1 Ora a fé é a substância das coisas esperadas, a prova das coisas não vistas.2 Pois foi por ela que os antigos obtiveram bom testemunho.3 É pela fé que entendemos que os mundos foram formados pela palavra de Deus, de modo que o visível não se tem feito das coisas que aparecem.4 Pela fé ofereceu Abel a Deus mais excelente sacrifício que Caim, pelo qual alcançou testemunho de que era justo, dando Deus testemunho quanto a seus dons; e por ela, estando ele morto, ainda fala.5 Pela fé foi trasladado Enoque para não ver a morte, e não foi achado, porque Deus o havia trasladado. Pois antes da sua trasladação teve o testemunho de haver agradado a Deus.6 Sem fé é impossível agradar a Deus; pois é necessário que o que se chega a Deus, creia que há Deus e que se mostra remunerador dos que o buscam.7 Pela fé Noé, divinamente avisado a respeito das coisas que ainda não se viam, sendo temente a Deus, construiu uma arca para o salvamento da sua casa, pela qual condenou ao mundo e tornou-se herdeiro da justiça que é segundo a fé.8 Pela fé Abraão, quando chamado, obedeceu para sair em demanda de um lugar que havia de receber como herança, e saiu não sabendo para onde ia.9 Pela fé peregrinou na terra da promessa como em terra alheia, habitando em tendas com Isaque e Jacó, herdeiros com ele da mesma promessa;10 porque aguardava a cidade que tem os fundamentos, cujo arquiteto e edificador é Deus.11 Pela fé até a própria Sara recebeu o poder de conceber um filho ainda fora do tempo da idade, visto que ela teve por fiel aquele que lho havia prometido.12 Por isso também de um, e este já amortecido, saiu uma posteridade tão numerosa como as estrelas do céu e inumerável como a areia que está à borda do mar.13 Na fé morreram todos estes, sem terem alcançado as promessas, mas tendo-as visto e saudado de longe, e confessado que eram estrangeiros e peregrinos sobre a terra.14 Pois os que dizem tais coisas declaram que buscam uma pátria sua.15 Se, na verdade, se tivessem recordado daquela donde saíram, teriam tido oportunidade de voltar.16 Mas agora aspiram uma pátria melhor, isto é, a celestial. Por isso Deus não se envergonha deles, de se chamar Deus deles; pois lhes preparou uma cidade.17 Pela fé Abraão, sendo provado, ofereceu Isaque, sim aquele que tinha recebido com alegria as promessas, ia oferecendo seu filho unigênito,18 a quem se havia dito: Em Isaque será chamada a tua descendência,19 julgando que Deus o podia ressuscitar até dentre os mortos; donde também em figura o recobrou.20 Pela fé Isaque abençoou a Jacó e a Esaú mesmo acerca das coisas futuras.21 Pela fé Jacó, quando estava para morrer, abençoou a cada um dos filhos de José e adorou inclinado sobre a extremidade do seu bordão.22 Pela fé José, estando próximo o seu fim, fez menção da saída dos filhos de Israel e deu ordem a respeito de seus ossos.23 Pela fé Moisés, depois de nascido, foi ocultado três meses por seus pais, porque viram que era menino formoso, e não temeram o edito do rei.24 Pela fé Moisés, quando homem, recusou ser chamado filho da filha de faraó,25 escolhendo antes ser maltratado com o povo de Deus do que ter o gozo do pecado por algum tempo;26 tendo por maiores riquezas o opróbrio de Cristo do que os tesouros do Egito; pois olhava para a recompensa.27 Pela fé deixou ele o Egito, não temendo a ira do rei; porque ficou firme como quem vê aquele que é invisível.28 Pela fé celebrou a Páscoa e a aspersão do sangue, para que o destruidor dos primogênitos não os tocasse.29 Pela fé atravessaram os israelitas o Mar Vermelho como por terra seca; e tentando isto os egípcios, foram afogados.30 Pela fé caíram os muros de Jericó, depois de rodeados por sete dias.31 Pela fé não foi destruída a meretriz Raabe com os desobedientes, tendo recebido aos espias com paz.32 E que mais direi ainda? porque o tempo me faltará, se eu falar de Gideão, de Baraque, de Sansão, de Jefté, de Davi, de Samuel e dos profetas,33 que pela fé venceram reinos, praticaram a justiça, alcançaram as promessas, taparam as bocas dos leões,34 extinguiram a violência do fogo, evitaram o fio da espada, de fracos tornaram-se fortes, fizeram-se poderosos na guerra, puseram em fugida os exércitos de estrangeiros.35 As mulheres receberam pela ressurreição os seus mortos; uns foram torturados, não aceitando o seu livramento para alcançarem melhor ressurreição;36 e outros experimentaram escárnios, açoites e ainda grilhões e prisão;37 eles foram apedrejados, provados, serrados pelo meio, mortos ao fio da espada; eles andaram errantes, vestidos de peles de ovelhas e de cabras, necessitados, aflitos, maltratados,38 uns homens (de quem o mundo não era digno) errantes nos desertos, nos montes, nas covas e nas cavernas da terra.39 Todos estes, tendo alcançado bom testemunho pela sua fé, contudo não alcançaram a promessa,40 tendo Deus provido alguma coisa melhor no tocante a nós, para que eles, sem nós, não fossem aperfeiçoados.

1 Now faith is the assurance of things we hope for, the certainty of things we cannot see.2 For by it our ancestors won approval.3 By faith we understand that the universe was prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are invisible.4 By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain did, and by it he was declared to be righteous, since God himself accepted his offerings. And by faith he continues to speak, even though he is dead.5 By faith Enoch was taken away without experiencing death. He could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he won approval as one who pleased God.6 Now without faith it is impossible to please God, for the one who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who diligently search for him.7 By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, reverently prepared an ark to save his family, and by it he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.8 By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.9 By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise.10 For he was waiting for the city with permanent foundations, whose architect and builder is God.11 By faith Sarah, even though she was old and barren, received the strength to conceive, because she was convinced that the one who had made the promise was faithful.12 Abraham was as good as dead, yet from this one man came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.13 All these people died having faith. They did not receive the things that were promised, yet they saw them in the distant future and welcomed them, acknowledging that they were strangers and foreigners on earth.14 For people who say such things make it clear that they are looking for a country of their own.15 If they had been thinking about what they had left behind, they would have had an opportunity to go back.16 Instead, they were longing for a better country, that is, a heavenly one. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, because he has prepared a city for them.17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered Isaac. The man who had received the promises was about to offer his unique son,18 about whom it had been said, "It is through Isaac that descendants will be named for you."19 He was certain that God could raise people from the dead, and figuratively speaking he did get him back in this way.20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future.21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph's sons "and worshiped while leaning on the top of his staff."22 By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites and gave them instructions about burying his bones.23 By faith Moses was hidden by his parents for three months after he was born, because they saw that he was a beautiful child and were not afraid of the king's order.24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called a son of Pharaoh's daughter,25 because he preferred being mistreated with God's people to enjoying the pleasures of sin for a short time.26 He thought that being insulted for the sake of Christ was of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.27 By faith he left Egypt, without being afraid of the king's anger, and he persevered because he saw the one who is invisible.28 By faith he established the Passover and the sprinkling of blood to keep the destroyer of the firstborn from touching the people.29 By faith they went through the Red Sea as if it were dry land. When the Egyptians tried to do this, they were drowned.30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days.31 By faith Rahab the prostitute did not die with those who were disobedient, because she had welcomed the spies with a greeting of peace.32 And what more should I say? For time would fail me to tell you about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets.33 Through faith they conquered kingdoms, administered justice, received promises, shut the mouths of lions,34 put out raging fires, escaped death by the sword, found strength in weakness, became powerful in battle, and routed foreign armies.35 Women received back their dead through a resurrection. Others were brutally tortured but refused to accept release, so that they might gain a better resurrection.36 Still others endured taunts and floggings, and even chains and imprisonment.37 They were stoned to death, sawed in half, and killed with swords. They went around in sheepskins and goatskins. They were needy, oppressed, and mistreated.38 The world wasn’t worthy of them. They wandered in deserts, mountains, caves, and holes in the ground.39 All these people won approval for their faith but did not receive what was promised,40 since God had planned something better for us so that they would not become perfect without us.