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Now faith is the persuasion of the things that are in hope, as if they were in act; and [fn] the manifestness of the things not seen. ² And for it the ancients are well testified of.³ For by faith, we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God; and that things seen, originated from those that are not seen.

⁴ By faith, Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than that of Cain; and on account of it, he is testified of that he was righteous, and God bore testimony to his offering; and in consequence thereof, though dead he yet speaketh.⁵ By faith, Enoch was translated, and did not taste death; and he was not found, because God had translated him: for, before he translated him, there was testimony of him, that he pleased God.⁶ But, without faith, a man cannot please God. For he that draweth near to God, must believe his existence, and that he will recompense those who seek him.⁷ By faith Noah, when he was told of things not seen, feared; and he made himself an ark, for the life of his household; whereby he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is by faith.⁸ By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed, and departed to the place which he was to receive for an inheritance: and he departed, while he knew not whither he was going.⁹ By faith, he became a resident in the land that was promised him, as in a foreign land; and abode in tents, with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise.¹⁰ For he looked for the city that hath a foundation, of which the builder and maker is God.¹¹ By faith, Sarah also, who was barren, acquired energy to receive seed; and, out of the time of her years, she brought forth; because she firmly believed, that he was faithful who had promised her.¹² Therefore, from one man failing through age, numbers were born, like the stars in the heavens, and like the sand on the shore of the sea which is innumerable.¹³ All these died in faith, and received not their promise; but they saw it afar off, and rejoiced in it; and they confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.¹⁴ Now they who say thus, show that they seek a city.¹⁵ But if they had been seeking that city from which they came out, they had opportunity to return again and go to it.¹⁶ But now it is manifest that they longed for a better [fn] than that, [fn] for that which is in heaven. Therefore God did not refuse to be called their God; for he prepared for them the city. ¹⁷ By faith Abraham, in his trial, offered up Isaac; and he laid on the altar his only son, whom he had received by promise.¹⁸ For it had been said to him, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.¹⁹ And he reasoned with himself, that God was able even to raise [fn] from the dead: and therefore, in the similitude [fn] , he was restored to him. ²⁰ By faith in what was to be, Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau.²¹ By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and bowed himself on the top of his staff.²² By faith Joseph, when dying, was mindful of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave direction concerning his bones.²³ By faith the parents of Moses, after he was born, hid him three months; because they saw he was a goodly child; and they were not deterred by the command of the king.²⁴ By faith Moses, when be became a man, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter.²⁵ And he chose to be in affliction with the people of God, and not to live luxuriously in sin for a short season:²⁶ and he esteemed the reproach of the Messiah a greater treasure than the hoarded riches of Egypt; for he looked upon the recompense of reward.²⁷ By faith, he left Egypt, and was not terrified by the wrath of the king; and he continued to hope, just as if he saw the invisible God.²⁸ By faith, they kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, that he who destroyed the first-born might not approach them.²⁹ By faith, they passed the Red Sea, as on dry land; and in it the Egyptians were swallowed up, when they dared to enter it.³⁰ By faith, the walls of Jericho fell down, when they had been encompassed seven days.³¹ By faith Rahab, the harlot, perished not with them who believed not, when she received the spies in peace.

³² What more shall I say? For I have little time to tell of Gideon, and of Barak, and of Sampson, and of Jephtha, and of David, and of Samuel, and of the other prophets:³³ who, by faith, subdued kingdoms, and wrought righteousness, and received promises, and shut the mouths of lions,³⁴ and quenched the force of fire, and were rescued from the edge of the sword, and were healed of diseases, and became strong in battle, and routed the camps of enemies,³⁵ and restored to women their children, by a resurrection from the dead. And some died under tortures, and did not hope to escape, that there might be for them a better resurrection;³⁶ and others endured mockings and, scourgings; others were delivered up to bonds and prisons;³⁷ others were stoned; others were sawed; others died by the edge of the sword; others roamed about clothed in sheep skins and goat skins, and were needy, and afflicted, and agitated;³⁸ persons of whom the world was not worthy, and yet they were as wanderers in the desert, and in mountains, and in caves, and in caverns of the earth.³⁹ And all these, of whose faith there is testimony, received not the promise:⁴⁰ because God had provided the aid for us; so that without us they should not be perfected.