| International Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 1Now faith is the assurance that what we hope for will come about and the certainty that what we cannot see exists. | 1Now faith is being sure of what we hope for, being convinced of what we do not see. |
| 2By faith our ancestors won approval. | 2For by it the people of old received God's commendation. |
| 3By faith we understand that time was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are invisible. | 3By faith we understand that the worlds were set in order at God's command, so that the visible has its origin in the invisible. |
| 4By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain did, and by faith he was declared to be righteous, since God himself accepted his offerings. And by faith he continues to speak, even though he is dead. | 4By faith Abel offered God a greater sacrifice than Cain, and through his faith he was commended as righteous, because God commended him for his offerings. And through his faith he still speaks, though he is dead. |
| 5By 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. | 5By faith Enoch was taken up so that he did not see death, and he was not to be found because God took him up. For before his removal he had been commended as having pleased God. |
| 6Now without faith it is impossible to please God, for whoever comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who diligently search for him. | 6Now without faith it is impossible to please him, for the one who approaches God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. |
| 7By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, reverently prepared an ark to save his family, and by faith he condemned the world and inherited the righteousness that comes by faith. | 7By faith Noah, when he was warned about things not yet seen, with reverent regard constructed an ark for the deliverance of his family. Through 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, even though he did not know where he was going. | 8By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place he would later receive as an inheritance, and he went out without understanding where he was going. |
| 9By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger, living in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who also inherited the same promise, | 9By faith he lived as a foreigner in the promised land as though it were a foreign country, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, who were fellow heirs of the same promise. |
| 10because he was waiting for the city with permanent foundations, whose architect and builder is God. | 10For he was looking forward to the city with firm foundations, whose architect and builder is God. |
| 11By 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. | 11By faith, even though Sarah herself was barren and he was too old, he received the ability to procreate, because he regarded the one who had given the promise to be trustworthy. |
| 12Abraham 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. | 12So in fact children were fathered by one man--and this one as good as dead--like the number of stars in the sky and like the innumerable grains of sand on the seashore. |
| 13All 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. | 13These all died in faith without receiving the things promised, but they saw them in the distance and welcomed them and acknowledged that they were strangers and foreigners on the earth. |
| 14For people who say such things make it clear that they are looking for a country of their own. | 14For those who speak in such a way make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. |
| 15If they had been thinking about what they had left behind, they would have had an opportunity to go back. | 15In fact, if they had been thinking of the land that they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. |
| 16Instead, 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. | 16But as it is, they aspire to a better land, that is, 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 Isaac—he who had received the promises was about to offer his unique son in sacrifice, | 17By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac. He had received the promises, yet he was ready to offer up his only son. |
| 18about whom it had been said, "It is through Isaac that descendants will be named for you." | 18God had told him, "Through Isaac descendants will carry on your name," |
| 19Abraham was certain that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did get Isaac back in this way. | 19and he reasoned that God could even raise him from the dead, and in a sense he received him back from there. |
| 20By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future. | 20By faith also Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning the future. |
| 21By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph's sons "and worshipped while leaning on the top of his staff." | 21By faith Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph and worshiped as he leaned on his staff. |
| 22By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelis and gave them instructions about burying his bones. | 22By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, mentioned the exodus of the sons of Israel and gave instructions about his burial. |
| 23By 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. | 23By faith, when Moses was born, his parents hid him for three months, because they saw the child was beautiful and they were not afraid of the king's edict. |
| 24By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called a son of Pharaoh's daughter, | 24By faith, when he grew up, Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, |
| 25because he preferred being mistreated with God's people to enjoying the pleasures of sin for a short time. | 25choosing rather to be ill-treated with the people of God than to enjoy sin's fleeting pleasure. |
| 26He thought that being insulted for the sake of the Messiah was of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. | 26He regarded abuse suffered for Christ to be greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for his eyes were fixed on the reward. |
| 27By faith he left Egypt, without being afraid of the king's anger, and he persevered because he saw the one who is invisible. | 27By faith he left Egypt without fearing the king's anger, for he persevered as though he could see the one who is invisible. |
| 28By faith he established the Passover and the sprinkling of blood to keep the destroyer of the firstborn from touching the people. | 28By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that the one who destroyed the firstborn would not touch them. |
| 29By faith they went through the Red Sea as if it were dry land. When the Egyptians tried to do this, they were drowned. | 29By faith they crossed the Red Sea as if on dry ground, but when the Egyptians tried it, they were swallowed up. |
| 30By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. | 30By faith the walls of Jericho fell after the people marched around them for seven days. |
| 31By faith Rahab the prostitute did not die with those who were disobedient, because she had welcomed the spies with a greeting of peace. | 31By faith Rahab the prostitute escaped the destruction of the disobedient, because she welcomed the spies in peace. |
| 32And what more should I say? For time would fail me to tell you about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets. | 32And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets. |
| 33Through faith they conquered kingdoms, administered justice, received promises, shut the mouths of lions, | 33Through faith they conquered kingdoms, administered justice, gained what was promised, shut the mouths of lions, |
| 34put out raging fires, escaped death by the sword, found strength in weakness, became powerful in battle, and routed foreign armies. | 34quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, gained strength in weakness, became mighty in battle, put foreign armies to flight, |
| 35Women received their dead raised back to life. Other people were brutally tortured, but refused to be ransomed, so that they might gain a better resurrection. | 35and women received back their dead raised to life. But others were tortured, not accepting release, to obtain resurrection to a better life. |
| 36Still others endured taunts and floggings, and even chains and imprisonment. | 36And others experienced mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. |
| 37They were stoned to death, sawed in half, and killed with swords. They went around in sheepskins and goatskins. They were needy, oppressed, and mistreated. | 37They were stoned, sawed apart, murdered with the sword; they went about in sheepskins and goatskins; they were destitute, afflicted, ill-treated |
| 38The world wasn't worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and from caves to holes in the ground. | 38(the world was not worthy of them); they wandered in deserts and mountains and caves and openings in the earth. |
| 39All these people won approval for their faith but they did not receive what was promised, | 39And these all were commended for their faith, yet they did not receive what was promised. |
| 40since God had planned something better for us, so that they would not be perfected without us. | 40For God had provided something better for us, so that they would be made perfect together with us. |
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