tempted, they were slain with the sword: they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated 38 (of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves, and the holes of the earth. 39 And these all, having had witness borne to them through their faith, received not the promise, 40 God having provided some better thing concerning us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

1 Aga usk on kindel usaldus selle vastu, mida oodatakse, ja veendumus selles, mida ei nähta.

2 Selle kohta on ju vanad saanud tunnistuse.

3 Usu kaudu me tunneme, et maailmad on valmistatud Jumala sõna läbi, nii et mitte sellest, mida võib näha, ei ole tekkinud see, mida nähakse.

4 Usu läbi tõi Aabel Jumalale parema ohvri kui Kain, ja usu kaudu ta sai tunnistuse, et tema oli õige, kui Jumal andis tunnistuse tema andide kohta, ja usu kaudu ta räägib veel pärast surmagi.

5 Usu läbi võeti ära Eenok, et ta surma ei näeks, ja teda ei leitud enam, sest Jumal oli ta ära võtnud. Sest enne äravõttu oli ta juba saanud tunnistuse, et ta oli Jumalale meelepärane.

6 Aga ilma usuta on võimatu olla meelepärane; sest kes Jumala juurde tuleb, peab uskuma, et Tema on olemas ja et Ta annab palga neile, kes Teda otsivad.

7 Usu kaudu sai Noa ilmutuse sellest, mida veel ei olnud näha, ja ehitas pühas kartuses laeva oma perekonna päästmiseks; ja selle kaudu ta mõistis hukka maailma ning sai selle õiguse pärijaks, mis tuleb usust.

8 Usu läbi kuulas Aabraham sõna, kui teda kutsuti välja minema paika, mille ta pidi saama pärandiks; ja ta läks välja ilma teadmata, kuhu ta läheb.

9 Usu läbi asus ta võõrana elama tõotusemaale otsekui võõrale maale ja elas telkides ühes Iisaki ja Jaakobiga, kes olid sama tõotuse kaaspärijad;

10 sest ta ootas linna, millel on alused ja mille ehitaja ning valmistaja on Jumal.

11 Usu läbi sai isegi Saara rammu soo rajamiseks ja pealegi üle oma ea, sellepärast et ta pidas ustavaks teda, kes tõotuse oli andnud.

12 Sellepärast sündis ka ühest ja pealegi elatanud mehest nii palju nagu taevas tähti ja nagu mere ääres liiva, mida ei saa ära lugeda.

13 Usus need kõik surid ega saanud tõotusi kätte, vaid nägid neid kaugelt ja teretasid neid ning tunnistasid endid olevat võõrad ja majalised maa peal.

14 Sest need, kes seda ütlevad, näitavad, et nad otsivad kodumaad.

15 Ja kui nad oleksid mõelnud seda kodumaad, kust nad olid väljunud, siis oleks neil ju olnud juhust minna tagasi.

16 Ent nüüd nad igatsevad paremat kodumaad, see on taevast; seepärast ei ole Jumalal neist häbi ja Ta laseb Ennast nimetada nende Jumalaks; sest Ta on neile valmistanud linna.

17 Usu läbi viis Aabraham ohvriks Iisaki, kui teda katsuti, ja ohverdas selle ainusündinu, kui ta oli saanud tõotused

18 ning kui temale oli öeldud: „Iisakist loetakse sinu sugu!"

19 Sest ta mõtles, et Jumal on võimeline ka surnuist üles äratama; selle mõistukujuks ta sai tema ka tagasi.

20 Usu läbi õnnistas ka Iisak Jaakobit ja Eesavit tulevaste asjade suhtes.

21 Usu läbi õnnistas Jaakob surres kumbagi Joosepi poegadest ja palvetas oma kepi pära najal.

22 Usu läbi tuletas Joosep oma eluotsal meelde Iisraeli laste väljumist ja tegi korralduse oma luude kohta.

23 Usu läbi varjasid vanemad Moosest pärast ta sündimist kolm kuud, sest nad nägid ta ilusa lapse olevat ega kartnud kuninga käsku.

24 Usu läbi keeldus Mooses, kui ta suureks sai, kandmast vaarao tütrepoja nime,

25 pidades paremaks ühes Jumala rahvaga kannatada viletsust kui üürikest aega nautida paturõõmu,

26 arvates Kristuse teotust suuremaks rikkuseks kui Egiptuse aarded; sest ta tõstis oma silmad tasu poole.

27 Usu läbi ta jättis maha Egiptuse ega kartnud kuninga viha, sest otsekui nähes teda, kes on nähtamatu, püsis ta kindlana.

28 Usu läbi ta pidas Paasapüha ja vere piserdust, et esmasündinute surmaja ei puudutaks neid.

29 Usu läbi nad läksid Punasest merest läbi nagu kuiva maad mööda, mida ka egiptlased katsusid teha, aga uppusid.

30 Usu läbi langesid Jeeriko müürid, kui seitse päeva oli käidud nende ümber.

31 Usu läbi ei saanud hoor Raahab hukka ühes sõnakuulmatutega, kui ta salakuulajad oli rahuga vastu võtnud.

32 Ja mida ma veel ütleksin? Mul puudub aeg jutustada Giideonist ja Baarakist ja Simsonist ja Jeftast ja Taavetist ja Saamuelist ja prohvetitest,

33 kes usu läbi võitsid ära kuningriigid, viisid täide õiguse, said kätte tõotused, sulgesid lõukoerte lõuad,

34 kustutasid tule väe, pääsesid ära mõõgatera eest, said nõtrusest tugevaks, said vägevaks sõjas, ajasid pakku võõraste sõjahulgad.

35 Naised said tagasi oma surnud ülestõusmise läbi. Teised lasksid ennast piinata ega võtnud vastu vabastamist, et saaksid parema ülestõusmise osalisiks.

36 Teised said kogeda pilget ja rooska, peale selle ahelaid ja vangitorni.

37 Neid on kividega visatud, piinatud, lõhki saetud, mõõgaga surmatud; nad on lambanahas ja kitsenahas käinud ühest kohast teise, puuduses, viletsuses, kurja kannatades, nemad,

38 kelle väärt maailm ei olnud. Nad eksisid ümber kõrbetes ja mägedel ja koobastes ja maa-aukudes.

39 Ja need kõik, olles usu läbi saanud tunnistuse, ei saavutanud ometi mitte seda, mis oli tõotatud;

40 sest Jumal oli meile varunud midagi paremat, et nad ilma meieta ei pääseks täielikkusesse.