希伯来书 11
1 信就是所望之事的实底,是未见之事的确据。
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
2 古人在这信上得了美好的证据。
This is what the ancients were commended for.
3 我们因着信,就知道诸世界是藉神话造成的。这样,所看见的,并不是从显然之物造出来的。
By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.
4 亚伯因着信献祭与神,比该隐所献的更美,因此便得了称义的见证,就是神指他礼物作的见证。他虽然死了,却因这信仍旧说话。
By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.
5 以诺因着信被接去,不至于见死。人也找不着他,因为神已经把他接去了。只是他被接去以先,已经得了神喜悦他的明证。
By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God.
6 人非有信就不能得神的喜悦。因为到神面前来的人,必须信有神,且信他赏赐那寻求他的人。
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
7 挪亚因着信,既蒙神指示他未见的事,动了敬畏的心,预备了一只方舟,使他全家得救。因此就定了那世代的罪,自己也承受了那从信而来的义。
By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
8 亚伯拉罕因着信,蒙召的时候,就遵命出去,往将来要得为业的地方去。出去的时候,还不知往哪里去。
By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.
9 他因着信,就在所应许之地作客,好像在异地居住帐棚,与那同蒙一个应许的以撒,雅各一样。
By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise.
10 因为他等候那座有根基的城,就是神所经营所建造的。
For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.
11 因着信,连撒拉自己,虽然过了生育的岁数,还能怀孕。因他以为那应许他的是可信的。
By faith Abraham, even though he was past age--and Sarah herself was barren--was enabled to become a father because he considered him faithful who had made the promise.
12 所以从一个仿佛已死的人就生出子孙,如同天上的星那样众多,海边的沙那样无数。
And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.
13 这些人都是存着信心死的,并没有得着所应许的,却从远处望见,且欢喜迎接,又承认自己在世上是客旅,是寄居的。
All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth.
14 说这样话的人,是表明自己要找一个家乡。
People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own.
15 他们若想念所离开的家乡,还有可以回去的机会。
If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return.
16 他们却羡慕一个更美的家乡,就是在天上的。所以神被称为他们的神,并不以为耻。因为他已经给他们预备了一座城。
Instead, they were longing for a better country--a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.
17 亚伯拉罕因着信,被试验的时候,就把以撒献上。这便是那欢喜领受应许的,将自己独生的儿子献上。
By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son,
18 论到这儿子曾有话说,从以撒生的才要称为你的后裔。
even though God had said to him, "It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned."
19 他以为神还能叫人从死里复活。他也仿佛从死中得回他的儿子来。
Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death.
20 以撒因着信,就指着将来的事,给雅各以扫祝福。
By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future.
21 雅各因着信,临死的时候,给约瑟的两个儿子各自祝福,扶着杖头敬拜神。
By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph's sons, and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.
22 约瑟因着信,临终的时候,提到以色列族将来要出埃及,并为自己的骸骨留下遗命。
By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions about his bones.
23 摩西生下来,他的父母见他是个俊美的孩子,就因着信把他藏了三个月,并不怕王命。
By faith Moses' parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king's edict.
24 摩西因着信,长大了就不肯称为法老女儿之子。
By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter.
25 他宁可和神的百姓同受苦害,也不愿暂时享受罪中之乐。
He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time.
26 他看为基督受的凌辱,比埃及的财物更宝贵。因他想望所要得的赏赐。
He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.
27 他因着信就离开埃及,不怕王怒。因为他恒心忍耐,如同看见那不能看见的主。
By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king's anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible.
28 他因着信,就守逾越节,(守或作立)行洒血的礼,免得那灭长子的临近以色列人。
By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.
29 他们因着信,过红海如行干地。埃及人试着要过去,就被吞灭了。
By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned.
30 以色列人因着信,围绕耶利哥城七日,城墙就倒塌了。
By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days.
31 妓女喇合因着信,曾和和平平的接待探子,就不与那些不顺从的人一同灭亡。
By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.
32 我又何必再说呢?若要一一细说,基甸,巴拉,参孙,耶弗他,大卫,撒母耳,和众先知的事,时候就不够了。
And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets,
33 他们因着信,制伏了敌国,行了公义,得了应许,堵了狮子的口。
who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions,
34 灭了烈火的猛势,脱了刀剑的锋刃,软弱变为刚强,争战显出勇敢,打退外邦的全军。
quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies.
35 有妇人得自己的死人复活,又有人忍受严刑,不肯苟且得释放,(释放原文作赎)为要得着更美的复活。
Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection.
36 又有人忍受戏弄,鞭打,捆锁,监禁,各等的磨炼。
Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison.
37 被石头打死,被锯锯死,受试探,被刀杀。披着绵羊山羊的皮各处奔跑,受穷乏,患难,苦害。
They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated--
38 在旷野,山岭,山洞,地穴,飘流无定。本是世界不配有的人。
the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.
39 这些人都是因信得了美好的证据,却仍未得着所应许的。
These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised.
40 因为神给我们预备了更美的事,叫他们若不与我们同得,就不能完全。
God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.