The Great Faith of God's People
1 Faith makes us sure of what we hope for and gives us proof of what we cannot see. 2 It was their faith that made our ancestors pleasing to God.
3 Because of our faith, we know that the world was made at God's command. We also know that what can be seen was made out of what cannot be seen.
4 Because Abel had faith, he offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. God was pleased with him and his gift, and even though Abel is now dead, his faith still speaks for him.
5 Enoch had faith and did not die. He pleased God, and God took him up to heaven. This is why his body was never found. 6 But without faith no one can please God. We must believe that God is real and rewards everyone who searches for him.
7 Because Noah had faith, he was warned about something that had not yet happened. He obeyed and built a boat that saved him and his family. In this way the people of the world were judged, and Noah was given the blessings that come to everyone who pleases God.
8 Abraham had faith and obeyed God. He was told to go to the land that God had said would be his, and he left for a country he had never seen. 9 Because Abraham had faith, he lived as a stranger in the promised land. He lived there in a tent, and so did Isaac and Jacob, who were later given the same promise. 10 Abraham did this, because he was waiting for the eternal city God had planned and built.
11 Even when Sarah was too old to have children, she had faith that God would do what he had promised, and she had a son. 12 Her husband Abraham was almost dead, but he became the ancestor of many people. In fact, there are as many of them as there are stars in the sky or grains of sand along the seashore.
13 Every one of those people died. But they still had faith, even though they had not received what they had been promised. They were glad just to see these things from far away, and they agreed that they were only strangers and foreigners on this earth. 14 When people talk this way, it is clear they are looking for a place to call their own. 15 If they had been talking about the land where they had once lived, they could have gone back at any time. 16 But they were looking forward to a better home in heaven. This is why God wasn't ashamed for them to call him their God. He even built a city for them.
17-18 Abraham had been promised that Isaac, his only son, would continue his family. But when Abraham was tested, he had faith and was willing to sacrifice Isaac, 19 because he was sure that God could raise people to life. This was just like getting Isaac back from death.
20 Isaac had faith, and he promised blessings to Jacob and Esau. 21 Later, when Jacob was about to die, he leaned on his walking stick and worshiped. Then because of his faith he blessed each of Joseph's sons. 22 And right before Joseph died, he had faith that God would lead the people of Israel out of Egypt. So he told them to take his bones with them.
23 Because Moses' parents had faith, they kept him hidden until he was three months old. They saw that he was a beautiful child, and they were not afraid to disobey the king's orders. 24 Then after Moses grew up, his faith made him refuse to be called the king's grandson. 25 He chose to be mistreated with God's people instead of having the good time that sin could bring for a little while. 26 Moses knew that the treasures of Egypt were not as wonderful as what he would receive from suffering for the Messiah, and he looked forward to his reward.
27 Because of his faith, Moses left Egypt. Moses had seen the invisible God and wasn't afraid of the king's anger. 28 His faith also made him celebrate Passover. He sprinkled the blood of animals on the doorposts, so that the first-born sons of the people of Israel would not be killed by the destroying angel.
29 Because of their faith, the people walked through the Red Sea on dry land. But when the Egyptians tried to do it, they were drowned.
30 God's people had faith, and when they had walked around the city of Jericho for seven days, its walls fell down.
31 Rahab had been a prostitute, but she had faith and welcomed the spies. So she wasn't killed with the people who disobeyed.
32 What else can I say? There isn't enough time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets. 33 Their faith helped them conquer kingdoms, and because they did right, God made promises to them. They closed the jaws of lions 34 and put out raging fires and escaped from the swords of their enemies. Although they were weak, they were given the strength and power to chase foreign armies away.
35 Some women received their loved ones back from death. Many of these people were tortured, but they refused to be released. They were sure they would get a better reward when the dead are raised to life. 36 Others were made fun of and beaten with whips, and some were chained in jail. 37 Still others were stoned to death or sawed in two or killed with swords. Some had nothing but sheep skins or goat skins to wear. They were poor, mistreated, and tortured. 38 The world did not deserve these good people, who had to wander in deserts and on mountains and had to live in caves and holes in the ground.
39 All of them pleased God because of their faith! But still they died without being given what had been promised. 40 This was because God had something better in store for us. And he did not want them to reach the goal of their faith without us.
XI.
Ticeiba.
1 Ticeiba ir cerejamūs lītu byutyskais ītvārums un vēļ naradzamūs aplīcynōjums. 2 Jamā ir klivuši slovoni senči. 3 Caur ticeibu mes zynom, ka Dīva vōrds ir radejis pasauļus, ka radzamais nav cēlīs nu asūšō. 4 Ticeibas dēļ Abeļa upurātō dōvona Dīvam beja pateikamōka na kai Kaina; jōs dēļ jys sajēme līceibu, ka jys ir attaisnōts, — Dīvs tū aplīcynōja, pi jō dōvonom, — jōs dēļ jys napōrstōj runōt arī pēc sovas nōves. 5 Ticeibas dēļ nu šō pasauļa tyka pajimts Enochs, nabaudūt nōves, un jys te vairs nabeja atrūnams, jo Dīvs jū beja pajēmis. Pyrms pajimšonas jys sajēme līceibu, ka jys ir Dīvam pateikams.
6 Bez ticeibas īpatikt Dīvam nav īspējams, jo ikvīnam, kas Dīvam tyvojās, jōtic, ka Dīvs ir un ka Jys atolgōs tūs, kas Jō meklej.
7 Caur ticeibu Noess sajēme ziņu par tū, kō vēļ naredzēja; sovas saimes glōbšonai jys dīvbejeigi pagatavōja škērstu un caur tū jys nūtīsōja pasauli, un palyka par mantinīku caur ticeibu sajamamōs pesteišonas.
8 Ticeibas dēļ Abraams beja paklauseigs un devēs uz tū zemi, kuru jam vajadzēja sajimt montōjumā un jys izceļōja nazynōdams uz kurīni aizīs. 9 Ticeibas dēļ jys apsamete apsūleitajā zemē kai svešinīks un dzeivōja nūmetnēs kūpā ar Izaaku un Jākubu — tōs pošas apsūleišonas mantinīkim, 10 Jys gaideja stipri nūstyprynōtōs piļsātas, kuras nūdybynōtōjs un izveidōtōjs ir pats Dīvs.
11 Ticeibas dēļ arī (naaugleigō) Sara, nasaskotūt uz sovu lelū vacumu, sajēme spāku byut par mōti, jo jei ticēja, ka Tys, kas jai apsūleja, ir uzticeigs. 12 Un tai tam vīnam izmyrušajam cēles pēcnōcēju tik daudz kai zvaigžņu debesīs un tik nasaskaitami, kai jyurmolas smiļtis.
13 Jī visi nūmyra ticeibā un apsūleitūs lobumu nasasnēdze; jī gon redzēja tūs nu tōlīnes, jūs apsveice un ar tū aplīcynōja, ka jī vērs zemes ir tikai ceļōtōji un vīsi. 14 Un tai runojūt jī apgolvoj, ka meklej tēvijas. 15 Jo jī byutu ilgōjušīs pēc tōs zemes, nu kuras beja izgōjuši, tad jim byutu bejis laiks atsagrīst atpakaļ. 16 Bet jī ilgōjōs pēc lobōkas, tys ir debeseigōs. Tōpēc Dīvs nasakautrej sauktīs par jūs Dīvu, jo Jys ir sagatavōjis piļsātu.
17 Ticeibā Abraams, kad jū pōrbaudeja, upurēja Izaaku. Lai gon jys beja sajēmis apsūlejumu, jys tūmār gribēja upurēt vīneigū dālu, 18 par kuru beja saceits: Nu Izaaka tev byus pēcnōcēji. 19 Jys dūmōja: Dīvam ir spāks arī nu myrūnim pīceļt. Tōpēc jys teik mynāts kai pīmārs.
20 Ticeibā Izaaks svētej Jākubu un Ezau nōkūšim laikim. 21 Ticeibā Jākubs uz nōves gultas byudams svēteja obejus Jezupa dālus un lyudzēs nūsalīkdams uz jō vāzdas augšejō gola.
22 Tycūt mērstūšais Jezups pōrdūmōja Izraeļa bārnu izceļōšonu un deve nūrōdejumus, kū dareit ar jō kaulim.
23 Ticeibas dēļ dzymdynōtōji slēpe Moizešu pēc jō dzimšonas trejs mēneši, jo redzēja, ka bārns ir skaists un nanūsabeida kēneņa pavēles. 24 Ticeibas dēļ Moizešs, kad jau beja izaudzis, pasmōdēja sauktīs par faraona meitas dālu. 25 Jys gribēja lobōk kūpā ar Dīva tautu daleitīs apspīsšonā, na kai nu grāka smeļt eisu baudu. 26 Jys Kristus pazamōšonu īskaita par lelōku bogōteibu, na Egiptes krōjumus, jo jys skatejōs uz atmoksu. 27 Ticeibas dēļ jys atstōja Egipti un nasabeida kēneņa dusmes un beja drūss, jo jam ocu prīškā beja naradzamais. 28 Ticeibas dēļ jys sagatavōja paschu un apsvaideišonu ar asni, lai atrībeibas engeļs naaizskartu jūs pyrmdzymušūs. 29 Ticeibas dēļ jī pōrgōja Sorkonū jyuru kai pa sauszemi; bet egiptīši, raudzeidami dareit tū pošu, nūsleika.
30 Ticeibas dēļ jī septeņas dīnas gōja ap Jericho myurim un tī sabruka. 31 Ticeibas dēļ naaizgōja būjā kūpā ar naticeigajim natykumeigō Rachab, jo jei izsyuteitajim izlyukūs deve drūšu patvērsmi.
32 Un kas man vēļ sokams? Jo es grybātu runōt par Gedeonu, Baraku, Sampsonu, Jeftu, Davidu, Samueli un par pravīšim, man napītyktu laika. 33 Pateicūt ticeibai jī pōrvarēja kēnestes, sprīde tīsu, sajēme apsūlejumus, aizdareja lauvom muti, 34 nūdzēse guņs spāku, izasorgōja nu zūbyna esmiņa, atspērga nu slimeibom, beja stipri kaujā un svešū karaspāku pīspīde atsakōpt. 35 Sīvas sajēme sovus nūmyrušūs pīcaltus nu myrūnim. Daži pat ļōve sevi nūmūceit un atbreivōšonai napīkryta, lai montōtu skaistōku augšamceļšonūs. 36 Citi otkon izcīte pasmōdēšonu un šausteišonu, važōs īkaļšonu un cītumu. 37 Jūs nūmātōja akminim, zōgēja, mūceja, ar zūbynu cērta. 38 Jī, kuru pasauļs nabeja cīneigs, staigōja vušku un kozu ōdōs, nabadzeibā, apmīgšonā un pazamōšonā maļdejōs pa tuksnešim, kolnim, dūbem un zemes olom.
39 Jī visi caur ticeibu sasnēdze slavu, bet apsūleitūs lobumu jī nasajēme, 40 jo Dīvs, paredzējis mums kaut kū lobōku, nagribēja, lai jī bez mums sasnāgtu apsūlejumu.
