Study Desk

Faith in Action

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for^(a) and assurance about what we do not see.^(b)

This is what the ancients were commended for.^(c)

By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command,^(d) so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.

By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended^(e) as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings.^(f) And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.^(g)

By 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."^[a](h) For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God.

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him⁽ⁱ⁾ must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen,^(j) in holy fear built an ark^(k) to save his family.^(l) By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith.^(m)

By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance,⁽ⁿ⁾ obeyed and went,^(o) even though he did not know where he was going.

By faith he made his home in the promised land^(p) like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents,^(q) as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise.^(r)

For he was looking forward to the city^(s) with foundations,^(t) whose architect and builder is God.^(u)

And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age,^(v) was enabled to bear children^(w) because she^[b] considered him faithful^(x) who had made the promise.

And so from this one man, and he as good as dead,^(y) came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.^(z)

All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised;^(aa) they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance,^(ab) admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth.^(ac)

People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own.

If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return.^(ad)

Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one.^(ae) Therefore God is not ashamed^(af) to be called their God,^(ag) for he has prepared a city^(ah) for them.

By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice.^(ai) He who had embraced the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son,

even though God had said to him, "It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned."^[c](aj)

Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead,^(ak) and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death.

By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future.^(al)

By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph's sons,^(am) and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.

By 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.^(an)

By faith Moses' parents hid him for three months after he was born,^(ao) because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king's edict.^(ap)

By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter.^(aq)

He chose to be mistreated^(ar) along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.

He regarded disgrace^(as) for the sake of Christ^(at) as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.^(au)

By faith he left Egypt,^(av) not fearing the king's anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible.

By faith he kept the Passover and the application of blood, so that the destroyer^(aw) of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.^(ax)

By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned.^(ay)

By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the army had marched around them for seven days.^(az)

By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.^[d](ba)

And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon,^(bb) Barak,^(bc) Samson^(bd) and Jephthah,^(be) about David^(bf) and Samuel^(bg) and the prophets,

who through faith conquered kingdoms,^(bh) administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions,^(bi)

quenched the fury of the flames,^(bj) and escaped the edge of the sword;^(bk) whose weakness was turned to strength;^(bl) and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies.^(bm)

Women received back their dead, raised to life again.^(bn) There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection.

Some faced jeers and flogging,^(bo) and even chains and imprisonment.^(bp)

They were put to death by stoning;^[e](bq) they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword.^(br) They went about in sheepskins and goatskins,^(bs) destitute, persecuted and mistreated—

the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves^(bt) and in holes in the ground.

These were all commended^(bu) for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised,^(bv)

since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us^(bw) would they be made perfect.^(bx)

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run^(a) with perseverance^(b) the race marked out for us,

fixing our eyes on Jesus,^(c) the pioneer^(d) and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross,^(e) scorning its shame,^(f) and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.^(g)

Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary^(h) and lose heart.

God Disciplines His Children

In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.⁽ⁱ⁾

And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says, "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart^(j) when he rebukes you,

because the Lord disciplines the one he loves,^(k) and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son."^[a](l)

Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children.^(m) For what children are not disciplined by their father?

If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline⁽ⁿ⁾—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all.

Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits^(o) and live!^(p)

They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness.^(q)

No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace^(r) for those who have been trained by it.

Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees.^(s)

"Make level paths for your feet,"^[b](t) so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.^(u)

Make every effort to live in peace with everyone^(v) and to be holy;^(w) without holiness no one will see the Lord.^(x)

See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God^(y) and that no bitter root^(z) grows up to cause trouble and defile many.

See that no one is sexually immoral,^(aa) or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son.^(ab)

Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. Even though he sought the blessing with tears,^(ac) he could not change what he had done.

You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm;^(ad)

to a trumpet blast^(ae) or to such a voice speaking words^(af) that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them,^(ag)

because they could not bear what was commanded: "If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death."^[c](ah)

The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, "I am trembling with fear."^[d](ai)

But you have come to Mount Zion,^(aj) to the city^(ak) of the living God,^(al) the heavenly Jerusalem.^(am) You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly,

to the church of the firstborn,^(an) whose names are written in heaven.^(ao) You have come to God, the Judge of all,^(ap) to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,^(aq)

to Jesus the mediator^(ar) of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood^(as) that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.^(at)

See to it that you do not refuse^(au) him who speaks.^(av) If they did not escape when they refused him who warned^(aw) them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven?^(ax)

At that time his voice shook the earth,^(ay) but now he has promised, "Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens."^[e](az)

The words "once more" indicate the removing of what can be shaken^(ba)—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken,^(bb) let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe,^(bc)

for our "God is a consuming fire."^[f](bd)

Concluding Exhortations

Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters.^(a)

Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers,^(b) for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.^(c)

Continue to remember those in prison^(d) as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.

Marriage should be honored by all,^(e) and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.^(f)

Keep your lives free from the love of money^(g) and be content with what you have,^(h) because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."^[a](i)

So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?"^[b](j)

Remember your leaders,^(k) who spoke the word of God^(l) to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate^(m) their faith.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.⁽ⁿ⁾

Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings.^(o) It is good for our hearts to be strengthened^(p) by grace, not by eating ceremonial foods,^(q) which is of no benefit to those who do so.^(r)

We have an altar from which those who minister at the tabernacle^(s) have no right to eat.^(t)

The high priest carries the blood of animals into the Most Holy Place as a sin offering,^(u) but the bodies are burned outside the camp.^(v)

And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate^(w) to make the people holy^(x) through his own blood.^(y)

Let us, then, go to him^(z) outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore.^(aa)

For here we do not have an enduring city,^(ab) but we are looking for the city that is to come.^(ac)

Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice^(ad) of praise—the fruit of lips^(ae) that openly profess his name.

And do not forget to do good and to share with others,^(af) for with such sacrifices^(ag) God is pleased.

Have confidence in your leaders^(ah) and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you^(ai) as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.

Pray for us.^(aj) We are sure that we have a clear conscience^(ak) and desire to live honorably in every way.

I particularly urge you to pray so that I may be restored to you soon.^(al)

Now may the God of peace,^(am) who through the blood of the eternal covenant^(an) brought back from the dead^(ao) our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep,^(ap)

equip you with everything good for doing his will,^(aq) and may he work in us^(ar) what is pleasing to him,^(as) through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.^(at)

Brothers and sisters, I urge you to bear with my word of exhortation, for in fact I have written to you quite briefly.^(au)

I want you to know that our brother Timothy^(av) has been released. If he arrives soon, I will come with him to see you.

Greet all your leaders^(aw) and all the Lord's people. Those from Italy^(ax) send you their greetings.

Grace be with you all.^(ay)