32But remember the past days in which, after ye had been illuminated, ye endured a great conflict of sufferings; 33partly while publicly exposed to revilings and tribulations, partly as being in communion with those who were treated in this manner. 34For ye have been fellow-sufferers with my bonds, and received with joy the plundering of your properties, knowing in yourselves that you have in the heavens a better substance, and permanent.
35Recede not therefore from your boldness of profession, which brings a great recompence of reward. 36For ye have need of patience, that after ye have done the will of God, ye may receive the promise. 37For yet a little, very little while, and he that is coming will come, and will not delay. 38“The just man then will live by faith[139];” and if he draw back, my soul shall have no delight in him. 39But we are not of those who turn back unto perdition; but of those who believe to the salvation of the soul.
[CHAP. XI.]
NOW faith is the realizing confidence of the things hoped for, and the demonstration of things unseen: 2for thereby the ancients obtained a testimony of approbation.
3By faith we understand that the worlds were exactly formed by the word of God, so that the visible objects were not made out of things which now appear.
4By faith Abel offered unto God a sacrifice of more excellence than Cain, by which he received a testimony that he was a righteous man, God bearing witness upon his gifts: and by this, though dead, he still speaketh.
5By faith Enoch was translated, so as not to see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he was recorded to have been acceptable to God. 6But without faith it is impossible to be acceptable; for he must believe, who cometh unto God, that he exists, and is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him.
7By faith Noah, being divinely warned respecting things not yet seen, filled with reverential awe, prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
8By faith Abraham, called to go forth unto a place which he should in future obtain as an heritage, obeyed; and he went forth, not knowing whither he was going. 9By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the co-heirs of the same promise. 10For he expected a city having foundations, of which God is the planner and architect.
11By faith also that very Sarah, who was barren, received ability for the conception of seed, and past the usual time of life brought forth a child, because she accounted that he who promised it, would be true to his promise. 12Wherefore even from one person, and he become dead in respect to these matters, there sprang a race, as the stars of heaven for multitude, and as the sand, which is on the shore of the sea, innumerable. 13All these died in faith, not having received the promises, but beholding them at a great distance, though believing and embracing them, and confessing that they were strangers and sojourners in the land. 14Now they who speak thus, shew evidently that they are in earnest search of their native country. 15And if indeed they had fixed their minds on that from whence they had gone forth, they might have had opportunity to go back to it again. 16But now their longing desires are after a better country, that is, the heavenly one: wherefore God is not ashamed of them to be called their God: for he hath prepared a city for them.