Hebrews 11

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen.	1 Now, faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not apparent.
2 Because of it the ancients were well attested.	2 For this reason, the ancients were given testimony.
3 By faith we understand that the universe was ordered by the word of God, so that what is visible came into being through the invisible.	3 By faith, we understand the world to be fashioned by the Word of God, so that the visible might be made by the invisible.
4 By faith Abel offered to God a sacrifice greater than Cain's. Through this he was attested to be righteous, God bearing witness to his gifts, and through this, though dead, he still speaks.	4 By faith, Abel offered to God a much better sacrifice than that of Cain, through which he obtained testimony that he was just, in that God offered testimony to his gifts. And through that sacrifice, he still speaks to us, though he is dead.
5 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and "he was found no more because God had taken him." Before he was taken up, he was attested to have pleased God.	5 By faith, Enoch was transferred, so that he would not see death, and he was not found because God had transferred him. For before he was transferred, he had testimony that he pleased God.
6 But without faith it is impossible to please him, for anyone who approaches God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.	6 But without faith, it is impossible to please God. For whoever approaches God must believe that he exists, and that he rewards those who seek him.
7 By faith Noah, warned about what was not yet seen, with reverence built an ark for the salvation of his household. Through this he condemned the world and inherited the righteousness that comes through faith.	7 By faith, Noah, having accepted an answer about those things which were not yet seen, being afraid, fashioned an ark for the salvation of his house. Through the ark, he condemned the world, and was established as the heir of the justice that occurs through faith.
8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; he went out, not knowing where he was to go.	8 By faith, the one called Abraham obeyed, going out to the place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.
9 By faith he sojourned in the promised land as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs of the same promise;	9 By faith, he stayed in the Land of the Promise as if in a foreign land, dwelling in cottages, with Isaac and Jacob, co-heirs of the same promise.
10 for he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and maker is God.	10 For he was awaiting a city having firm foundations, whose designer and builder is God.
11 By faith he received power to generate, even though he was past the normal age--and Sarah herself was sterile--for he thought that the one who had made the promise was trustworthy.	11 By faith also, Sarah herself, being barren, received the ability to conceive offspring, even though she was past that age in life. For she believed him to be faithful, who had promised.
12 So it was that there came forth from one man, himself as good as dead, descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sands on the seashore.	12 Because of this, there were also born, from one who himself was as if dead, a mulititude like the stars of heaven, who are, like the sand of the seashore, innumerable.
13 All these died in faith. They did not receive what had been promised but saw it and greeted it from afar and acknowledged themselves to be strangers and aliens on earth,	13 All of these passed away, adhering to faith, not having received the promises, yet beholding them from afar and saluting them, and confessing themselves to be sojourners and guests upon the earth.
14 for those who speak thus show that they are seeking a homeland.	14 For those who speak in this way are themselves indicating that they seek a homeland.
15 If they had been thinking of the land from which they had come, they would have had opportunity to return.	15 And if, indeed, they had been mindful of the very place from which they departed, they certainly would have returned in time.
16 But now they desire a better homeland, a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.	16 But now they hunger for a better place, that is, Heaven. For this reason, God is not ashamed to be called their God. For he has prepared a city for them.
17 By faith Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was ready to offer his only son,	17 By faith, Abraham, when he was tested, offered Isaac, so that he who had received the promises was offering up his only son.
18 of whom it was said, "Through Isaac descendants shall bear your name."	18 To him, it was said, “Through Isaac, shall your offspring be summoned,”
19 He reasoned that God was able to raise even from the dead, and he received Isaac back as a symbol.	19 indicating that God is even able to raise up from the dead. And thus, he also established him as a parable.
20 By faith regarding things still to come Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau.	20 By faith, also, Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, concerning future events.
21 By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph and "bowed in worship, leaning on the top of his staff."	21 By faith, Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph; and he reverenced the summit of his rod.
22 By faith Joseph, near the end of his life, spoke of the Exodus of the Israelites and gave instructions about his bones.	22 By faith, Joseph, as he was dying, recalled the departure of the sons of Israel, and gave a commandment concerning his bones.
23 By faith Moses was hidden by his parents for three months after his birth, because they saw that he was a beautiful child, and they were not afraid of the king's edict.	23 By faith, Moses, after being born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they had seen that he was a graceful infant, and they did not fear the king’s edict.
24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter;	24 By faith, Moses, after growing up, denied himself a place as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter,
25 he chose to be ill-treated along with the people of God rather than enjoy the fleeting pleasure of sin.	25 choosing to be afflicted with the people of God, rather than to have the pleasantness of sin for a time,
26 He considered the reproach of the Anointed greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the recompense.	26 valuing the reproach of Christ to be a greater wealth than the treasures of the Egyptians. For he looked forward to his reward.
27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king's fury, for he persevered as if seeing the one who is invisible.	27 By faith, he abandoned Egypt, not dreading the animosity of the king. For he pressed on, as if seeing him who is unseen.
28 By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them.	28 By faith, he celebrated the Passover and the shedding of the blood, so that he who destroyed the firstborn might not touch them.
29 By faith they crossed the Red Sea as if it were dry land, but when the Egyptians attempted it they were drowned.	29 By faith, they crossed the Red Sea, as if on dry land, yet when the Egyptians attempted it, they were swallowed up.
30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell after being encircled for seven days.	30 By faith, the walls of Jericho collapsed, after being encircled for seven days.
31 By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish with the disobedient, for she had received the spies in peace.	31 By faith, Rahab, the harlot, did not perish with the unbelievers, after receiving the spies with peace.
32 What more shall I say? I have not time to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets,	32 And what should I say next? For time is not sufficient for me to give an account of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the Prophets:
33 who by faith conquered kingdoms, did what was righteous, obtained the promises; they closed the mouths of lions,	33 those who, by faith, conquered kingdoms, accomplished justice, obtained promises, closed the mouths of lions,
34 put out raging fires, escaped the devouring sword; out of weakness they were made powerful, became strong in battle, and turned back foreign invaders.	34 extinguished the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, recovered from infirmities, showed strength in battle, turned back the armies of foreigners.
35 Women received back their dead through resurrection. Some were tortured and would not accept deliverance, in order to obtain a better resurrection.	35 Women received their dead by means of resurrection. But others suffered severe punishment, not yet receiving redemption, so that they would find a better resurrection.
36 Others endured mockery, scourging, even chains and imprisonment.	36 Truly, others were tested by mocking and lashes, and moreover by chains and imprisonment.
37 They were stoned, sawed in two, put to death at sword's point; they went about in skins of sheep or goats, needy, afflicted, tormented.	37 They were stoned; they were cut; they were tempted. With the slaughter of the sword, they were killed. They wandered about in sheepskin and in goatskin, in dire need, in anguish afflicted.
38 The world was not worthy of them. They wandered about in deserts and on mountains, in caves and in crevices in the earth.	38 Of them, the world was not worthy, wandering in solitude on mountains, in the caves and caverns of the earth.
39 Yet all these, though approved because of their faith, did not receive what had been promised.	39 And all these, having been proven by the testimony of faith, did not receive the Promise.
40 God had foreseen something better for us, so that without us they should not be made perfect.	40 God’s Providence holds something better for us, so that not without us would they be perfected.