By Faith We Understand
1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence Rom. 8:24; (2 Cor. 4:18; 5:7); Heb. 11:7, 27of things not seen. 2 For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.
3 By faith we understand that Gen. 1:1; Ps. 33:6; (John 1:3); 2 Pet. 3:5the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.
Faith at the Dawn of History
4 By faith Gen. 4:3–5; Matt. 23:35; 1 John 3:12Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still Gen. 4:8–10; Heb. 12:24speaks.
5 By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, Gen. 5:21–24"and was not found, because God had taken him"; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. 6 But without faith itis impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
7 By faith Gen. 6:13–22Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, 1 Pet. 3:20prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of Rom. 3:22the righteousness which is according to faith.
Faithful Abraham
8 By faith Gen. 12:1–4; Acts 7:2–4Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, Gen. 12:8; 13:3, 18; 18:1, 9dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, Heb. 6:17the heirs with him of the same promise; 10 for he waited for (Heb. 12:22; 13:14)the city which has foundations, (Rev. 21:10)whose builder and maker is God.
11 By faith Gen. 17:19; 18:11–14; 21:1, 2Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and Luke 1:36she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him Heb. 10:23faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore from one man, and him as good as Rom. 4:19dead, were born asmany as the Gen. 15:5; 22:17; 32:12stars of the sky in multitude—innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.
The Heavenly Hope
13 These all died in faith, Heb. 11:39not having received the Gen. 12:7promises, but John 8:56; Heb. 11:27having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and Gen. 23:4; 47:9; 1 Chr. 29:15; Ps. 39:12; Eph. 2:19; 1 Pet. 1:17; 2:11confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14 For those who say such things Heb. 13:14declare plainly that they seek a homeland. 15 And truly if they had called to mind Gen. 11:31that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed Gen. 26:24; 28:13; Ex. 3:6, 15; 4:5to be called their God, for He has (John 14:2); Heb. 11:10; (Rev. 21:2)prepared a city for them.
The Faith of the Patriarchs
17 By faith Abraham, Gen. 22:1–14; James 2:21when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,18 of whom it was said, Gen. 21:12; Rom. 9:7"In Isaac your seed shall be called," 19 concluding that God Rom. 4:17was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.
20 By faith Gen. 27:26–40Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.
21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, Gen. 48:1, 5, 16, 20blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.
22 By faith Gen. 50:24, 25; Ex. 13:19Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones.
The Faith of Moses
23 By faith Ex. 2:1–3Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw hewas a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s Ex. 1:16, 22command.
24 By faith Ex. 2:11–15Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26 esteeming Heb. 13:13the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the Rom. 8:18; 2 Cor. 4:17reward.
27 By faith Ex. 10:28he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. 28 By faith Ex. 12:21he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them.
29 By faith Ex. 14:22–29; Jude 5they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned.
By Faith They Overcame
30 By faith Josh. 6:20the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days. 31 By faith Josh. 2:9; 6:23; James 2:25the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when Josh. 2:1she had received the spies with peace.
32 And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Judg. 6:11; 7:1–25Gideon and Judg. 4:6–24Barak and Judg. 13:24—16:31Samson and Judg. 11:1–29; 12:1–7Jephthah, also of1 Sam. 16; 17David and 1 Sam. 7:9–14Samuel and the prophets: 33 who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, Judg. 14:6; 1 Sam. 17:34; Dan. 6:22stopped the mouths of lions, 34 Dan. 3:23–28quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. 35 1 Kin. 17:22; 2 Kin. 4:35–37Women received their dead raised to life again.
Others were Acts 22:25tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. 36 Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and Gen. 39:20; 1 Kin. 22:27; 2 Chr. 18:26; Jer. 20:2; 37:15of chains and imprisonment. 37 1 Kin. 21:13; 2 Chr. 24:21; Acts 7:58They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. 2 Kin. 1:8; Matt. 3:4They wandered about 1 Kin. 19:13, 19; 2 Kin. 2:8, 13; Zech. 13:4in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented— 38 of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, 1 Kin. 18:4, 13; 19:9in dens and caves of the earth.
39 And all these, Heb. 11:2, 13having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, 40 God having provided something better for us, that they should not be Heb. 5:9made perfect apart from us.