11) [HEBREWS] (希伯來書11) *GNB* [ON FAITH 論信心] V.01-40

[Hebrews 11] ON FAITH 論信心

[HEBREWS] 11:01-40

[ON FAITH 論信心]

01/TO HAVE FAITH is
擁有信心就是
 to be sure確知的 of the things
{we hope for所盼望之事},and而且
to be certain確定的 of things
{we can not see所未見之事}.

02/It was by their faith/ 
就是因靠了他們的信心
that people (of ancient times)
先祖們
won God's approval. 
嬴得了神的讚賞

03/It is by faith/
就是因靠信心
that we can understand/
以致我們能够瞭解
that the hole universe was created 
整個宇宙被創造了

<by God's word>,
因靠了神的話語
<so that> what can be seen was made
所以那能够被看得見的事務
<out of what can not be seen>. 
是出於那不能被看得見的事務

04/It was by faith/
that Abel offered 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.

05/It was faith
{that kept Enoch from dying},
<instead>,he was taking 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. 

06/No one can please God <without faith>,
<for> whoever comes to God must have faith
{that God exists and rewards those}{who seek him}.

07/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}.

08/It was faith
{that made Abraham obey God
<when> God called him to go out to a country
{which God had promised to give him}}.

09/<By faith> he lived <as a foreigner> <in the country>
{that God 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 the 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.

12/<Though> Abraham was practically dead,//
<from this one man> came <as> many descendants
<as> there are stars in the sky,
<as> the numberless grains of sand <on the sea-shore>.

13/It was in faith/
that all these persons died.

#They did not receive the things
{that God had promised},
<but> <from a long way off>
they saw them 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 on thinking
about the country {they had left},
<if> they had,//
they would have had the choice to return.

16/<Instead>,
it was a better country
{that they had 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 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 the descendants
{that I have promised}.

19/Abraham reckoned/
that God was able to raise Isaac from death-
<and so to speak>,
Abraham did receive Isaac <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
<before> he died.

#He leaned on the top of his walking-stick
and worshipped God.

22/It was faith
{that made Joseph, <when he was about to die> 
speak of the departure of 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
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 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 treasure 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>.

#<Although> 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 the 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 Rehab
from being killed with those
{who disobeyed God},
<for> she gave the Israelite spies a friendly welcome.
.........................................................................................
32/Should I go on?
There is isn't 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.

34/They shut the mouths of lions,
put out fierce fires,and escaped being killed
<by the sword>.
They were weak but became strong;
they were mighty<in the 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,sawed in two,and killed
<by the sword>.
They went round clothed in skins of sheep or goats,
poor,persecuted and ill-treated.

38/The world was not good enough <for them>!
They wandered <like refugees>( in the deserts and hills),
living in the caves and holes (in the ground).

39/What a record (all of these) have won
<by their faith>.

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.
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............................This is the End of Chapter 11................///