Hebrews 11:17-40 ▼

17 Through faith Abraham, as soon as God put him to the test, offered up Isaac. Yes, he who had joyfully welcomed the promises was on the point of sacrificing his only son

18 with regard to whom he had been told, "It is through Isaac that your posterity shall be traced."

19 For he reckoned that God is even able to raise a man up from among the dead, and, figuratively speaking, it was from among the dead that he received Isaac again.

20 Through faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even in connexion with things soon to come.

21 Through faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of Joseph's sons, and, leaning on the top of his staff, worshipped God.

22 Through faith Joseph, when he was near his end, made mention of the departure of the descendants of Israel, and gave orders about his own body.

23 Through faith the child Moses was hid for three months by his parents, because they saw his rare beauty; and the king's edict had no terror for them.

24 Through faith Moses, when he grew to manhood, refused to be known as Pharaoh's daughter's son,

25 having determined to endure ill-treatment along with the people of God rather than enjoy the short-lived pleasures of sin;

26 because he deemed the reproaches which he might meet with in the service of the Christ to be greater riches than all the treasures of Egypt; for he fixed his gaze on the coming reward.

27 Through faith he left Egypt, not being frightened by the king's anger; for he held on his course as seeing the unseen One.

28 Through faith he instituted the Passover, and the sprinkling with blood so that the destroyer of the firstborn might not touch the Israelites.

29 Through faith they passed through the Red Sea as though they were passing over dry land, but the Egyptians, when they tried to do the same, were swallowed up.

30 Through faith the walls of Jericho fell to the ground after being surrounded for seven days.

31 Through faith the notorious sinner Rahab did not perish along with the disobedient, for she had welcomed the spies and had sheltered them.

32 And why need I say more? For time will fail me if I tell the story of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, and of David and Samuel and the Prophets;

33 men who, as the result of faith, conquered whole kingdoms, brought about true justice, obtained promises from God, stopped lions' mouths,

34 deprived fire of its power, escaped being killed by the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put to flight foreign armies.

35 Women received back their dear ones alive from the dead; and others were put to death with torture, refusing the deliverance offered to them--that they might secure a better resurrection.

36 Others again were tested by cruel mockery and by scourging; yes, and by chains and imprisonment.

37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, they were tried by temptation, they were killed with the sword. They went from place to place in sheepskins or goatskins, enduring want, oppression and cruelty.

38 They wandered across deserts and mountains, or hid themselves in caves and in holes in the ground.

39 And although by their faith all these people won God's approval, none of them received the fulfilment of His great promise;

40 for God had provided for them and us something better, so that apart from us they were not to attain to full blessedness.