| NET Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Now faith is being sure of what we hope for, being convinced of what we do not see. | 1Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen. |
| 2For by it the people of old received God's commendation. | 2For our ancestors won God's approval by it. |
| 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. | 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 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. | 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, and he was not to be found because God took him up. For before his removal he had been commended as having 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. |
| 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. | 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 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. | 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 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. | 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 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. | 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 firm 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, 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 14For those who speak in such a way make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. | 14Now those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. |
| 15In fact, if they had been thinking of the land that 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. |
| 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. | 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. He had received the promises, yet he was ready to offer up his only son. | 17By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac. He received the promises and he was offering his unique son, |
| 18God had told him, "Through Isaac descendants will carry on your name," | 18the one it had been said about, Your seed will be traced through Isaac. |
| 19and he reasoned that God could even raise him from the dead, and in a sense he received him back from there. | 19He considered God to be able even to raise someone from the dead, and as an illustration, he received him back. |
| 20By faith also Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning the future. | 20By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. |
| 21By faith Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph and worshiped as he leaned on 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, at the end of his life, mentioned the exodus of the sons of Israel and gave instructions about his burial. | 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, 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. | 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, when he grew up, Moses 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 |
| 25choosing rather to be ill-treated with the people of God than to enjoy sin's fleeting pleasure. | 25and chose to suffer with the people of God rather than to enjoy the short-lived pleasure of sin. |
| 26He regarded abuse suffered for Christ to be greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for his eyes were fixed on the 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 he left Egypt without fearing the king's anger, for he persevered as though he could see the one 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 the blood, so that the one who destroyed the firstborn would not touch them. | 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 they crossed the Red Sea as if on dry ground, but when the Egyptians tried it, they were swallowed up. | 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 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 Rahab the prostitute escaped the destruction of the disobedient, because she welcomed the spies in peace. | 31By faith Rahab the prostitute received the spies in peace and didn't perish with those who disobeyed. |
| 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. | 32And what more can I say? Time is too short for me to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets, |
| 33Through faith they conquered kingdoms, administered justice, gained what was promised, shut the mouths of lions, | 33who by faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, |
| 34quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, gained strength in weakness, became mighty in battle, 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. |
| 35and women received back their dead raised to life. But others were tortured, not accepting release, to obtain resurrection to a better life. | 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, |
| 36And others experienced mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. | 36and others experienced mockings and scourgings, as well as bonds and imprisonment. |
| 37They were stoned, sawed apart, murdered with the sword; they went about in sheepskins and goatskins; they were destitute, afflicted, ill-treated | 37They were stoned, they were sawed in two, they died by the sword, they wandered about in sheepskins, in goatskins, destitute, afflicted, and mistreated. |
| 38(the world was not worthy of them); they wandered in deserts and mountains and caves and openings in the earth. | 38The world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and on mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground. |
| 39And these all were 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, |
| 40For God had provided something better for us, so that they would be made perfect together with us. | 40since God had provided something better for us, so that they would not be made perfect without us. |
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