By faith we understand the word and work of God—Faith of the ancients was centered in Christ—By faith men subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, and worked miracles.

 NOW ^afaith is the ^bsubstance^• of things ^choped for, the ^devidence^• of things not seen.

 For by it the elders ^aobtained^• a good ^breport^•.

 Through faith we understand that the worlds were ^aframed by the ^bword of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

 By faith ^aAbel^• offered unto God a more excellent ^bsacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.

 By faith ^aEnoch^• was ^btranslated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this ^ctestimony, that he pleased God.

 But without ^afaith it is impossible to please him: for he that ^bcometh^• to God must believe that he is, and that he is a ^crewarder of them that ^ddiligently ^eseek^• him.

 By faith ^aNoah^•, being ^bwarned of God of things not seen as yet, ^cmoved^• with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the ^drighteousness which is by faith.

 By faith ^aAbraham^•, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an ^binheritance, ^cobeyed; and he went out, not ^dknowing^• whither he went.

 By faith he ^asojourned^• in the ^bland of ^cpromise^•, as in a strange country, dwelling in ^dtabernacles^• with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:

 For he looked for a ^acity^• which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

 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.

 Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in ^amultitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.

 These all died in faith, not having received the ^apromises^•, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were ^bstrangers and pilgrims on the earth.

 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a ^acountry^•.

 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.

 But now they desire a better ^acountry^•, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

 By ^afaith^• Abraham, when he was ^btried, ^coffered up Isaac: and he that had received the ^dpromises offered up his only begotten son,

 Of whom it was said, That in ^aIsaac shall thy ^bseed be called:

 ^aAccounting^• that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.

 By faith Isaac ^ablessed^• Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.

 By faith ^aJacob^•, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff.

 By faith ^aJoseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones.

 By faith ^aMoses^•, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a ^bproper^• child; and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment.

 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the ^ason^• of Pharaoh’s daughter;

 Choosing rather to ^asuffer affliction with the ^bpeople^• of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;

 Esteeming the ^areproach of Christ greater ^briches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.

 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.

 Through faith he kept the ^apassover^•, and the sprinkling of ^bblood^•, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.

 By faith they passed through the Red ^asea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.

 By faith the ^awalls^• of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.

 By ^afaith^• the harlot ^bRahab^• perished not with ^cthem^• that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.

 And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of ^aBarak^•, and of Samson, and of ^bJephthae^•; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:

 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained ^apromises, stopped the mouths of ^blions^•,

 Quenched the violence of ^afire^•, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made ^bstrong^•, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.

 Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting ^adeliverance; that they might obtain ^ba^• better resurrection:

 And others had trial of ^acruel ^bmockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:

 They were ^astoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;

 (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and inmountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

 And these all, having obtained a ^agood^{• b}report^• through faith, received not the promise:

 ^aGod^• having ^bprovided^• some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made ^cperfect.