By Faith

Hebrews 11

1 Now faith is the 1 substance of things hoped for, the 2 evidence a of things not seen. 2 For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. 3 By faith we understand that b the 3 worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.

4 By faith c 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 d speaks. 5 By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, e "and was not found, because God had taken him"; 4 for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. 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. 7 By faith f Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, g prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of h the righteousness which is according to faith.

8 By faith i 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. 9 By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, j dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, k the heirs with him of the same promise; 10 for he waited for l the city which has foundations, m whose builder and maker is God. 11 By faith n Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and o she 5 bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him p faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore from one man, and him as good as q dead, were born as many as the r stars of the sky in multitude - innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.

13 These all died in faith, s not having received the t promises, but u having seen them afar off 6 were assured of them, embraced them and v confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14 For those who say such things w declare plainly that they seek a homeland. 15 And truly if they had called to mind x that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed y to be called their God, for He has z prepared a city for them.

17 By faith Abraham, a when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, 18 7 of whom it was said, b "In Isaac your seed shall be called," 8 19 concluding that God c was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense. 20 By faith d Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. 21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, e blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. 22 By faith f Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones.

23 By faith g Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king's h command. 24 By faith i Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, 25 choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the 9 passing pleasures of sin, 26 esteeming j the 10 reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures 11 in Egypt; for he looked to the k reward. 27 By faith l he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. 28 By faith m he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them.

29 By faith n they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned. 30 By faith o the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days. 31 By faith p the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who 12 did not believe, when q she had received the spies with peace.

32 And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of r Gideon and s Barak and t Samson and u Jephthah, also of v David and w Samuel and the prophets: 33 who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, x stopped the mouths of lions, 34 y quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. 35 z Women received their dead raised to life again. Others were a tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. 36 Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and b of chains and imprisonment. 37 c They were stoned, they were sawn in two, 13 were tempted, were slain with the sword. d They wandered about e in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented - 38 of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, f in dens and caves of the earth.

39 And all these, g having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, 40 God having provided something better for us, that they should not be h made perfect apart from us.

  1. Cross References
    Romans 8:24
    For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees?
    2 Corinthians 4:18
    While we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
    2 Corinthians 5:7
    For we walk by faith, not by sight.
    Hebrews 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.
    Hebrews 11:27
    By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible.
  2. Cross References
    Genesis 1:1
    In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
    Psalms 33:6
    By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, And all the host of them by the breath of His mouth.
    John 1:3
    All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.
    2 Peter 3:5
    For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water.
  3. Cross References
    Genesis 4:3 - 5
    And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the LORD.
    Matthew 23:35
    That on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.
    1 John 3:12
    Not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother's righteous.
  4. Cross References
    Genesis 4:8 - 10
    Now Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him.
    Hebrews 12:24
    To Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.
  5. Cross References
    Genesis 5:21 - 24
    Enoch lived sixty-five years, and begot Methuselah.
  6. Cross References
    Genesis 6:13 - 22
    And God said to Noah, "The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
  7. Cross References
    1 Peter 3:20
    Who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.
  8. Cross References
    Romans 3:22
    Even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference.
  9. Cross References
    Genesis 12:1 - 4
    Now the LORD had said to Abram: Get out of your country, From your family And from your father's house, To a land that I will show you.
    Acts 7:2 - 4
    And he said, "Brethren and fathers, listen: The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran.
  10. Cross References
    Genesis 12:8
    And he moved from there to the mountain east of Bethel, and he pitched his tent with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; there he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD.
    Genesis 13:3
    And he went on his journey from the South as far as Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai.
    Genesis 13:18
    Then Abram moved his tent, and went and dwelt by the terebinth trees of Mamre, which are in Hebron, and built an altar there to the LORD.
    Genesis 18:1
    Then the LORD appeared to him by the terebinth trees of Mamre, as he was sitting in the tent door in the heat of the day.
    Genesis 18:9
    Then they said to him, "Where is Sarah your wife?" So he said, "Here, in the tent.
  11. Cross References
    Hebrews 6:17
    Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath.
  12. Cross References
    Hebrews 12:22
    But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels.
    Hebrews 13:14
    For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come.
  13. Cross References
    Revelation 21:10
    And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God.
  14. Cross References
    Genesis 17:19
    Then God said: "No, Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac; I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his descendants after him.
    Genesis 18:11 - 14
    Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age; and Sarah had passed the age of childbearing.
    Genesis 21:1
    And the LORD visited Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did for Sarah as He had spoken.
    Genesis 21:2
    For Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.
  15. Cross References
    Luke 1:36
    Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren.
  16. Cross References
    Hebrews 10:23
    Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.
  17. Cross References
    Romans 4:19
    And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's womb.
  18. Cross References
    Genesis 15:5
    Then He brought him outside and said, "Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them." And He said to him, "So shall your descendants be.
    Genesis 22:17
    Blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies.
    Genesis 32:12
    "For You said, 'I will surely treat you well, and make your descendants as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude."'
  19. Cross References
    Hebrews 11:39
    And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise.
  20. Cross References
    Genesis 12:7
    Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your descendants I will give this land." And there he built an altar to the LORD, who had appeared to him.
  21. Cross References
    John 8:56
    "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad."
    Hebrews 11:27
    By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible.
  22. Cross References
    Genesis 23:4
    "I am a foreigner and a visitor among you. Give...
    Genesis 47:9
    And Jacob said to Pharaoh, "The days of the yea...
    1 Chronicles 29:15
    For we are aliens and pilgrims before You, As w...
    Psalms 39:12
    Hear my prayer, O LORD, And give ear to my cry;...
    Ephesians 2:19
    Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and...
    1 Peter 1:17
    And if you call on the Father, who without part...
    1 Peter 2:11
    Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, ...
  23. Cross References
    Hebrews 13:14
    For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come.
  24. Cross References
    Genesis 11:31
    And Terah took his son Abram and his grandson Lot, the son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, his son Abram's wife, and they went out with them from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to the land of Canaan; and they came to Haran and dwelt there.
  25. Cross References
    Genesis 26:24
    And the LORD appeared to him the same night and said, "I am the God of your father Abraham; do not fear, for I am with you. I will bless you and multiply your descendants for My servant Abraham's sake.
    Genesis 28:13
    And behold, the LORD stood above it and said: "I am the LORD God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and your descendants.
    Exodus 3:6
    Moreover He said, "I am the God of your father - the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God.
    Exodus 3:15
    Moreover God said to Moses, "Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: 'The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever, and this is My memorial to all generations.
    Exodus 4:5
    "that they may believe that the LORD God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you."
  26. Cross References
    John 14:2
    In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
    Hebrews 11:10
    For he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
    Revelation 21:2
    Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
  27. Cross References
    Genesis 22:1 - 14
    Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am.
    James 2:21
    Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar?
  28. Cross References
    Genesis 21:12
    But God said to Abraham, "Do not let it be displeasing in your sight because of the lad or because of your bondwoman. Whatever Sarah has said to you, listen to her voice; for in Isaac your seed shall be called.
    Romans 9:7
    Nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, "In Isaac your seed shall be called.
  29. Cross References
    Romans 4:17
    (as it is written, "I have made you a father of many nations") in the presence of Him whom he believed - God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did.
  30. Cross References
    Genesis 27:26 - 40
    Then his father Isaac said to him, "Come near now and kiss me, my son.
  31. Cross References
    Genesis 48:1
    Now it came to pass after these things that Joseph was told, "Indeed your father is sick"; and he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.
    Genesis 48:5
    And now your two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine.
    Genesis 48:16
    The Angel who has redeemed me from all evil, Bless the lads; Let my name be named upon them, And the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; And let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.
    Genesis 48:20
    So he blessed them that day, saying, "By you Israel will bless, saying, 'May God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh!' " And thus he set Ephraim before Manasseh.
  32. Cross References
    Genesis 50:24
    And Joseph said to his brethren, "I am dying; but God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land to the land of which He swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.
    Genesis 50:25
    Then Joseph took an oath from the children of Israel, saying, "God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here.
    Exodus 13:19
    And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for he had placed the children of Israel under solemn oath, saying, "God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here with you.
  33. Cross References
    Exodus 2:1 - 3
    And a man of the house of Levi went and took as wife a daughter of Levi.
  34. Cross References
    Exodus 1:16
    And he said, "When you do the duties of a midwife for the Hebrew women, and see them on the birthstools, if it is a son, then you shall kill him; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live.
    Exodus 1:22
    So Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, "Every son who is born you shall cast into the river, and every daughter you shall save alive.
  35. Cross References
    Exodus 2:11 - 15
    Now it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out to his brethren and looked at their burdens. And he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his brethren.
  36. Cross References
    Hebrews 13:13
    Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach.
  37. Cross References
    Romans 8:18
    For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
    2 Corinthians 4:17
    For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.
  38. Cross References
    Exodus 10:28
    Then Pharaoh said to him, "Get away from me! Take heed to yourself and see my face no more! For in the day you see my face you shall die!
  39. Cross References
    Exodus 12:21
    Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel and said to them, "Pick out and take lambs for yourselves according to your families, and kill the Passover lamb.
  40. Cross References
    Exodus 14:22 - 29
    So the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea on the dry ground, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.
  41. Cross References
    Joshua 6:20
    So the people shouted when the priests blew the trumpets. And it happened when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat. Then the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.
  42. Cross References
    Joshua 2:9
    And said to the men: "I know that the LORD has given you the land, that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land are fainthearted because of you.
    Joshua 6:23
    And the young men who had been spies went in and brought out Rahab, her father, her mother, her brothers, and all that she had. So they brought out all her relatives and left them outside the camp of Israel.
    James 2:25
    Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?
  43. Cross References
    Joshua 2:1
    Now Joshua the son of Nun sent out two men from Acacia Grove to spy secretly, saying, "Go, view the land, especially Jericho." So they went, and came to the house of a harlot named Rahab, and lodged there.
  44. Cross References
    Judges 6:11
    Now the Angel of the LORD came and sat under the terebinth tree which was in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, while his son Gideon threshed wheat in the winepress, in order to hide it from the Midianites.
    Judges 7:1 - 25
    Then Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and all the people who were with him rose early and encamped beside the well of Harod, so that the camp of the Midianites was on the north side of them by the hill of Moreh in the valley.
  45. Cross References
    Judges 4:6 - 24
    Then she sent and called for Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali, and said to him, "Has not the LORD God of Israel commanded, 'Go and deploy troops at Mount Tabor; take with you ten thousand men of the sons of Naphtali and of the sons of Zebulun.
  46. Cross References
    Judges 13:24
    So the woman bore a son and called his name Samson; and the child grew, and the LORD blessed him.
    Judges 16:31
    And his brothers and all his father's household came down and took him, and brought him up and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the tomb of his father Manoah. He had judged Israel twenty years.
  47. Cross References
    Judges 11:1 - 29
    Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valor, but he was the son of a harlot; and Gilead begot Jephthah.
    Judges 12:1 - 7
    Then the men of Ephraim gathered together, crossed over toward Zaphon, and said to Jephthah, "Why did you cross over to fight against the people of Ammon, and did not call us to go with you? We will burn your house down on you with fire!
  48. Cross References
    1 Samuel 16:1
    Now the LORD said to Samuel, "How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go; I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite. For I have provided Myself a king among his sons.
    1 Samuel 17:1
    Now the Philistines gathered their armies together to battle, and were gathered at Sochoh, which belongs to Judah; they encamped between Sochoh and Azekah, in Ephes Dammim.
  49. Cross References
    1 Samuel 7:9 - 14
    And Samuel took a suckling lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the LORD. Then Samuel cried out to the LORD for Israel, and the LORD answered him.
  50. Cross References
    Judges 14:6
    And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he tore the lion apart as one would have torn apart a young goat, though he had nothing in his hand. But he did not tell his father or his mother what he had done.
    1 Samuel 17:34
    But David said to Saul, "Your servant used to keep his father's sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock.
    Daniel 6:22
    "My God sent His angel and shut the lions' mouths, so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent before Him; and also, O king, I have done no wrong before you."
  51. Cross References
    Daniel 3:23 - 28
    And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and AbedNego', fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
  52. Cross References
    1 Kings 17:22
    Then the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came back to him, and he revived.
    2 Kings 4:35 - 37
    He returned and walked back and forth in the house, and again went up and stretched himself out on him; then the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes.
  53. Cross References
    Acts 22:25
    And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said to the centurion who stood by, "Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman, and uncondemned?
  54. Cross References
    Genesis 39:20
    Then Joseph's master took him and put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners were confined. And he was there in the prison.
    1 Kings 22:27
    "and say, 'Thus says the king: "Put this fellow in prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and water of affliction, until I come in peace." '"
    2 Chronicles 18:26
    "and say, 'Thus says the king: "Put this fellow in prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and water of affliction, until I return in peace." '"
    Jeremiah 20:2
    Then Pashhur struck Jeremiah the prophet, and put him in the stocks that were in the high gate of Benjamin, which was by the house of the LORD.
    Jeremiah 37:15
    Therefore the princes were angry with Jeremiah, and they struck him and put him in prison in the house of Jonathan the scribe. For they had made that the prison.
  55. Cross References
    1 Kings 21:13
    And two men, scoundrels, came in and sat before him; and the scoundrels witnessed against him, against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, "Naboth has blasphemed God and the king!" Then they took him outside the city and stoned him with stones, so that he died.
    2 Chronicles 24:21
    So they conspired against him, and at the command of the king they stoned him with stones in the court of the house of the LORD.
    Acts 7:58
    And they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.
  56. Cross References
    2 Kings 1:8
    So they answered him, "A hairy man wearing a leather belt around his waist." And he said, "It is Elijah the Tishbite.
    Matthew 3:4
    Now John himself was clothed in camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey.
  57. Cross References
    1 Kings 19:13
    So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him, and said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?
    1 Kings 19:19
    So he departed from there, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he was with the twelfth. Then Elijah passed by him and threw his mantle on him.
    2 Kings 2:8
    Now Elijah took his mantle, rolled it up, and struck the water; and it was divided this way and that, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground.
    2 Kings 2:13
    He also took up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and went back and stood by the bank of the Jordan.
    Zechariah 13:4
    And it shall be in that day that every prophet will be ashamed of his vision when he prophesies; they will not wear a robe of coarse hair to deceive.
  58. Cross References
    1 Kings 18:4
    For so it was, while Jezebel massacred the prophets of the LORD, that Obadiah had taken one hundred prophets and hidden them, fifty to a cave, and had fed them with bread and water.)
    1 Kings 18:13
    Was it not reported to my lord what I did when Jezebel killed the prophets of the LORD, how I hid one hundred men of the LORD's prophets, fifty to a cave, and fed them with bread and water?
    1 Kings 19:9
    And there he went into a cave, and spent the night in that place; and behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and He said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?
  59. Cross References
    Hebrews 11:2
    For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.
    Hebrews 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.
  60. Cross References
    Hebrews 5:9
    And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him.
New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
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