| International Standard Version | New International Version |
| 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 confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. |
| 2By faith our ancestors won approval. | 2This is what the ancients were commended for. |
| 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 formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was 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 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 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 from this life, so that he did not experience death: "He could not be found, because God had taken him away." For before he was taken, he was commended as one who 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. | 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, 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, 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. | 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, living in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who also inherited the same promise, | 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. |
| 10because he was waiting for the city with permanent foundations, whose architect and builder is God. | 10For he was looking forward to the city with 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. | 11And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise. |
| 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. | 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 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. | 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. |
| 14For people who say such things make it clear that they are looking for a country of their own. | 14People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. |
| 15If they had been thinking about what they had left behind, they would have had an opportunity to go back. | 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, 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. | 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 he was tested, offered Isaac—he who had received the promises was about to offer his unique son in sacrifice, | 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, |
| 18about whom it had been said, "It is through Isaac that descendants will be named for you." | 18even though God had said to him, "It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned." |
| 19Abraham was certain that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did get Isaac back in this way. | 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. | 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 worshipped while leaning on the top of his staff." | 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 Israelis and gave them instructions about burying his bones. | 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 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 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 called a son of Pharaoh's daughter, | 24By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as 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. | 25He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures 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. | 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, without being afraid of the king's anger, and he persevered because he saw the one who is invisible. | 27By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king's anger; he persevered because he saw 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 kept the Passover and the application of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel. |
| 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 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 down after they had been encircled for seven days. | 30By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the army had marched around them 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 the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient. |
| 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 shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets, |
| 33Through faith they conquered kingdoms, administered justice, received promises, shut the mouths of lions, | 33who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who 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 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 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 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. |
| 36Still others endured taunts and floggings, and even chains and imprisonment. | 36Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains 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 put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted 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 mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground. |
| 39All these people won approval for their faith but they did not receive what was promised, | 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 they would not be perfected without us. | 40since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect. |
The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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