| International Standard Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Now faith is the assurance that what we hope for will come about and the certainty that what we cannot see exists. | 1Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen. |
| 2By faith our ancestors won approval. | 2For our ancestors won God's approval by it. |
| 3By faith we understand that time was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are invisible. | 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 better sacrifice than Cain did, and by faith he was declared to be righteous, since God himself accepted his offerings. And by faith he continues to speak, even though he is dead. | 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 away without experiencing death. He could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he won approval as one who 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. |
| 6Now without faith it is impossible to please God, for whoever comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who diligently search for 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, when warned about things not yet seen, reverently prepared an ark to save his family, and by faith he condemned the world and inherited 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, 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. | 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 made his home in the promised land like a stranger, living in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who also inherited 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. |
| 10because he was waiting for the city with permanent foundations, whose architect and builder is God. | 10For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. |
| 11By faith Sarah, even though she was old and barren, received the strength to conceive, because she was convinced that the one who had made the promise was faithful. | 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. |
| 12Abraham was as good as dead, yet from this one man came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on 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. |
| 13All these people died having faith. They did not receive the things that were promised, yet they saw them in the distant future and welcomed them, acknowledging that they were strangers and foreigners on 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 say such things make it clear that they are looking for a country of their own. | 14Now those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. |
| 15If they had been thinking about what they had left behind, they would have had an opportunity to go back. | 15If they were thinking about where they came from, they would have had an opportunity to return. |
| 16Instead, they were longing for a better country, that is, a heavenly one. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, because he has prepared a city for them. | 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 Isaac—he who had received the promises was about to offer his unique son in sacrifice, | 17By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac. He received the promises and he was offering his unique son, |
| 18about whom it had been said, "It is through Isaac that descendants will be named for you." | 18the one it had been said about, Your seed will be traced through Isaac. |
| 19Abraham was certain that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did get Isaac back in this way. | 19He considered God to be able even to raise someone from the dead, and as an illustration, he received him back. |
| 20By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future. | 20By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. |
| 21By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph's sons "and worshipped while leaning on the top 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, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelis and gave them instructions about burying 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 was hidden by his parents for three months after he was born, because they saw that he was a beautiful child and were not afraid of the king's order. | 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 had grown up, refused to be called a son of Pharaoh's daughter, | 24By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter |
| 25because he preferred being mistreated with God's people to enjoying the pleasures of sin for a short time. | 25and chose to suffer with the people of God rather than to enjoy the short-lived pleasure of sin. |
| 26He thought that being insulted for the sake of the Messiah was of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his 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, without being afraid of the king's anger, and he persevered because he saw the one 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 established the Passover and the sprinkling of blood to keep the destroyer of the firstborn from touching the people. | 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 they went through the Red Sea as if it were dry land. When the Egyptians tried to do this, they 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 die with those who were disobedient, because she had welcomed the spies with a greeting of peace. | 31By faith Rahab the prostitute received the spies in peace and didn't perish with those who disobeyed. |
| 32And what more should I say? For time would fail me to tell you about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, 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, |
| 33Through faith they conquered kingdoms, administered justice, received promises, shut the mouths of lions, | 33who by faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, |
| 34put out raging fires, escaped death by the sword, found strength in weakness, became powerful in battle, and routed foreign armies. | 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 their dead raised back to life. Other people were brutally tortured, but refused to be ransomed, so that they might gain a better resurrection. | 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, |
| 36Still others endured taunts and floggings, and even chains and imprisonment. | 36and others experienced mockings and scourgings, as well as bonds and imprisonment. |
| 37They were stoned to death, sawed in half, and killed with swords. They went around in sheepskins and goatskins. They were needy, oppressed, and 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. |
| 38The world wasn't worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and from caves to holes in the ground. | 38The world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and on mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground. |
| 39All these people won approval for their faith but they did not receive what was promised, | 39All these were approved through their faith, but they did not receive what was promised, |
| 40since God had planned something better for us, so that they would not be perfected without us. | 40since God had provided something better for us, so that they would not be made perfect without us. |
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