HelpFinder Bible - Flipbook - Page 1488
H EBREW S 1 2
13 All these people died still believing what
God had promised them. They did not receive
what was promised, but they saw it all from
a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that
they were foreigners and nomads here on earth.
14 Obviously people who say such things are
looking forward to a country they can call their
own. 15 If they had longed for the country they
came from, they could have gone back. 16 But
they were looking for a better place, a heavenly
homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to
be called their God, for he has prepared a city
for them.
— promises —
from God
But God’s discipline is
always good for us. . . .
afterward there will be a
peaceful harvest of right
living for those who are
trained in this way.
H E B R E WS 1 2 :10 -1 1
17 It was by faith that Abraham offered Isaac
as a sacrifice when God was testing him. Abraham, who had received God’s promises, was
ready to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, 18 even
though God had told him, “Isaac is the son
through whom your descendants will be
counted.”* 19 Abraham reasoned that if Isaac
died, God was able to bring him back to life
again. And in a sense, Abraham did receive his
son back from the dead.
20 It was by faith that Isaac promised blessings for the future to his sons, Jacob and Esau.
21 It was by faith that Jacob, when he was old
and dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons and
bowed in worship as he leaned on his staff.
22 It was by faith that Joseph, when he was
about to die, said confidently that the people of
Israel would leave Egypt. He even commanded
them to take his bones with them when they left.
23 It was by faith that Moses’ parents hid him
for three months when he was born. They saw
that God had given them an unusual child,
and they were not afraid to disobey the king’s
command.
24 It was by faith that Moses, when he grew
up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s
daughter. 25 He chose to share the oppression
of God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26 He thought it was better
to suffer for the sake of Christ than to own the
page 1118
treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to
his great reward. 27 It was by faith that Moses left
the land of Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger.
He kept right on going because he kept his eyes
on the one who is invisible. 28 It was by faith that
Moses commanded the people of Israel to keep
the Passover and to sprinkle blood on the doorposts so that the angel of death would not kill
their firstborn sons.
29 It was by faith that the people of Israel went
right through the Red Sea as though they were
on dry ground. But when the Egyptians tried to
follow, they were all drowned.
30 It was by faith that the people of Israel
marched around Jericho for seven days, and the
walls came crashing down.
31 It was by faith that Rahab the prostitute was
not destroyed with the people in her city who refused to obey God. For she had given a friendly
welcome to the spies.
32 How much more do I need to say? It would
take too long to recount the stories of the faith
of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David,
Samuel, and all the prophets. 33 By faith these
people overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice,
and received what God had promised them.
They shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the
flames of fire, and escaped death by the edge
of the sword. Their weakness was turned to
strength. They became strong in battle and put
whole armies to flight. 35 Women received their
loved ones back again from death.
But others were tortured, refusing to turn
from God in order to be set free. They placed
their hope in a better life after the resurrection.
36 Some were jeered at, and their backs were cut
open with whips. Others were chained in prisons. 37 Some died by stoning, some were sawed
in half,* and others were killed with the sword.
Some went about wearing skins of sheep and
goats, destitute and oppressed and mistreated.
38 They were too good for this world, wandering
over deserts and mountains, hiding in caves
and holes in the ground.
39 All these people earned a good reputation
because of their faith, yet none of them received
all that God had promised. 40 For God had something better in mind for us, so that they would
not reach perfection without us.
God’s Discipline Proves His Love
Therefore, since we are surrounded by
such a huge crowd of witnesses to the
life of faith, let us strip off every weight that
slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance
the race God has set before us. 2 We do this by
keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who
initiates and perfects our faith.* Because of the
12
11:18 Gen 21:12. 11:37 Some manuscripts add some were
tested. 12:2a Or Jesus, the originator and perfecter of our faith.