Hebrews 11

1 Now faith [trust and confidence in God] is the assurance [confidence, substance] of what we hope [expect, have confidence in] for and the certainty [proof, conviction] of what we do not [absolutely not] see [perceive, look at]. word study 2 This is why [for this reason, because of their faith] the ancients [elders, respected leaders, our fathers] were commended [obtained a good report, had God’s approval, testified of] [in this manner, by their trust]. word study 3 By [through, because of] faith [trust, confidence in God] we understand [comprehend, perceive with the mind] that the universe [the worlds, all creation] was formed [framed, created] at God’s [the one true deity] command [word, declaration], so that what is seen [visible, perceived] was not made out of what was [previously] visible [appearing, seeming to be]. word study 4 By faith [trust and confidence in God] Abel offered God [the supreme Creator, Elohim] a better [more excellent, superior] sacrifice [an offering to God, a gift] than Cain did [than his brother, in comparison]. By faith [relying on God’s power and promises] he was commended as righteous [just, innocent, having a right standing with God] when God gave approval [testified, bore witness] to his gifts [sacrifices, offerings]. And by faith [through his trust in God] he still speaks [continues to testify, bears witness], even though he is dead [has passed away, is no longer living]. word study 5 By faith [trust and confidence in God] Enoch [a righteous man, a descendant of Adam] was taken up [translated, transported to heaven] so that he did not see [experience, encounter] death [physical or spiritual separation from God]: “He could not be found [was not discovered, was nowhere to be seen], because God [the Almighty, Creator] had taken him away [removed, transferred him to heaven].” For before [prior to, preceding] he was taken [transported, removed], he was commended [praised, approved] as one who pleased [satisfied, delighted] God [the supreme Judge, the Lord]. word study 6 And without [apart from, separately] faith [trust, confidence in God] it is impossible [unable, lacking power] to please [make happy, satisfy] God [the one true deity], because anyone who approaches [comes near, draws near] Him must believe [trust, have faith] that He exists [is, has being] and that He rewards [gives payment, compensates] those who earnestly [diligently, with effort] seek [search for, investigate] Him [the Lord, the Creator]. word study 7 By faith [trust and confidence in God] Noah, when warned [divinely informed, received a message from God] about things not yet seen [future events, unseen by human eyes], in godly fear [reverence, awe] built [constructed, prepared] an ark [a wooden chest, a means of salvation] to save [rescue, deliver] his family [household, loved ones]. By faith [trust, reliance on God] he condemned [judged, declared guilty] the world [mankind, the ungodly] and became [was declared, appointed] heir [a recipient of inheritance, a beneficiary] of the righteousness [uprightness, moral integrity] that comes by faith [through trust, in accordance with faith]. word study 8 By faith [trust and confidence in God] Abraham, when called [invited by God] to go to a place [a specific location, a promised land] he would later receive [inherit, take possession of] as his inheritance [a gift from God, a promised possession], obeyed [listened attentively, responded in trust] and went, without knowing [having no understanding, being uncertain] where he was going [his destination, his future]. word study 9 By faith [trusting in God’s promises] he dwelt [sojourned, lived as a stranger] in the promised land [the land of Canaan, a land not his own] as a stranger [a foreigner, an alien] in a foreign country [a land belonging to others]. He lived [resided, made his home] in tents [tabernacles, temporary dwellings], as did Isaac [the son of Abraham] and Jacob [the grandson of Abraham], who were heirs [co-heirs, fellow inheritors] with him of the same promise [the promise of God’s blessing and inheritance]. word study 10 For he was looking forward [waiting with expectation, anticipating] to the city [a heavenly dwelling, a place of eternal rest] with foundations [a strong and lasting base], whose architect [craftsman, skilled designer] and builder [constructor, creator] is God [the supreme Creator, the one true deity]. word study 11 By faith [trust and confidence in God] Sarah, even though she was barren [without child, infertile] and beyond the proper age [past childbearing years], was enabled [given power and strength] to conceive [receive seed, become pregnant] a child, because she considered [judged, believed] Him faithful [reliable, trustworthy] who had promised [made a vow, given a word]. word study 12 And so from one man [as good as dead, having no natural ability to father children], and he as good as dead [completely unable to produce offspring], came descendants [a multitude of people, a vast number] as numerous as the stars [the celestial bodies in the sky] in the sky [the heavens, the atmosphere] and as countless [innumerable, beyond measure] as the sand [the small particles of rock] on the seashore [the land along the sea, the beach]. word study 13 All these people [died still trusting in God] died in faith [trust and confidence in God], without having received [not having taken, or accepted] the things they were promised [commitments or assurances from God]. However, they saw them [from afar, at a distance] and welcomed them [greeted, paid respects to] from afar. And they acknowledged [confessed, professed] that they were strangers [foreign, or guests in a new place] and exiles [strangers or foreigners living in a place] on the earth [soil, or ground]. word study 14 Now those who say [declare plainly, make manifest] such things show [declare, make it clear] that they are seeking [searching for, looking for] a country [fatherland, native land] of their own [a place to call home, a homeland]. word study 15 If [on the condition that, in the event that] they had been thinking [mindful, remembering] of the country [that land, their former home] they had left [gone out from, departed], they would have had [possessed, been given] opportunity [a chance, the right time] to return [to turn back, come again]. word study 16 Instead [in place of their earthly desires], they were longing [yearning, aspiring] for a better [more excellent, heavenly] country [homeland, heavenly realm], a heavenly [celestial] one. Therefore [for this reason, consequently] God [the supreme Deity] is not ashamed [does not feel regret or embarrassment] to be called [invoked, named] their God [the one true deity], for He has prepared [made ready, established] a city [a heavenly dwelling place] for them. word study 17 By faith [trust and confidence in God] Abraham, when he was tested [tried, tempted to doubt], offered up [sacrificed, gave as an offering] Isaac [his only son, the son of promise] on the altar [a place of sacrifice]. He who had received [welcomed, accepted] the promises [God’s assurances, covenant commitments] was ready to offer [sacrifice, give up] his one and only son [unique, one-of-a-kind, his only begotten], word study 18 even though God [the Almighty, Creator] had said to him, “Through Isaac [the son of promise, child of faith] your offspring [seed, descendants, posterity] will be reckoned [counted, named, identified as yours].” word study 19 Abraham reasoned [considered, thought it through] that God [the Almighty, Creator] could raise [bring back to life, resurrect] the dead [those who have passed away, lifeless], and in a sense [figuratively, as if], he did receive [got back, was repaid] Isaac back from death [the state of being lifeless, separation from the living]. word study 20 By faith [trusting in God, having confidence] Isaac [the son of Abraham] blessed [spoke well of, praised] Jacob [the progenitor of the Israelites] and Esau [the twin brother of Jacob, an Edomite] concerning [about, regarding] the future [things to come, what is to ensue]. word study 21 By faith [trusting in God, with confidence] Jacob, when he was dying [near to death, passing away], blessed [spoke well of, praised] each [every individual] of Joseph’s sons [children, descendants] and worshiped [showed respect, honored] as he leaned on [supported by, resting upon] the top [end, extremity] of his staff [rod, walking stick]. word study 22 By faith [trust and confidence in God] Joseph, when his end [death, decease] was near, spoke about [made mention of, remembered] the exodus [departure, going out] of the Israelites [children of Israel, descendants of Jacob] and gave instructions [ordered, commanded] about his bones [physical remains, body]. word study 23 By faith [trust and confidence in God] Moses’ parents hid [concealed and protected] him for three months [a quarter of a year, a season] after his birth, because they saw [perceived and understood] that he was a beautiful [comely, and handsome] child [a young one, a babe], and they were unafraid [not fearful, without dread] of the king’s [the ruler’s, the sovereign’s] edict [command, decree, authoritative order]. word study 24 By faith [trusting in God, having confidence] Moses, when he was grown [come to years, become a man], refused [denied himself, said no] to be called [to be known as, to be named] the son [child, descendant] of Pharaoh’s [the king of Egypt’s] daughter [female child, descendant]. word study 25 He chose [to select, to prefer] to suffer [to endure, to bear] oppression [affliction, hardship] with God’s [of the Almighty, the supreme Deity] people [a nation, a group of believers] rather than [instead of, in place of] to experience [to enjoy, to have] the fleeting [temporary, brief] enjoyment [pleasure, delight] of sin [transgression, rebellion against God]. word study 26 He valued [considering greater, esteeming] disgrace [reproach, shame] for Christ [the Anointed One] above [greater than, more valuable than] the treasures [riches, wealth] of Egypt, for he was looking ahead [gazing intently, focusing on] to his [future, eternal] reward [recompense, payment]. word study 27 By faith [trusting in God, having confidence] Moses left [forsook, abandoned] Egypt, not fearing [being alarmed by, in awe of] the king’s [sovereign ruler’s] anger [wrath, intense displeasure]; he persevered [endured, remained strong] because he saw [perceived, attended to] Him who is [existing as, being] invisible [not seen, unseen]. word study 28 By faith [trust and confidence in God] he kept the Passover [the Jewish festival commemorating the Israelites’ escape from slavery] and the sprinkling of blood [the shedding of blood for atonement], so that the destroyer [the angel of death] of the firstborn [the firstborn child, held in high esteem] would not touch [harm or kill] Israel’s own firstborn [the firstborn sons of the Israelites]. word study 29 By [trustful, unwavering] faith [trust and confidence in God] the people passed through the Red [describing the body of water] Sea as on [completely, utterly] dry land [a barren landscape]; but when the Egyptians [those from Egypt] tried to follow, they were [completely, utterly] drowned [swallowed up by the water]. word study 30 By faith [trusting in God, having confidence] the walls [surrounding barriers, fortifications] of Jericho [an important city in Palestine] fell [collapsed, came down], after the people had marched [walked, encircled] around them [surrounding, compassing] for seven days [a period of twenty-four hours, a cycle of time]. word study 31 By [trusting in, having confidence in] faith [trust and confidence in God] the prostitute [harlot, loose woman] Rahab, because she welcomed [received, took in] the spies [those sent to gather information, scouts] in peace [harmony, freedom from war], did not perish [die, be destroyed] with those who were [characterized as, known for being] disobedient [refusing to obey, unbelieving]. word study 32 And what more shall I say [what shall I yet say, what other examples should I give]? Time [a period or interval] will not allow me to tell of Gideon [an Israelite who led God’s people to victory], Barak [who, with Deborah, led the army to victory], Samson [a judge in Israel known for his strength], Jephthah [a judge in Israel who is known for his faith], David [King of Israel, a significant figure], Samuel [a prophet and leader], and the prophets [those who speak forth God’s will], word study 33 who through [because of, by means of] faith [trust and confidence in God] conquered [subdued, overcame] kingdoms [domains, realms], administered [wrought, did] justice [righteousness, what is right], and gained [obtained, received] what was promised [assured, vowed]; who shut [stopped, closed] the mouths [voices, speech] of lions [ferocious beasts], word study 34 quenched [put out, extinguished] the raging fire [blazing flames, divine judgment], and escaped [fled, got safely away from] the edge [mouth, point] of the sword [dagger, knife]; who gained strength [became empowered, were made strong] from weakness [frailty, infirmity], became mighty [valiant, powerful] in battle [war, conflict], and put [caused to flee, turned to flight] foreign armies [alien forces, enemy troops] to flight [retreat, defeat]. word study 35 Women [including mothers and wives] received back their dead [loved ones, family members], raised to life again [through resurrection, restored to physical existence]. Others [believers, faithful ones] were tortured [cruelly attacked, severely beaten] and refused their release [deliverance, freedom], so that they might gain [obtain, attain] a better [more excellent, superior] resurrection [standing up again from death, eternal life]. word study 36 Still others [yet other people, different ones] endured [suffered patiently, underwent] mocking [jeering, ridicule] and flogging [whipping, scourging], and even [moreover, in addition to] chains [bonds, shackles] and imprisonment [prison, confinement]. word study 37 They were stoned [to death, as a form of punishment], they were sawed in two [cut asunder, tempted], they were put to death [slain, murdered] by the sword [a short sword or dagger]. They went around [wandered, strolled] in sheepskins [simple garments made from a sheep’s skin] and goatskins [leather, animal hides], destitute [lacking, inferior], oppressed [afflicted, tormented], and mistreated [ill-treated, maltreated]. word study 38 The world [not worthy of their faith] was not worthy of them. They wandered [as pilgrims, in exile] in deserts [wilderness areas, solitary places] and mountains [high elevations, rugged terrain], and hid [took refuge, sought shelter] in caves [rocky hiding places, dens] and holes [openings, caverns] in the ground [the earth, the soil]. word study 39 These [all of these people, having obtained a good report] were all commended [having had witness borne to them, testified to] for their [trust and confidence in God] faith, yet they did not receive [did not get, were not repaid] what was promised [the commitment or assurance, especially from God]. word study 40 God [the one true deity, Creator of all] had planned [foreseen, provided] something [a thing, a circumstance] better [stronger, more excellent] for us [for our benefit, on our behalf], so that together [in union, in harmony] with us [as joint participants, fellow heirs] they would be made [completed, perfected, brought to maturity] perfect [whole, complete, lacking nothing] [without us, apart from us]. word study