Heb.11.1

The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It's our handle on what we can't see.

Heb.11.1

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

Heb.11.1

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Heb.11.1

What is faith? It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see.

Heb.11.2

The act of faith is what distinguished our ancestors, set them above the crowd.

Heb.11.2

This is what the ancients were commended for.

Heb.11.2

For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.

Heb.11.2

God gave his approval to people in days of old because of their faith.

Heb.11.3

By faith, we see the world called into existence by God's word, what we see created by what we don't see.

Heb.11.3

By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.

Heb.11.3

By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.

Heb.11.3

By 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.

Heb.11.4

By an act of faith, Abel brought a better sacrifice to God than Cain. It was what he believed, not what he brought, that made the difference. That's what God noticed and approved as righteous. After all these centuries, that belief continues to catch our notice.

Heb.11.4

By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.

Heb.11.4

By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks.

Heb.11.4

It was by faith that Abel brought a more acceptable offering to God than Cain did. God accepted Abel's offering to show that he was a righteous man. And although Abel is long dead, he still speaks to us because of his faith.

Heb.11.5

By an act of faith, Enoch skipped death completely. "They looked all over and couldn't find him because God had taken him." We know on the basis of reliable testimony that before he was taken "he pleased God."

Heb.11.5

By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God.

Heb.11.5

By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, "and was not found, because God had taken him"; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God.

Heb.11.5

It was by faith that Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying--"suddenly he disappeared because God took him." But before he was taken up, he was approved as pleasing to God.

Heb.11.6

It's impossible to please God apart from faith. And why? Because anyone who wants to approach God must believe both that he exists and that he cares enough to respond to those who seek him.

Heb.11.6

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Heb.11.6

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Heb.11.6

So, you see, it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that there is a God and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.

Heb.11.7

By faith, Noah built a ship in the middle of dry land. He was warned about something he couldn't see, and acted on what he was told. The result? His family was saved. His act of faith drew a sharp line between the evil of the unbelieving world and the rightness of the believing world. As a result, Noah became intimate with God.

Heb.11.7

By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

Heb.11.7

By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.

Heb.11.7

It was by faith that Noah built an ark to save his family from the flood. He obeyed God, who warned him about something that had never happened before. By his faith he condemned the rest of the world and was made right in God's sight.

Heb.11.8

By an act of faith, Abraham said yes to God's call to travel to an unknown place that would become his home. When he left he had no idea where he was going.

Heb.11.8

By 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.

Heb.11.8

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

Heb.11.8

It 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.

Heb.11.9

By an act of faith he lived in the country promised him, lived as a stranger camping in tents. Isaac and Jacob did the same, living under the same promise.

Heb.11.9

By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise.

Heb.11.9

By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise;

Heb.11.9

And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith--for he was like a foreigner, living in a tent. And so did Isaac and Jacob, to whom God gave the same promise.

Heb.11.10

Abraham did it by keeping his eye on an unseen city with real, eternal foundations--the City designed and built by God.

Heb.11.10

For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

Heb.11.10

for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

Heb.11.10

Abraham did this because he was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God.

Heb.11.11

By faith, barren Sarah was able to become pregnant, old woman as she was at the time, because she believed the One who made a promise would do what he said.

Heb.11.11

By faith Abraham, even though he was past age--and Sarah herself was barren--was enabled to become a father because he considered him faithful who had made the promise.

Heb.11.11

By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised.

Heb.11.11

It was by faith that Sarah together with Abraham was able to have a child, even though they were too old and Sarah was barren. Abraham believed that God would keep his promise.

Heb.11.12

That's how it happened that from one man's dead and shriveled loins there are now people numbering into the millions. [JC]

Heb.11.12

And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.

Heb.11.12

Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude--innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.

Heb.11.12

And so a whole nation came from this one man, Abraham, who was too old to have any children--a nation with so many people that, like the stars of the sky and the sand on the seashore, there is no way to count them.

Heb.11.13

Each one of these people of faith died not yet having in hand what was promised, but still believing. How did they do it? They saw it way off in the distance, waved their greeting, and accepted the fact that they were transients in this world.

Heb.11.13

All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth.

Heb.11.13

These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

Heb.11.13

All these faithful ones died without receiving what God had promised them, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed the promises of God. They agreed that they were no more than foreigners and nomads here on earth.

Heb.11.14

People who live this way make it plain that they are looking for their true home.

Heb.11.14

People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own.

Heb.11.14

For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland.

Heb.11.14

And obviously people who talk like that are looking forward to a country they can call their own.

Heb.11.15

If they were homesick for the old country, they could have gone back any time they wanted.

Heb.11.15

If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return.

Heb.11.15

And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return.

Heb.11.15

If they had meant the country they came from, they would have found a way to go back.

Heb.11.16

But they were after a far better country than that--heaven country. You can see why God is so proud of them, and has a City waiting for them.

Heb.11.16

Instead, they were longing for a better country--a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

Heb.11.16

But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.

Heb.11.16

But 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 heavenly city for them.