Hebrews 11
Wycliffe Bible
11 But faith is the substance of things that be to be hoped, and an argument of things not appearing. [Forsooth faith is the substance of things to be hoped, an argument, or certainty, of things not appearing.]
2 And in this faith old men have gotten witnessing.
3 By faith we understand that the worlds were made by God's word [By faith we understand the worlds to be shaped, or made, by God's word], that visible things were made of invisible things.
4 By faith Abel offered a much more sacrifice than Cain to God, by which he got witnessing to be just, for God bare witnessing to his gifts[a]; and by that faith he dead speaketh yet.
5 By faith Enoch was translated, that he should not see death; and he was not found, for the Lord translated him. For before [the] translation he had witnessing that he pleased God.
6 And it is impossible to please God without faith. For it behooveth that a man coming to God, believe that he is, and that he is [a] rewarder of men that seek him.
7 By faith Noah dreaded, through answer taken of these things that yet were not seen, and shaped a ship into the health of his house [By faith Noah, an answer taken of these things that yet were not seen, dreading shaped an ark, or ship, into the health of his house]; by which he condemned the world, and is ordained heir of rightwiseness, which is by faith.
8 By faith he that is called Abraham, obeyed to go out into a place, which he should take into heritage; and he went out, not witting whither he should go.
9 By faith he dwelt in the land of promise, as in an alien land, dwelling in little houses with Isaac and Jacob, even-heirs of the same promise.
10 For he abode a city having foundaments, whose craftsman and maker is God.
11 By faith also that Sara barren, took virtue in conceiving of seed, yea, against the time of age; for she believed him true, that had promised.
12 For which thing of one, and yet nigh dead, there were born as stars of heaven in multitude, and as gravel that is at the seaside out of number. [For which thing, and of one, and him nigh dead, men be born as stars of heaven in multitude, and as gravel, or sand, that is at the seaside unnumerable.]
13 By faith all these be dead, when the promises were not taken, but they beheld them afar [but they beholding them afar], and greeting them well, and acknowledged that they were pilgrims, and harboured men on the earth.
14 And they that say these things, signify that they seek a country.
15 If they had had mind of that [And forsooth if they had mind of that], of which they went out, [soothly] they had time of turning again;
16 but now they desire a better, that is to say, heavenly. Therefore God is not confounded to be called the God of them [Therefore God is not confounded, or shamed, to be called the God of them]; for he made ready to them a city.
17 By faith Abraham offered Isaac, when he was tempted; and he offered the one begotten [son], which had taken the promises [which had taken repromissions];
18 to whom it was said, For in Isaac the seed shall be called to thee.
19 For he deemed, that God is mighty to raise him, yea, from death[b]; wherefore he took him also into a parable.
20 By faith also of things to coming [By faith and of things to come], Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau.
21 By faith Jacob dying blessed all the sons of Joseph, and honoured the highness of his staff [and honoured the highness of his rod].
22 By faith Joseph dying had mind of the passing forth of the children of Israel, and commanded of his bones.
23 By faith Moses born, was hid three months of his father and mother, for that they saw the young child fair [for that they saw the young child fair, or seemly]; and they dreaded not the commandment of the king.
24 By faith Moses was made great, and denied that he was the son of Pharaoh's daughter, [By faith Moses made great, denied him to be the son of Pharaoh's daughter,]
25 and chose more to be tormented with the people of God [choosing rather for to be tormented with the people of God], than to have mirth of temporal sin;
26 deeming the reproof of Christ more riches than the treasures of [the] Egyptians; for he beheld into the rewarding.
27 By faith he forsook Egypt, and dreaded not the hardness of the king; for he abode, as seeing him that was invisible. [By faith he forsook Egypt, not dreading the hardness of the king; forsooth he as seeing sustained the invisible.]
28 By faith he hallowed pask, and the shedding out of blood, that he that destroyed the first things of Egyptians, should not touch them. [By faith he hallowed pask, and shedding of blood, lest he that destroyed the first things of the Egyptians, should touch them.]
29 By faith they passed the red sea, as by dry land, which thing Egyptians assaying were devoured [in waters].
30 By faith the walls of Jericho felled down [fell down], by compassing of seven days.
31 By faith Rahab the whore received the spies with peace, and perished not with unbelieveful men.[c]
32 And what yet shall I say? For time shall fail to me [Soothly time shall fail me] telling of Gedeon, Barak, Samson, Jephthae, David, and Samuel, and of other prophets;
33 which by faith overcame realms, wrought rightwiseness, got repromissions; they stopped the mouths of lions,
34 they quenched the fierceness of fire, they drove away the edge of sword, they recovered of sickness, they were made strong in battle, they turned the hosts of aliens.
35 Women received their dead children from death to life; but others were held forth, not taking redemption [Women received their dead of again-rising; forsooth others were holden forth, or dead, not taking redemption], that they should find a better again-rising.
36 And others assayed scornings and beatings, moreover and bonds and prisons.
37 They were stoned, they were sawed, they were tempted, they were dead in slaying of sword. They went about in badger skins [They went about in brock skins], and in skins of goats, needy, anguished, tormented;
38 to which the world was not worthy. They wandered in wildernesses [They erring in wildernesses], and in mountains and dens, and [in] caves of the earth.
39 And all these, approved by witnessing of faith [proved by witnessing of faith], took not repromission;
40 for God provided some better thing for us, that they should not be made perfect without us.
Footnotes
- Hebrews 11:4 By faith Abel offered full much more host, or sacrifice, to God than Cain, by which he got witnessing to be just, God bearing witnessing to his gifts
- Hebrews 11:19 Deeming, that and from dead God is mighty to raise him
- Hebrews 11:31 By faith Rahab the whore perished not with the unbelieveful, she receiving the spies with peace.
Hebrews 11
King James Version
11 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
2 For by it the elders obtained a good report.
3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.
5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.
6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:
10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
11 Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.
12 Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.
13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.
15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.
16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
17 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,
18 Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:
19 Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.
20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.
21 By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff.
22 By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones.
23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment.
24 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter;
25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;
26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.
27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.
28 Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.
29 By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.
30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.
31 By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.
32 And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:
33 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions.
34 Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.
35 Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:
36 And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:
37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;
38 (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:
40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.
2001 by Terence P. Noble