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.
论信心
1信心是对盼望的事有把握，对还没看见的事很确定。 2古人凭这样的信心得到了赞许。 3因为信心，我们知道宇宙是借着上帝的话造成的，所以看得见的是从看不见的造出来的。
4因为信心，亚伯向上帝献的祭比该隐所献的更美，他因此蒙了上帝的悦纳，被称为义人。他虽然死了，却仍然借着信心说话。
5因为信心，以诺被接到天上，没有经历死亡。世人找不到他，因为上帝已经把他接走了。11:5 创世记5:24。其实他在被接之前，已经被肯定为上帝喜悦的人。 6没有信心的人得不到上帝的喜悦，因为来到上帝面前的人必须相信上帝存在，并相信祂会赏赐一切寻求祂的人。
7因为信心，挪亚在上帝指示他未来要发生的事之后，就怀着敬畏的心建造方舟挽救全家。他借着信心定了那个世代的罪，并承受了因信而来的义。
8因为信心，亚伯拉罕听到上帝的呼召后，就遵命前往他将要承受为产业的地方，但他出发的时候还不知道自己要去哪里。 9因为信心，他像异乡客旅一样寄居在上帝应许给他的地方。他住在帐篷里，与同受一个应许的以撒和雅各一样。 10因为他盼望的是一座有根基的城，是由上帝设计、建造的。
11因为信心，撒拉过了生育年龄后仍然得到了孕育后代的能力，因为她认定赐她应许的上帝言出必行。 12所以，从一个垂暮之年的人生出许多子孙，好像天上的星、海边的沙那么多。
13这些人到死都满怀信心。他们虽然没有得到上帝所应许的，却从远处望见了，就欢然接受，承认自己在世上不过是异乡客旅。 14他们抱这样的态度，表明他们正在寻找一个家乡。 15如果他们想念的是自己离开的家乡，早就找机会回去了。 16然而，他们渴慕的是天上更美的家乡。所以，上帝不以被他们称为上帝为耻，因为祂已经为他们预备了一座城。
17因为信心，亚伯拉罕被试验时，把以撒献为祭物，承受应许的亚伯拉罕当时献上了自己的独生子。 18关于这儿子，上帝曾说：“以撒生的才可算为你的后裔。”11:18 创世记21:12。 19他认定上帝能使死人复活，从象征意义上说，他也确实从死亡中得回了以撒。
20因为信心，以撒指着将来的事为雅各和以扫祝福。
21因为信心，雅各在临终之时分别为约瑟的两个儿子祝福，并拄着拐杖敬拜上帝。
22因为信心，约瑟临终之时提到以色列人将来要离开埃及，并交代要如何处理自己的骸骨。
23因为信心，摩西的父母在他出生后，见他长得俊美，就把他藏了三个月，不怕违抗王的命令。
24因为信心，摩西长大成人后，拒绝做法老之女的儿子， 25宁愿与上帝的子民一同受苦，也不愿享受一时的罪中之乐。 26在他眼中，为基督所受的凌辱远比埃及的财富更有价值，因为他盼望的是将来的赏赐。 27因为信心，他离开埃及，不怕王的愤怒。他坚忍不拔，好像看见了肉眼不能看见的主。 28因为信心，他守逾越节，行洒血的礼，免得那位杀长子的伤害以色列人。
29因为信心，以色列人渡过红海，如履干地，埃及人试图过去，却被海水淹没。 30因为信心，以色列人绕着耶利哥城走了七天，城墙就倒塌了。
31因为信心，妓女喇合善待以色列的探子，所以没有与那些不顺服的人一同灭亡。
32我还要再说下去吗？我没有时间一一细说基甸、巴拉、参孙、耶弗他、大卫、撒母耳和众先知的事了。 33他们凭信心战胜了敌国，行了公义，得到了应许，堵住了狮子的口， 34熄灭了猛烈的火焰，刀下逃生，由软弱变为刚强，作战勇猛，击退外敌。
35有些妇女得回了从死里复活的亲人。有些人受尽严刑拷打，仍不肯苟且偷生，为要得到一个复活后更美好的生命。 36有些人遭受戏弄、鞭打、捆锁和囚禁。 37他们被人用石头打死，受威逼利诱11:37 有圣经抄本在此处无“受威逼利诱”。，被锯成两截，丧生刀下，披着绵羊和山羊的皮四处奔跑，受尽贫乏、迫害和虐待， 38在旷野、群山、山洞和地穴中漂泊不定。他们是世界不配有的！
39这些人都因信心而获得赞许，但他们并未得到上帝所应许的， 40因为上帝为我们预备了更美的，要叫他们与我们一同得到才算完美。
