Hebrews 11

NEW JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
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 hoped for, the evidence of things not apparent.
2 It is for their faith that our ancestors are acknowledged.	2 For this reason, the ancients were given 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 the world to be fashioned by the Word of God, so that the visible might be made by the invisible.
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 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 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, 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 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 whoever approaches God must believe that he exists, and that he rewards those who 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, 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 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, 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 though it were not his, living in tents with Isaac andJacob, who were heirs with him 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 He looked forward to the wel -founded city, designed and built by God.	10 For he was awaiting a city having firm foundations, whose designer and builder 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, 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 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 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 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 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 People who use such terms about themselves make it quite plain that they are in search of ahomeland.	14 For those who speak in this way are themselves indicating that they seek a homeland.
15 If they had meant the country they came from, they would have had the opportunity to return to it;	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 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 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 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 tested, offered Isaac, so that he who had received the promises was offering up his only son.
18 and he had been told: Isaac is the one through whom your name will be carried on.	18 To him, it was said, “Through Isaac, shall your offspring be summoned,”
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 indicating that God is even able to raise up from the dead. And thus, he also established him as 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, Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, concerning future events.
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, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph; and he reverenced the summit 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, as he was dying, recalled the departure of the sons of Israel, and gave a 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, 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 It was by faith that, when he was grown up, Moses refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh'sdaughter	24 By faith, Moses, after growing up, denied himself a place as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter,
25 and chose to be ill-treated in company with God's people rather than to enjoy the transitory pleasuresof 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 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 valuing the reproach of Christ to be a greater wealth than the treasures of the Egyptians. For he looked forward to his 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 abandoned Egypt, not dreading the animosity of the king. For he pressed on, as if seeing him who is unseen.
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 Passover and the shedding of the blood, so 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 crossed the Red Sea, as if on dry land, yet when the Egyptians attempted it, they 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 collapsed, after being encircled for 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, did not perish with the unbelievers, after 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 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 These were men who through faith conquered kingdoms, did what was upright and earned thepromises. They could keep a lion's mouth shut,	33 those who, by faith, conquered kingdoms, accomplished justice, obtained promises, closed 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 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 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 by means of resurrection. But others suffered severe punishment, not yet receiving redemption, so that they would find a better resurrection.
36 Some had to bear being pil oried and flogged, or even chained up in prison.	36 Truly, others were tested by mocking and lashes, and moreover by chains and imprisonment.
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; 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 They were too good for the world and they wandered in deserts and mountains and in caves andravines.	38 Of them, the world was not worthy, wandering in solitude on mountains, in the caves and caverns of the earth.
39 These al won acknowledgement through their faith, but they did not receive what was promised,	39 And all these, having been proven by the testimony of faith, did not receive 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’s Providence holds something better for us, so that not without us would they be perfected.