1 Ora, a fé é a certeza daquilo que esperamos e a prova das coisas que não vemos.2 Pois foi por meio dela que os antigos receberam bom testemunho.3 Pela fé entendemos que o universo foi formado pela palavra de Deus, de modo que o que se vê não foi feito do que é visível.4 Pela fé Abel ofereceu a Deus um sacrifício superior ao de Caim. Pela fé ele foi reconhecido como justo, quando Deus aprovou as suas ofertas. Embora esteja morto, por meio da fé ainda fala.5 Pela fé Enoque foi arrebatado, de modo que não experimentou a morte; "ele já não foi encontrado porque Deus o havia arrebatado", pois antes de ser arrebatado recebeu testemunho de que tinha agradado a Deus.6 Sem fé é impossível agradar a Deus, pois quem dele se aproxima precisa crer que ele existe e que recompensa aqueles que o buscam.7 Pela fé Noé, quando avisado a respeito de coisas que ainda não se viam, movido por santo temor, construiu uma arca para salvar sua família. Por meio da fé ele condenou o mundo e tornou-se herdeiro da justiça que é segundo a fé.8 Pela fé Abraão, quando chamado, obedeceu e dirigiu-se a um lugar que mais tarde receberia como herança, embora não soubesse para onde estava indo.9 Pela fé peregrinou na terra prometida como se estivesse em terra estranha; viveu em tendas, bem como Isaque e Jacó, co-herdeiros da mesma promessa.10 Pois ele esperava a cidade que tem alicerces, cujo arquiteto e edificador é Deus.11 Pela fé, Abraão — e também a própria Sara, apesar de estéril e avançada em idade — recebeu poder para gerar um filho, porque considerou fiel aquele que lhe havia feito a promessa.12 Assim, daquele homem já sem vitalidade originaram-se descendentes tão numerosos como as estrelas do céu e tão incontáveis como a areia da praia do mar.13 Todos estes ainda viveram pela fé, e morreram sem receber o que tinha sido prometido; viram-nas de longe e de longe as saudaram, reconhecendo que eram estrangeiros e peregrinos na terra.14 Os que assim falam mostram que estão buscando uma pátria.15 Se estivessem pensando naquela de onde saíram, teriam oportunidade de voltar.16 Em vez disso, esperavam eles uma pátria melhor, isto é, a pátria celestial. Por essa razão Deus não se envergonha de ser chamado o Deus deles, pois preparou-lhes uma cidade.17 Pela fé Abraão, quando Deus o pôs à prova, ofereceu Isaque como sacrifício. Aquele que havia recebido as promessas estava a ponto de sacrificar o seu único filho,18 embora Deus lhe tivesse dito: "Por meio de Isaque a sua descendência será considerada".19 Abraão levou em conta que Deus pode ressuscitar os mortos; e, figuradamente, recebeu Isaque de volta dentre os mortos.20 Pela fé Isaque abençoou Jacó e Esaú com respeito ao futuro deles.21 Pela fé Jacó, à beira da morte, abençoou cada um dos filhos de José e adorou a Deus, apoiado na extremidade do seu bordão.22 Pela fé José, no fim da vida, fez menção do êxodo dos israelitas do Egito e deu instruções acerca dos seus próprios ossos.23 Pela fé Moisés, recém-nascido, foi escondido durante três meses por seus pais, pois estes viram que ele não era uma criança comum, e não temeram o decreto do rei.24 Pela fé Moisés, já adulto, recusou ser chamado filho da filha do faraó,25 preferindo ser maltratado com o povo de Deus a desfrutar os prazeres do pecado durante algum tempo.26 Por amor de Cristo, considerou a desonra riqueza maior do que os tesouros do Egito, porque contemplava a sua recompensa.27 Pela fé saiu do Egito, não temendo a ira do rei, e perseverou, porque via aquele que é invisível.28 Pela fé celebrou a Páscoa e fez a aspersão do sangue, para que o destruidor não tocasse nos fihos mais velhos dos israelitas.29 Pela fé o povo atravessou o mar Vermelho como em terra seca; mas, quando os egípcios tentaram fazê-lo, morreram afogados.30 Pela fé caíram os muros de Jericó, depois de serem rodeados durante sete dias.31 Pela fé a prostituta Raabe, por ter acolhido os espiões, não foi morta com os que haviam sido desobedientes.32 Que mais direi? Não tenho tempo para falar de Gideão, Baraque, Sansão, Jefté, Davi, Samuel e os profetas,33 os quais pela fé conquistaram reinos, praticaram a justiça, alcançaram o cumprimento de promessas, fecharam a boca de leões,34 apagaram o poder do fogo e escaparam do fio da espada; da fraqueza tiraram força, tornaram-se poderosos na batalha e puseram em fuga exércitos estrangeiros.35 Houve mulheres que, pela ressurreição, tiveram de volta os seus mortos. Alguns foram torturados e recusaram ser libertados, para poderem alcançar uma ressurreição superior.36 Outros enfrentaram zombaria e açoites, outros ainda foram acorrentados e colocados na prisão,37 apedrejados, serrados ao meio, postos à prova, mortos ao fio da espada. Andaram errantes, vestidos de pele de ovelhas e de cabras, necessitados, afligidos e maltratados.38 O mundo não era digno deles. Vagaram pelos desertos e montes, pelas cavernas e grutas.39 Todos estes receberam bom testemunho por meio da fé; no entanto, nenhum deles recebeu o que havia sido prometido.40 Deus havia planejado algo melhor para nós, para que conosco fossem eles aperfeiçoados.

1 Now faith is a well-grounded assurance of that for which we hope, and a conviction of the reality of things which we do not see.2 For by it the saints of old won God's approval.3 Through faith we understand that the worlds came into being, and still exist, at the command of God, so that what is seen does not owe its existence to that which is visible.4 Through faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain did, and through this faith he obtained testimony that he was righteous, God giving the testimony by accepting his gifts; and through it, though he is dead, he still speaks.5 Through faith Enoch was taken from the earth so that he did not see death, and he could not be found, because God had taken him; for before he was taken we have evidence that he truly pleased God.6 But where there is no faith it is impossible truly to please Him; for the man who draws near to God must believe that there is a God and that He proves Himself a rewarder of those who earnestly try to find Him.7 Through faith Noah, being divinely taught about things as yet unseen, reverently gave heed and built an ark for the safety of his family, and by this act he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which depends on faith.8 Through faith Abraham, upon being called to leave home and go into a land which he was soon to receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing where he was going to.9 Through faith he came and made his home for a time in a land which had been promised to him, as if in a foreign country, living in tents together with Isaac and Jacob, sharers with him in the same promise;10 for he continually looked forward to the city which has the foundations, whose architect and builder is God.11 Through faith even Sarah herself received strength to become a mother –although she was past the time of life for this– because she judged Him faithful who had given the promise.12 And thus there sprang from one man, and him practically dead, a nation like the stars of the sky in number, and like the sands on the sea shore which cannot be counted.13 All these died in the possession of faith. They had not received the promised blessings, but had seen them from a distance and had greeted them, and had acknowledged themselves to be foreigners and strangers here on earth;14 for men who acknowledge this make it manifest that they are seeking elsewhere a country of their own.15 And if they had cherished the remembrance of the country they had left, they would have found an opportunity to return;16 but, as it is, we see them eager for a better land, that is to say, a heavenly one. For this reason God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has now prepared a city for them.17 Through faith Abraham, as soon as God put him to the test, offered up Isaac. Yes, he who had joyfully welcomed the promises was on the point of sacrificing his only son18 with regard to whom he had been told, »It is through Isaac that your posterity shall be traced.«19 For he reckoned that God is even able to raise a man up from among the dead, and, figuratively speaking, it was from among the dead that he received Isaac again.20 Through faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even in connexion with things soon to come.21 Through faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of Joseph's sons, and, leaning on the top of his staff, worshipped God.22 Through faith Joseph, when he was near his end, made mention of the departure of the descendants of Israel, and gave orders about his own body.23 Through faith the child Moses was hid for three months by his parents, because they saw his rare beauty; and the king's edict had no terror for them.24 Through faith Moses, when he grew to manhood, refused to be known as Pharaoh's daughter's son,25 having determined to endure ill-treatment along with the people of God rather than enjoy the short-lived pleasures of sin;26 because he deemed the reproaches which he might meet with in the service of the Christ to be greater riches than all the treasures of Egypt; for he fixed his gaze on the coming reward.27 Through faith he left Egypt, not being frightened by the king's anger; for he held on his course as seeing the unseen One.28 Through faith he instituted the Passover, and the sprinkling with blood so that the destroyer of the firstborn might not touch the Israelites.29 Through faith they passed through the Red Sea as though they were passing over dry land, but the Egyptians, when they tried to do the same, were swallowed up.30 Through faith the walls of Jericho fell to the ground after being surrounded for seven days.31 Through faith the notorious sinner Rahab did not perish along with the disobedient, for she had welcomed the spies and had sheltered them.32 And why need I say more? For time will fail me if I tell the story of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, and of David and Samuel and the Prophets;33 men who, as the result of faith, conquered whole kingdoms, brought about true justice, obtained promises from God, stopped lions' mouths,34 deprived fire of its power, escaped being killed by the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put to flight foreign armies.35 Women received back their dear ones alive from the dead; and others were put to death with torture, refusing the deliverance offered to them–that they might secure a better resurrection.36 Others again were tested by cruel mockery and by scourging; yes, and by chains and imprisonment.37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, they were tried by temptation, they were killed with the sword. They went from place to place in sheepskins or goatskins, enduring want, oppression and cruelty.38 (They were men of whom the world was not worthy.) They wandered across deserts and mountains, or hid themselves in caves and in holes in the ground.39 And although by their faith all these people won God's approval, none of them received the fulfilment of His great promise;40 for God had provided for them and us something better, so that apart from us they were not to attain to full blessedness.