Hebrews 11

¹Now trust is firm confidence in things hoped for, a conviction regarding things not seen.

²For by it the people of old obtained a good testimony from God.

³By trust we understand that the ages have been put in order by the word of God, so that what is seen has not been made out of things that are visible.

⁴By trust, Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which trust he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying on the basis of his gifts; and through it, though he is dead, he still speaks.

⁵By trust Enoch was moved so that he would not see death, and he could not be found, because God moved him, for before he was moved he obtained the testimony that he pleased God.

⁶And without trust it is impossible to please him, for whoever comes to God must believe that he is, and that he rewards those who seek him.

⁷By trust Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, out of reverent regard, prepared an ark for the salvation of his house. By this trust he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes because of trust.

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

⁹By trust he went to live in the Promised Land, as in a foreign land, living in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were co-heirs of the same promise,

¹⁰for he was looking forward to the city that has lasting foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

¹¹By trust also Sarah herself received power to conceive seed when she was past age, since she counted him faithful who had promised,

¹²and so from one man, and him as good as dead, many were born, as many as the stars of heaven in multitude and as innumerable as the sand that is by the seashore.

¹³All these people were still living by trust when they died, not having received the promises, but they saw them from a distance, and saluted them, and professed that they were foreigners and resident aliens on the earth.

¹⁴For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a homeland.

¹⁵And indeed, if they kept thinking of that land from which they came out, they would have had an opportunity to return.

¹⁶But as it is, they desire 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 trust Abraham, being tested, offered up Isaac; yes, he who had gladly received the promises was offering up his only begotten son,

¹⁸even he to whom it was said, In Isaac will your seed be called.

¹⁹He reasoned that God was able to raise him up, even from among the dead, from which, as a parable, he did receive him back.

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

²¹By trust Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph and bowed while leaning on the top of his staff.

²²By trust Joseph, when his end was near, mentioned the Exodus of the sons of Israel, and gave a commandment concerning his bones.

²³By trust, when Moses was born, he was hidden by his parents for three months because they saw he was beautiful before God, and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment.

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

²⁵choosing to be mistreated along with the People of God rather than to enjoy the temporary pleasures of sin,

²⁶considering reproach for the sake of the Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking to the reward.

²⁷By trust he left Egypt behind, not fearing the anger of the king, because he persevered as one who sees the Invisible One.

²⁸By trust he kept the Passover, and the sprinkling of the blood, so that the one who was destroying the firstborn would not touch them.

²⁹By trust they passed through the Red Sea as if they were passing through dry land. When the Egyptians attempted to do it, they were drowned.

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

³¹By trust Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were defiant, because she received the spies with peace.

³²And what more should I say? For the time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David, and Samuel, and the prophets,

³³who through trust conquered kingdoms, enforced righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions,

³⁴deprived fire of its power, escaped the mouth of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became strong in war, put to flight foreign armies.

³⁵Women received back their dead by resurrection; but others were tortured, not accepting their release, in order to obtain a better resurrection.

³⁶And others experienced mockings and floggings, and even chains and imprisonment.

³⁷They were stoned, they were sawed in two, they were murdered with the sword, they went around in sheepskins, in goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, mistreated

³⁸(of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains, and hiding in caves and the holes in the ground.

³⁹And all these, though having obtained a good testimony because of their trust, did not receive the promise,

⁴⁰God having provided something better for us, so that they would not be made perfect apart from us.