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Lunedi, 29 aprile 2024 - Santa Caterina da Siena ( Letture di oggi)

Hebrews 11


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NEW JERUSALEMDOUAI-RHEIMS
1 Only faith can guarantee the blessings that we hope for, or prove the existence of realities that areunseen.1 Now faith is the substance of things to be hoped for, the evidence of things that appear not.
2 It is for their faith that our ancestors are acknowledged.2 For by this the ancients obtained a testimony.
3 It is by faith that we understand that the ages were created by a word from God, so that from theinvisible the visible world came to be.3 By faith we understand that the world was framed by the word of God; that from invisible things visible things might be made.
4 It was because of his faith that Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain, and for that he wasacknowledged as upright when God himself made acknowledgement of his offerings. Though he is dead, he stillspeaks by faith.4 By faith Abel offered to God a sacrifice exceeding that of Cain, by which he obtained a testimony that he was just, God giving testimony to his gifts; and by it he being dead yet speaketh.
5 It was because of his faith that Enoch was taken up and did not experience death: he was no more,because God took him; because before his assumption he was acknowledged to have pleased God.5 By faith Henoch was translated, that he should not see death; and he was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had testimony that he pleased God.
6 Now it is impossible to please God without faith, since anyone who comes to him must believe that heexists and rewards those who seek him.6 But without faith it is impossible to please God. For he that cometh to God, must believe that he is, and is a rewarder to them that seek him.
7 It was through his faith that Noah, when he had been warned by God of something that had neverbeen seen before, took care to build an ark to save his family. His faith was a judgement on the world, and hewas able to claim the uprightness which comes from faith.7 By faith Noe, having received an answer concerning those things which as yet were not seen, moved with fear, framed the ark for the saving of his house, by the which he condemned the world; and was instituted heir of the justice which is by faith.
8 It was by faith that Abraham obeyed the cal to set out for a country that was the inheritance given tohim and his descendants, and that he set out without knowing where he was going.8 By faith he that is called Abraham, obeyed to go out into a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
9 By faith he sojourned in the Promised Land as though it were not his, living in tents with Isaac andJacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise.9 By faith he abode in the land, dwelling in cottages, with Isaac and Jacob, the co-heirs of the same promise.
10 He looked forward to the wel -founded city, designed and built by God.10 For he looked for a city that hath foundations; whose builder and maker is God.
11 It was equal y by faith that Sarah, in spite of being past the age, was made able to conceive,because she believed that he who had made the promise was faithful to it.11 By faith also Sara herself, being barren, received strength to conceive seed, even past the time of age; because she believed that he was faithful who had promised,
12 Because of this, there came from one man, and one who already had the mark of death on him,descendants as numerous as the stars of heaven and the grains of sand on the seashore which cannot becounted.12 For which cause there sprung even from one (and him as good as dead) as the stars of heaven in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.
13 Al these died in faith, before receiving any of the things that had been promised, but they saw themin the far distance and welcomed them, recognising that they were only strangers and nomads on earth.13 All these died according to faith, not having received the promises, but beholding them afar off, and saluting them, and confessing that they are pilgrims and strangers on the earth.
14 People who use such terms about themselves make it quite plain that they are in search of ahomeland.14 For they that say these things, do signify that they seek a country. 15 And truly if they had been mindful of that from whence they came out, they had doubtless time to return.
15 If they had meant the country they came from, they would have had the opportunity to return to it;15 dummy verses inserted by amos
16 but in fact they were longing for a better homeland, their heavenly homeland. That is why God is notashamed to be cal ed their God, since he has founded the city for them.16 But now they desire a better, that is to say, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for he hath prepared for them a city.
17 It was by faith that Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac. He offered to sacrifice his onlyson even though he had yet to receive what had been promised,17 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered Isaac: and he that had received the promises, offered up his only begotten son;
18 and he had been told: Isaac is the one through whom your name will be carried on.18 (To whom it was said: In Isaac shall thy seed be called.)
19 He was confident that God had the power even to raise the dead; and so, figuratively speaking, hewas given back Isaac from the dead.19 Accounting that God is able to raise up even from the dead. Whereupon also he received him for a parable.
20 It was by faith that this same Isaac gave his blessing to Jacob and Esau for the stil distant future.20 By faith also of things to come, Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau.
21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph's sons, bowed in reverence, as he leanton his staff.21 By faith Jacob dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and adored the top of his rod.
22 It was by faith that, when he was about to die, Joseph mentioned the Exodus of the Israelites andgave instructions about his own remains.22 By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the going out of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones.
23 It was by faith that Moses, when he was born, was kept hidden by his parents for three months;because they saw that he was a fine child; they were not afraid of the royal edict.23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months by his parents; because they saw he was a comely babe, and they feared not the king's edict.
24 It was by faith that, when he was grown up, Moses refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh'sdaughter24 By faith Moses, when he was grown up, denied himself to be the son of Pharao's daughter;
25 and chose to be ill-treated in company with God's people rather than to enjoy the transitory pleasuresof sin.25 Rather choosing to be afflicted with the people of God, than to have the pleasure of sin for a time,
26 He considered that the humiliations offered to the Anointed were something more precious than althe treasures of Egypt, because he had his eyes fixed on the reward.26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasure of the Egyptians. For he looked unto the reward.
27 It was by faith that he left Egypt without fear of the king's anger; he held to his purpose like someonewho could see the Invisible.27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the fierceness of the king: for he endured as seeing him that is invisible.
28 It was by faith that he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood to prevent the Destroyer fromtouching any of their first-born sons.28 By faith he celebrated the pasch, and the shedding of the blood; that he, who destroyed the firstborn, might not touch them.
29 It was by faith they crossed the Red Sea as easily as dry land, while the Egyptians, trying to do thesame, were drowned.29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea, as by dry land: which the Egyptians attempting, were swallowed up.
30 It was through faith that the wal s of Jericho fel down when the people had marched round them forseven days.30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, by the going round them seven days.
31 It was by faith that Rahab the prostitute welcomed the spies and so was not killed with theunbelievers.31 By faith Rahab the harlot perished not with the unbelievers, receiving the spies with peace.
32 What more shal I say? There is not time for me to give an account of Gideon, Barak, Samson,Jephthah, or of David, Samuel and the prophets.32 And what shall I yet say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, Barac, Samson, Jephthe, David, Samuel, and the prophets:
33 These were men who through faith conquered kingdoms, did what was upright and earned thepromises. They could keep a lion's mouth shut,33 Who by faith conquered kingdoms, wrought justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
34 put out blazing fires and emerge unscathed from battle. They were weak people who were givenstrength to be brave in war and drive back foreign invaders.34 Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, recovered strength from weakness, became valiant in battle, put to flight the armies of foreigners:
35 Some returned to their wives from the dead by resurrection; and others submitted to torture, refusingrelease so that they would rise again to a better life.35 Women received their dead raised to life again. But others were racked, not accepting deliverance, that they might find a better resurrection.
36 Some had to bear being pil oried and flogged, or even chained up in prison.36 And others had trial of mockeries and stripes, moreover also of bands and prisons.
37 They were stoned, or sawn in half, or kil ed by the sword; they were homeless, and wore only theskins of sheep and goats; they were in want and hardship, and maltreated.37 They were stoned, they were cut asunder, they were tempted, they were put to death by the sword, they wandered about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being in want, distressed, afflicted:
38 They were too good for the world and they wandered in deserts and mountains and in caves andravines.38 Of whom the world was not worthy; wandering in deserts, in mountains, and in dens, and in caved of the earth.
39 These al won acknowledgement through their faith, but they did not receive what was promised,39 And all these being approved by the testimony of faith, received not the promise;
40 since God had made provision for us to have something better, and they were not to reach perfectionexcept with us.40 God providing some better thing for us, that they should not be perfected without us.