Faith in Action
1Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. 2This is what the ancients were commended for.
3By 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.
4By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.
5By 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.”11:5 Gen. 5:24 For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. 6And 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.
7By 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 is in keeping with faith.
8By 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. 9By 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. 10For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 11And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she11:11 Or By faith Abraham, even though he was too old to have children—and Sarah herself was not able to conceive—was enabled to become a father because he considered him faithful who had made the promise. 12And 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.
13All 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, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. 14People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16Instead, 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.
17By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had embraced the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, 18even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.”11:18 Gen. 21:12 19Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead, and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death.
20By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future.
21By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons, and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.
22By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions concerning the burial of his bones.
23By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.
24By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. 25He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. 27By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible. 28By faith he kept the Passover and the application of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.
29By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned.
30By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the army had marched around them for seven days.
31By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.11:31 Or unbelieving
32And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets, 33who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, 34quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. 35Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. 36Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37They were put to death by stoning;11:37 Some early manuscripts stoning; they were put to the test; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— 38the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground.
39These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, 40since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.
Onyankopɔn Ma Gyidie
1Gyidie yɛ ahotosoɔ a yɛwɔ wɔ nneɛma a yɛn ani da so ne awerɛhyɛmu a yɛwɔ wɔ nneɛma a yɛn ani nnhunu mu. 2Gyidie a na tetefoɔ no wɔ enti na wɔnyaa adanseɛ pa.
3Gyidie na ɛma yɛte aseɛ sɛ ɛnam Onyankopɔn asɛm so na wɔbɔɔ ewiase. Ɛma yɛhunu sɛ wɔbɔɔ deɛ wɔhunu firii deɛ wɔnnhunu mu.
4Ɛnam gyidie so na Habel bɔɔ afɔdeɛ a ɛsɔ ani kyɛn deɛ Kain de maa Onyankopɔn no. Ne gyidie enti, Onyankopɔn buu no sɛ onipa tenenee, na nʼakyɛdeɛ no sɔɔ Onyankopɔn ani. Na ɛno so na ɔnam wuiɛ a ɛnnɛ mpo ɔda so kasa.
5Gyidie enti, wɔfaa Henok kɔɔ ɔsoro a wanhunu owuo. Obiara anhunu no, ɛfiri sɛ, Onyankopɔn na ɔfaa no kɔeɛ. Atwerɛsɛm no ka sɛ ansa na wɔrebɛfa Henok akɔ no, na wasɔ Onyankopɔn ani. 6Obiara a ɔnni gyidie rentumi nsɔ Onyankopɔn ani. Ɛsɛ sɛ obiara a ɔba Onyankopɔn nkyɛn no nya gyidie sɛ Onyankopɔn te ase na ɔdom wɔn a wɔhwehwɛ no.
7Gyidie enti na ɛmaa Noa tee Onyankopɔn kɔkɔ a ɔbɔ faa daakye nneɛma a ebi nsii da no, ɔtiee Onyankopɔn yɛɛ adaka a emu na wɔgyee ɔno ne ne fiefoɔ nkwa. Ɛnam so maa Onyankopɔn buu ewiase fɔ, na Noa deɛ, ne nsa kaa tenenee a wɔnya firi gyidie mu.
8Gyidie enti na ɛberɛ a Onyankopɔn ka kyerɛɛ Abraham sɛ ɔnkɔ asase a wahyɛ ho bɔ sɛ ɔde bɛma no so no, ɔtieeɛ na ɔkɔeɛ. Ɔgyaa ne ɔman hɔ kɔeɛ a na ɔnnim baabi a ɔrekɔ. 9Gyidie enti ɔtenaa asase a na Onyankopɔn ahyɛ no ho bɔ no so sɛ ɔhɔhoɔ. Ɔne Isak ne Yakob a Onyankopɔn hyɛɛ wɔn bɔ korɔ no ara bi tenaa ntomadan mu. 10Nanso, na Abraham retwɛn kuro kɛseɛ bi a Onyankopɔn akyekyere a ne fapem rensɛe da mu akɔtena. 11Gyidie enti na Sara nso de nyaa tumi nyinsɛnee, ɛberɛ a na wanyini na ɔntumi nwo no. Ɔde ne ho too Onyankopɔn so sɛ ɔbɛdi ne bɔhyɛ so. 12Ɛno enti, ɛwom sɛ na Abraham regye nna awu, nanso nʼasefoɔ adɔɔso sɛ ewiem nsoromma ne mpoano anwea.
13Gyidie mu na saa nnipa yi nyinaa wuwuiɛ. Ɛwom sɛ wɔn nsa anka bɔ a Onyankopɔn hyɛɛ wɔn no deɛ, nanso wɔhunuu no akyirikyiri yɛɛ no atuu, gye dii sɛ wɔyɛ ahɔhoɔ ne amamfrafoɔ wɔ asase so. 14Wɔn a wɔka saa no da no adi pefee sɛ wɔrehwehwɛ wɔn ankasa wɔn ɔman. 15Wɔannwene ɔman a wɔgyaa wɔ wɔn akyire no ho. Sɛ wɔyɛɛ no saa a, anka wɔbɛtumi anya ɛkwan asane wɔn akyi akɔ hɔ. 16Na mmom, ɔman pa a ɛyɛ ɔsoro ɔman no na na wɔpere kɔ mu. Enti, ɛnyɛ Onyankopɔn aniwu sɛ ɔma wɔfrɛ no wɔn Onyankopɔn, ɛfiri sɛ, wasiesie ɔman bi ama wɔn.
17Gyidie enti, Abraham de ne ba Isak kɔbɔɔ afɔdeɛ ɛberɛ a Onyankopɔn sɔɔ no hwɛeɛ. Abraham nko ara ne onipa a na Onyankopɔn ahyɛ no bɔ no, nanso na wasiesie ne ho sɛ, ɔde ne ba korɔ no bɛbɔ afɔdeɛ. 18Na Onyankopɔn aka akyerɛ no sɛ, “Ɛnam Isak so na wʼase bɛtrɛ.” 19Na Abraham nim sɛ Onyankopɔn bɛtumi anyane awufoɔ afiri owuo mu, na ɛkwan bi so no, yɛbɛtumi aka sɛ Onyankopɔn nyanee Isak firii owuo mu.
20Gyidie enti na ɛmaa Isak hyiraa Yakob ne Esau maa wɔn daakye asetena.
21Gyidie enti na ɛmaa Yakob hyiraa Yosef mma no nyinaa ansa na ɔrewuo. Ɔkuraa ne poma mu sɔree Onyankopɔn.
22Gyidie enti na Yosef rebɛwuo no, ɔka kyerɛɛ Israelfoɔ sɛ, wɔbɛtu afiri Misraim, na ɔhyɛɛ deɛ sɛ ɔwu a, wɔnyɛ nʼamu no.
23Gyidie enti na ɛmaa Mose awoɔ akyi no, nʼawofoɔ de no siee abosome mmiɛnsa no. Wɔhunuu sɛ na ɔyɛ sononko, enti na wɔansuro sɛ wɔbɛbu ɔhene no mmara so.
24Gyidie enti na Mose nyiniiɛ no, wampɛ sɛ wɔbɛfrɛ no Farao babaa ba no. 25Na ɔpɛ sɛ ɔne Onyankopɔn mma bɛhunu amane sene sɛ ɔbɛgye nʼani wɔ bɔne mu mmerɛ tiawa bi. 26Ɔsusuu sɛ, sɛ ɔhunu amane ma Kristo a, ɛyɛ sene agyapadeɛ a ɛwɔ Misraim nyinaa, ɛfiri sɛ, na nʼani da ade pa bi so daakye. 27Gyidie enti na ɛmaa Mose tu firii Misraim a na ɔnsuro ɔhene no abufuo. Ɔmiaa nʼani sɛ ɔrensane nʼakyi ɛfiri sɛ na wahunu Onyankopɔn a obi nhunu no no. 28Gyidie enti na ɔhyɛɛ Twam Afahyɛ no ma wɔde mogya petee apono ho, sɛdeɛ ɛbɛyɛ a, ɔsɛebɔfoɔ no renkum Israelfoɔ mmakan a wɔyɛ mmarima no.
29Gyidie enti na ɛmaa Israelfoɔ no twaa Ɛpo Kɔkɔɔ no, sɛdeɛ wɔnam asase kesee so no. Misraimfoɔ no pɛɛ sɛ wɔtwa bi no, nsuo no bu faa wɔn so.
30Gyidie enti na Israelfoɔ de nnanson twaa Yeriko afasuo ho hyiaeɛ no, ɛdwiri guiɛ.
31Gyidie enti na wɔankum adwaman Rahab amfra wɔn a wɔnnye Onyankopɔn nni no, ɛfiri sɛ, ɔgyee akwansrafoɔ no fɛ so.
Gyidie Foforɔ Bi
32Afei ɛdeɛn na menka? Ɛberɛ bebree nni hɔ sɛ mɛka Gideon, Barak, Samson, Yefta, Dawid ne Samuel ne adiyifoɔ no ho asɛm. 33Wɔnam gyidie so koo aman dii nkonim ma wɔn nsa kaa deɛ Onyankopɔn hyɛɛ wɔn ho bɔ no. Wɔkataa gyata ano, 34dumm ogyaframa, tetee wɔn ho firii akofenawuo ano. Na wɔyɛ mmerɛ, nanso wɔyɛɛ den. Na wɔyɛ den akono, enti wɔdii wɔn atamfoɔ so. 35Ɛnam gyidie so ma wɔnyanee mmaa bi awufoɔ maa wɔn. Afoforɔ bi nso, wɔyɛɛ wɔn aniɛyadeɛ sɛ anka wɔmpo Onyankopɔn na wɔagyaa wɔn. Nanso, wɔammpo Onyankopɔn, sɛdeɛ ɛbɛyɛ a wɔn nsa bɛka daakye owusɔreɛ a ɛkyɛn so. 36Wɔguu afoforɔ anim ase, bɔɔ wɔn mmaa, na wɔkyekyeree ebinom de wɔn guu afiase. 37Wɔsii ebi aboɔ. Wɔde sradaa paee ebinom mu mmienu, de sekan kumm bi. Wɔkyinkyinii sɛ nnipa a nnwan ne mmirekyie nhoma kata wɔn ho. Wɔyɛɛ mmɔbɔ. Wɔn ho dwanee wɔn na wɔhunuu amane. 38Ewiase yi annyɛ amma wɔn. Wɔkyinkyinii sɛ atutenafoɔ wɔ ɛserɛ so ne mmepɔ so, abodan ne asase so abɔn mu.
39Wɔdii yeinom nyinaa ho adanseɛ pa wɔ wɔn gyidie ho, nanso wɔn nsa anka bɔ a Onyankopɔn hyɛɛ wɔn no, 40ɛfiri sɛ, Onyankopɔn wɔ tirimupɔ papa bi ma yɛn, sɛdeɛ ɛbɛyɛ a yɛne wɔn nyinaa bɛbom anya bɔhyɛ no.
