| Berean Study Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Now faith is the assurance of what we hope for and the certainty of what we do not see. | 1Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen. |
| 2This is why the ancients were commended. | 2For our ancestors won God's approval by it. |
| 3By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. | 3By faith we understand that the universe was created by God's command, so that what is seen has been made from things that are not visible. |
| 4By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous when God gave approval to his gifts. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead. | 4By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was approved as a righteous man, because God approved his gifts, and even though he is dead, he still speaks through his faith. |
| 5By faith Enoch was taken up so that he did not see death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.” For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. | 5By faith Enoch was taken away so he did not experience death, and he was not to be found because God took him away. For prior to his removal he was approved, since he had pleased God. |
| 6And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who approaches Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him. | 6Now without faith it is impossible to please God, for the one who draws near to Him must believe that He exists and rewards those who seek Him. |
| 7By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in godly fear built an ark to save his family. By faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. | 7By faith Noah, after he was warned about what was not yet seen and motivated by godly fear, built an ark to deliver his family. By faith he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. |
| 8By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, without knowing where he was going. | 8By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed and went out to a place he was going to receive as an inheritance. He went out, not knowing where he was going. |
| 9By faith he dwelt in the promised land as a stranger in a foreign country. He lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. | 9By faith he stayed as a foreigner in the land of promise, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, coheirs of the same promise. |
| 10For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. | 10For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. |
| 11By faith Sarah, even though she was barren and beyond the proper age, was enabled to conceive a child, because she considered Him faithful who had promised. | 11By faith even Sarah herself, when she was unable to have children, received power to conceive offspring, even though she was past the age, since she considered that the One who had promised was faithful. |
| 12And so from one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore. | 12Therefore from one man--in fact, from one as good as dead--came offspring as numerous as the stars of heaven and as innumerable as the grains of sand by the seashore. |
| 13All these people died in faith, without having received the things they were promised. However, they saw them and welcomed them from afar. And they acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. | 13These all died in faith without having received the promises, but they saw them from a distance, greeted them, and confessed that they were foreigners and temporary residents on the earth. |
| 14Now those who say such things show that they are seeking a country of their own. | 14Now those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. |
| 15If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. | 15If they were thinking about where they came from, they would have had an opportunity to return. |
| 16Instead, they were longing for a better country, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them. | 16But they now desire a better place--a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them. |
| 17By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac on the altar. He who had received the promises was ready to offer his one and only son, | 17By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac. He received the promises and he was offering his unique son, |
| 18even though God had said to him, “Through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned.” | 18the one it had been said about, Your seed will be traced through Isaac. |
| 19Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and in a sense, he did receive Isaac back from death. | 19He considered God to be able even to raise someone from the dead, and as an illustration, he received him back. |
| 20By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning the future. | 20By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. |
| 21By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff. | 21By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and he worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. |
| 22By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites and gave instructions about his bones. | 22By faith Joseph, as he was nearing the end of his life, mentioned the exodus of the Israelites and gave instructions concerning his bones. |
| 23By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after his birth, because they saw that he was a beautiful child, and they were unafraid of the king’s edict. | 23By faith, after Moses was born, he was hidden by his parents for three months, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they didn't fear the king's edict. |
| 24By faith Moses, when he was grown, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. | 24By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter |
| 25He chose to suffer oppression with God’s people rather than to experience the fleeting enjoyment of sin. | 25and chose to suffer with the people of God rather than to enjoy the short-lived pleasure of sin. |
| 26He valued disgrace for Christ above the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to his reward. | 26For he considered the reproach because of the Messiah to be greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, since his attention was on the reward. |
| 27By faith Moses left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw Him who is invisible. | 27By faith he left Egypt behind, not being afraid of the king's anger, for Moses persevered as one who sees Him who is invisible. |
| 28By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch Israel’s own firstborn. | 28By faith he instituted the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn might not touch the Israelites. |
| 29By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to follow, they were drowned. | 29By faith they crossed the Red Sea as though they were on dry land. When the Egyptians attempted to do this, they were drowned. |
| 30By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days. | 30By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after being encircled by the Israelites for seven days. |
| 31By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies in peace, did not perish with those who were disobedient. | 31By faith Rahab the prostitute received the spies in peace and didn't perish with those who disobeyed. |
| 32And what more shall I say? Time will not allow me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets, | 32And what more can I say? Time is too short for me to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets, |
| 33who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, | 33who by faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, |
| 34quenched the raging fire, and escaped the edge of the sword; who gained strength from weakness, became mighty in battle, and put foreign armies to flight. | 34quenched the raging of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, gained strength after being weak, became mighty in battle, and put foreign armies to flight. |
| 35Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused their release, so that they might gain a better resurrection. | 35Women received their dead--they were raised to life again. Some men were tortured, not accepting release, so that they might gain a better resurrection, |
| 36Still others endured mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. | 36and others experienced mockings and scourgings, as well as bonds and imprisonment. |
| 37They were stoned, they were sawed in two, they were put to death by the sword. They went around in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, oppressed, and mistreated. | 37They were stoned, they were sawed in two, they died by the sword, they wandered about in sheepskins, in goatskins, destitute, afflicted, and mistreated. |
| 38The world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and hid in caves and holes in the ground. | 38The world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and on mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground. |
| 39These were all commended for their faith, yet they did not receive what was promised. | 39All these were approved through their faith, but they did not receive what was promised, |
| 40God had planned something better for us, so that together with us they would be made perfect. | 40since God had provided something better for us, so that they would not be made perfect without us. |
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