Faith
1 To have faith is to be sure of the things we hope for, to be certain of the things we cannot see. 2 It was by their faith that people of ancient times won God's approval.
3 It is by faith that we understand that the universe was created by God's word, so that what can be seen was made out of what cannot be seen.
4 It was faith that made Abel offer to God a better sacrifice than Cain's. Through his faith he won God's approval as a righteous man, because God himself approved of his gifts. By means of his faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.
5 It was faith that kept Enoch from dying. Instead, he was taken up to God, and nobody could find him, because God had taken him up. The scripture says that before Enoch was taken up, he had pleased God. 6 No one can please God without faith, for whoever comes to God must have faith that God exists and rewards those who seek him.
7 It was faith that made Noah hear God's warnings about things in the future that he could not see. He obeyed God and built a boat in which he and his family were saved. As a result, the world was condemned, and Noah received from God the righteousness that comes by faith.
8 It was faith that made Abraham obey when God called him to go out to a country which God had promised to give him. He left his own country without knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he lived as a foreigner in the country that God had promised him. He lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who received the same promise from God. 10 For Abraham was waiting for the city which God has designed and built, the city with permanent foundations.
11 It was faith that made Abraham able to become a father, even though he was too old and Sarah herself could not have children. He trusted God to keep his promise. 12 Though Abraham was practically dead, from this one man came as many descendants as there are stars in the sky, as many as the numberless grains of sand on the seashore.
13 It was in faith that all these persons died. They did not receive the things God had promised, but from a long way off they saw them and welcomed them, and admitted openly that they were foreigners and refugees on earth. 14 Those who say such things make it clear that they are looking for a country of their own. 15 They did not keep thinking about the country they had left; if they had, they would have had the chance to return. 16 Instead, it was a better country they longed for, the heavenly country. And so God is not ashamed for them to call him their God, because he has prepared a city for them.
17 It was faith that made Abraham offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice when God put Abraham to the test. Abraham was the one to whom God had made the promise, yet he was ready to offer his only son as a sacrifice. 18 God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that you will have the descendants I promised.” 19 Abraham reckoned that God was able to raise Isaac from death—and, so to speak, Abraham did receive Isaac back from death.
20 It was faith that made Isaac promise blessings for the future to Jacob and Esau.
21 It was faith that made Jacob bless each of the sons of Joseph just before he died. He leaned on the top of his walking stick and worshiped God.
22 It was faith that made Joseph, when he was about to die, speak of the departure of the Israelites from Egypt, and leave instructions about what should be done with his body.
23 It was faith that made the parents of Moses hide him for three months after he was born. They saw that he was a beautiful child, and they were not afraid to disobey the king's order.
24 It was faith that made Moses, when he had grown up, refuse to be called the son of the king's daughter. 25 He preferred to suffer with God's people rather than to enjoy sin for a little while. 26 He reckoned that to suffer scorn for the Messiah was worth far more than all the treasures of Egypt, for he kept his eyes on the future reward.
27 It was faith that made Moses leave Egypt without being afraid of the king's anger. As though he saw the invisible God, he refused to turn back. 28 It was faith that made him establish the Passover and order the blood to be sprinkled on the doors, so that the Angel of Death would not kill the first-born sons of the Israelites.
29 It was faith that made the Israelites able to cross the Red Sea as if on dry land; when the Egyptians tried to do it, the water swallowed them up.
30 It was faith that made the walls of Jericho fall down after the Israelites had marched around them for seven days. 31 It was faith that kept the prostitute Rahab from being killed with those who disobeyed God, for she gave the Israelite spies a friendly welcome.
32 Should I go on? There isn't enough time for me to speak of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets. 33 Through faith they fought whole countries and won. They did what was right and received what God had promised. They shut the mouths of lions, 34 put out fierce fires, escaped being killed by the sword. They were weak, but became strong; they were mighty in battle and defeated the armies of foreigners. 35 Through faith women received their dead relatives raised back to life.
Others, refusing to accept freedom, died under torture in order to be raised to a better life. 36 Some were mocked and whipped, and others were put in chains and taken off to prison. 37 They were stoned, they were sawed in two, they were killed by the sword. They went around clothed in skins of sheep or goats—poor, persecuted, and mistreated. 38 The world was not good enough for them! They wandered like refugees in the deserts and hills, living in caves and holes in the ground.
39 What a record all of these have won by their faith! Yet they did not receive what God had promised, 40 because God had decided on an even better plan for us. His purpose was that only in company with us would they be made perfect.
Ticība
1 Ticība ir cerības pamatā, tā pārliecina par neredzamām lietām. 2 Ticībā mūsu priekšgājēji ir saņēmuši Dieva atzinību. 3 Ticībā mēs saprotam, ka visa pasaule ir veidota ar Dieva vārdu, tā ka no neredzamā ir cēlies redzamais. 4 Ticībā Ābels pienesa Dievam pilnīgāku upuri nekā Kains, ticības dēļ viņš ir saņēmis Dieva atzinību, ka viņš ir taisns – Dievs pats to apliecināja, kad Ābels upurdāvanas pienesa. Ticības dēļ viņš vēl aizvien runā, kaut arī miris. 5 Ticībā Hanohs tika pārcelts prom no šīs pasaules, lai viņam nebūtu jāpieredz nāve: viņš vairs nebija atrodams, jo Dievs viņu bija pārcēlis. Pirms pārcelšanas Dievs liecināja par viņu, ka viņš tam bijis tīkams. 6 Bez ticības nav iespējams Dievam patikt. Tam, kas tuvojas Dievam, ir jātic, ka Dievs ir un ka viņš atalgo tos, kas viņu meklē. 7 Ticībā Noa uzņēma Dieva norādījumu par to, kas tad vēl nebija redzams, un dievbijībā sagatavoja šķirstu sava nama glābšanai. Tādējādi viņš pasludināja spriedumu pasaulei un iemantoja taisnību, kas saņemama ticībā. 8 Ticībā Ābrahāms paklausīja Dieva aicinājumam un devās uz vietu, kas viņam bija jāiemanto; viņš gāja, pat nezinādams, kurp dodas. 9 Ticībā viņš mitinājās apsolītajā zemē kā svešinieks, dzīvodams teltīs ar tā paša apsolījuma līdzmantiniekiem – Īzaku un Jēkabu; 10 viņš gaidīja pilsētu, kurai ir drošs pamats, kuras meistars un veidotājs ir Dievs. 11 Ticībā arī neauglīgā Sāra savā ievērojamā vecumā saņēma spēku, lai varētu kļūt māte, jo viņa uzticējās tam, kas viņai bija devis solījumu. 12 Tā no viena cilvēka, gandrīz jau miruša, ir dzimuši tik daudzi kā debesu zvaigznes un tik neskaitāmi kā smiltis jūras malā. 13 Tie visi dzīvoja ticībā līdz pat savai nāvei. Viņi nesaņēma apsolīto, bet tikai iztālēm to skatīja un sveica. Tie apliecināja, ka viņi virs zemes ir vienīgi svešinieki un viesi. 14 To apgalvodami, viņi rādīja, ka meklē citu tēviju. 15 Ja vien tie būtu domājuši par to tēviju, no kuras izgājuši, tiem būtu bijis tik daudz laika, lai varētu turp atgriezties. 16 Bet tie ilgojās pēc labākas – pēc debesu tēvijas. Tādēļ arī Dievs nav kaunējies saukt sevi par viņu Dievu; viņš pats taču bija sagatavojis tiem pilsētu. 17 Ticībā Ābrahāms par upuri pienesa Īzaku, savu mīļoto dēlu, kad Dievs viņu pārbaudīja. Lai gan Ābrahāms bija saņēmis apsolījumu, viņš tomēr pienesa upurim savu pirmdzimto – 18 par kuru bija sacīts: par taviem pēcnācējiem tiks saukti tie, kas celsies no Īzaka . 19 Ābrahāms sprieda, ka Dievs spēj uzcelt arī no mirušajiem un tā, līdzībā runājot, saņēma Īzaku atpakaļ no nāves. 20 Ticībā Īzaks svētīja Jēkabu un Ēsavu nākamajiem laikiem. 21 Ticībā Jēkabs pirms savas nāves svētīja abus Jāzepa dēlus un pielūdza Dievu, noliecies pār savu spieķi. 22 Ticībā Jāzeps mūža galā pieminēja Israēla bērnu iziešanu no Ēģiptes un atstāja norādījumus, ko darīt ar viņa kauliem. 23 Ticībā vecāki slēpa Mozu trīs mēnešus pēc dzimšanas, jo redzēja, ka šis bērns ir neparasti jauks; tie nebijās pat no valdnieka pavēles. 24 Ticībā Mozus, kad viņš pieauga, liedzās saukties par faraona meitas dēlu. 25 Viņš izvēlējās labāk paciest ļaunumu kopā ar Dieva tautu nekā iegūt īslaicīgu grēcīgu iepriecinājumu. 26 Negodu Kristus dēļ viņš turēja par lielāku bagātību nekā visu Ēģiptes mantu, jo viņš raudzījās uz atalgojumu. 27 Ticībā viņš pameta Ēģipti un nebijās valdnieka dusmu; viņš bija tik nelokāms, it kā viņš redzētu to, kurš ir neredzams. 28 Ticībā viņš svinēja Pashu un veica apslacīšanu ar asinīm, lai maitātājs neskartu israēliešu pirmdzimušos. 29 Ticībā israēlieši izgāja cauri Sarkanajai jūrai kā pa sausu zemi; kad to mēģināja ēģiptieši, ūdens tos aprija. 30 Ticībā israēlieši septiņas dienas pēc kārtas gāja apkārt Jērikai, un tās mūri sabruka. 31 Ticībā mauka Rāhāba neaizgāja bojā līdz ar nepaklausīgajiem, jo uzņēma ar mieru israēliešu izlūkus. 32 Ko lai vēl saku? Man pietrūks laika runāt par Gideonu, Baraku, Simsonu, Jeftu, Dāvidu, Samuēlu un praviešiem, 33 kas caur ticību ir uzvarējuši valstis, darījuši taisnus darbus, sasnieguši apsolīto, aizdarījuši lauvām mutes, 34 izdzēsuši uguns spēku, izbēguši zobena asmenim, nespēkā tapuši stiprināti, karā kļuvuši vareni, ienaidnieku karaspēkus piespieduši atkāpties. 35 Sievas saņēma savus mirušos caur augšāmcelšanos, bet citi ļāva sevi nomocīt, jo nepieņēma atbrīvošanu, lai gūtu sev labāku augšāmcelšanos. 36 Citi izcietuši izsmieklu un šaustīšanu, važas un cietumu. 37 Tie tika nomētāti akmeņiem, sazāģēti, nokauti ar zobenu, staigāja apkārt avju un kazu ādās, cieta trūkumu, bēdas un ļaundarības. 38 Pasaule nebija viņu cienīga, bet viņiem bija jāmaldās pa tuksnešiem, kalniem, jāmīt alās un aizās. 39 Un šie visi, kuru ticību Dievs ir apliecinājis, nesaņēma apsolīto, 40 jo Dievs mums kaut ko labāku bija iepriekš nolūkojis, lai viņi bez mums nesasniegtu apsolījumu.
