New Living Translation

Holman Christian Standard Bible

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

1Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen.

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

2For our ancestors won God's approval by it.

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 God's command, so that what is seen has been made from things that are not 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 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.

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 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 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.

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.

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, 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.

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, 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.

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 stayed as a foreigner in the land of promise, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, coheirs 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 architect 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 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 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--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 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 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.

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

14Now those who say such things 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 were thinking about where they came from, they would have had an 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 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.

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. He received the promises and he was offering his unique son,

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

18the one it had been said about, Your seed will be traced through Isaac.

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 God to be able even to raise someone from the dead, and as an illustration, he received him back.

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

20By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.

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 he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and he worshiped, leaning on the top 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, as he was nearing the end of his life, mentioned the exodus of the Israelites and gave instructions 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, 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.

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 had 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.

25and chose to suffer with the people of God rather than to enjoy the short-lived pleasure 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.

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.

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 behind, not being afraid of the king's anger, for Moses persevered as one who sees 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 instituted the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn might not touch the Israelites.

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 they crossed the Red Sea as though they were on dry land. When the Egyptians attempted to do this, they 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 being encircled by the Israelites 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 received the spies in peace and didn't perish with those who disobeyed.

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 can I say? Time is too short for me to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, 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 by faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, shut 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 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 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 their dead--they were raised to life again. Some men were tortured, not accepting release, so that they might gain a better resurrection,

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

36and others experienced mockings and scourgings, as well as bonds 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 sawed in two, they died by the sword, they wandered about in sheepskins, in goatskins, destitute, afflicted, and mistreated.

38They were too good for this world, wandering over deserts and mountains, hiding 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.

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

39All these were approved through their faith, but they 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, so that they would not be made perfect without us.

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.

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.