| English Standard Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. | 1Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen. |
| 2For by it the people of old received their commendation. | 2For our ancestors won God's approval by it. |
| 3By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. | 3By faith we understand that the universe was created by God's command, so that what is seen has been made from things that are not visible. |
| 4By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. | 4By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was approved as a righteous man, because God approved his gifts, and even though he is dead, he still speaks through his faith. |
| 5By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. | 5By faith Enoch was taken away so he did not experience death, and he was not to be found because God took him away. For prior to his removal he was approved, since he had pleased God. |
| 6And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. | 6Now without faith it is impossible to please God, for the one who draws near to Him must believe that He exists and rewards those who seek Him. |
| 7By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. | 7By faith Noah, after he was warned about what was not yet seen and motivated by godly fear, built an ark to deliver his family. By faith he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. |
| 8By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. | 8By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed and went out to a place he was going to receive as an inheritance. He went out, not knowing where he was going. |
| 9By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. | 9By faith he stayed as a foreigner in the land of promise, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, coheirs of the same promise. |
| 10For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. | 10For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. |
| 11By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. | 11By faith even Sarah herself, when she was unable to have children, received power to conceive offspring, even though she was past the age, since she considered that the One who had promised was faithful. |
| 12Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore. | 12Therefore from one man--in fact, from one as good as dead--came offspring as numerous as the stars of heaven and as innumerable as the grains of sand by the seashore. |
| 13These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. | 13These all died in faith without having received the promises, but they saw them from a distance, greeted them, and confessed that they were foreigners and temporary residents on the earth. |
| 14For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. | 14Now those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. |
| 15If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. | 15If they were thinking about where they came from, they would have had an opportunity to return. |
| 16But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city. | 16But they now desire a better place--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 he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, | 17By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac. He received the promises and he was offering his unique son, |
| 18of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” | 18the one it had been said about, Your seed will be traced through Isaac. |
| 19He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. | 19He considered God to be able even to raise someone from the dead, and as an illustration, he received him back. |
| 20By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau. | 20By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. |
| 21By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff. | 21By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and he worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. |
| 22By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones. | 22By faith Joseph, as he was nearing the end of his life, mentioned the exodus of the Israelites and gave instructions concerning his bones. |
| 23By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. | 23By faith, after Moses was born, he was hidden by his parents for three months, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they didn't fear the king's edict. |
| 24By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, | 24By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter |
| 25choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. | 25and chose to suffer with the people of God rather than to enjoy the short-lived pleasure of sin. |
| 26He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. | 26For he considered the reproach because of the Messiah to be greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, since his attention was on the reward. |
| 27By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible. | 27By faith he left Egypt behind, not being afraid of the king's anger, for Moses persevered as one who sees Him who is invisible. |
| 28By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them. | 28By faith he instituted the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn might not touch the Israelites. |
| 29By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned. | 29By faith they crossed the Red Sea as though they were on dry land. When the Egyptians attempted to do this, they were drowned. |
| 30By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. | 30By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after being encircled by the Israelites for seven days. |
| 31By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies. | 31By faith Rahab the prostitute received the spies in peace and didn't perish with those who disobeyed. |
| 32And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— | 32And what more can I say? Time is too short for me to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets, |
| 33who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, | 33who by faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, |
| 34quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. | 34quenched the raging of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, gained strength after being weak, became mighty in battle, and put foreign armies to flight. |
| 35Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. | 35Women received their dead--they were raised to life again. Some men were tortured, not accepting release, so that they might gain a better resurrection, |
| 36Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. | 36and others experienced mockings and scourgings, as well as bonds and imprisonment. |
| 37They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— | 37They were stoned, they were sawed in two, they died by the sword, they wandered about in sheepskins, in goatskins, destitute, afflicted, and mistreated. |
| 38of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. | 38The world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and on mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground. |
| 39And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, | 39All these were approved through their faith, but they did not receive what was promised, |
| 40since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect. | 40since God had provided something better for us, so that they would not be made perfect without us. |
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