New Living Translation

English Standard Version

1Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see.

1Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

2Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation.

2For by it the people of old received their commendation.

3By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.

3By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.

4It was by faith that Abel brought a more acceptable offering to God than Cain did. Abel’s offering gave evidence that he was a righteous man, and God showed his approval of his gifts. Although Abel is long dead, he still speaks to us by his example of faith.

4By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks.

5It was by faith that Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying—“he disappeared, because God took him.” For before he was taken up, he was known as a person who pleased God.

5By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God.

6And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.

6And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

7It was by faith that Noah built a large boat to save his family from the flood. He obeyed God, who warned him about things that had never happened before. By his faith Noah condemned the rest of the world, and he received the righteousness that comes by faith.

7By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

8It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going.

8By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.

9And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith—for he was like a foreigner, living in tents. And so did Isaac and Jacob, who inherited the same promise.

9By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise.

10Abraham was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God.

10For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.

11It was by faith that even Sarah was able to have a child, though she was barren and was too old. She believed that God would keep his promise.

11By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised.

12And so a whole nation came from this one man who was as good as dead—a nation with so many people that, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore, there is no way to count them.

12Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.

13All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth.

13These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.

14Obviously people who say such things are looking forward to a country they can call their own.

14For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland.

15If they had longed for the country they came from, they could have gone back.

15If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return.

16But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

16But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.

17It was by faith that Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice when God was testing him. Abraham, who had received God’s promises, was ready to sacrifice his only son, Isaac,

17By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son,

18even though God had told him, “Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted.”

18of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.”

19Abraham reasoned that if Isaac died, God was able to bring him back to life again. And in a sense, Abraham did receive his son back from the dead.

19He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.

20It was by faith that Isaac promised blessings for the future to his sons, Jacob and Esau.

20By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau.

21It was by faith that Jacob, when he was old and dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons and bowed in worship as he leaned on his staff.

21By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff.

22It was by faith that Joseph, when he was about to die, said confidently that the people of Israel would leave Egypt. He even commanded them to take his bones with them when they left.

22By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones.

23It was by faith that Moses’ parents hid him for three months when he was born. They saw that God had given them an unusual child, and they were not afraid to disobey the king’s command.

23By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.

24It was by faith that Moses, when he grew up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.

24By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter,

25He chose to share the oppression of God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin.

25choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.

26He thought it was better to suffer for the sake of Christ than to own the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to his great reward.

26He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.

27It was by faith that Moses left the land of Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger. He kept right on going because he kept his eyes on the one who is invisible.

27By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible.

28It was by faith that Moses commanded the people of Israel to keep the Passover and to sprinkle blood on the doorposts so that the angel of death would not kill their firstborn sons.

28By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them.

29It was by faith that the people of Israel went right through the Red Sea as though they were on dry ground. But when the Egyptians tried to follow, they were all drowned.

29By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned.

30It was by faith that the people of Israel marched around Jericho for seven days, and the walls came crashing down.

30By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days.

31It was by faith that Rahab the prostitute was not destroyed with the people in her city who refused to obey God. For she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.

31By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.

32How much more do I need to say? It would take too long to recount the stories of the faith of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and all the prophets.

32And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets—

33By faith these people overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice, and received what God had promised them. They shut the mouths of lions,

33who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,

34quenched the flames of fire, and escaped death by the edge of the sword. Their weakness was turned to strength. They became strong in battle and put whole armies to flight.

34quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.

35Women received their loved ones back again from death. But others were tortured, refusing to turn from God in order to be set free. They placed their hope in a better life after the resurrection.

35Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life.

36Some were jeered at, and their backs were cut open with whips. Others were chained in prisons.

36Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment.

37Some died by stoning, some were sawed in half, and others were killed with the sword. Some went about wearing skins of sheep and goats, destitute and oppressed and mistreated.

37They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated—

38They were too good for this world, wandering over deserts and mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground.

38of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

39All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised.

39And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised,

40For God had something better in mind for us, so that they would not reach perfection without us.

40since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.