Faith and Assurance (Genesis 1:1–2; John 1:1–5)
2 UDB Because our ancestors trusted in God, he approved of them. BSB BSB: This is why the ancients were commended.
3 UDB Because we trust in God, we understand that God formed the universe by commanding it to exist. So the things we see were not made from things that already existed. BSB BSB: 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.
The Faith of Abel, Enoch, Noah (Genesis 4–9)
4 UDB Because Adam's son Abel trusted God, he sacrificed something better to God than what his older brother Cain offered to God. So God spoke well about what Abel sacrificed, and God declared that Abel was righteous. And although Abel is dead, we still learn from him about trusting God. BSB BSB: By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous when God gave approval to his gifts. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.
7 UDB God warned Noah that he would send a flood, and Noah believed him. He honored God by building a ship to save his family. In this way he showed that the rest of the people deserved for God to punish them. So Noah became a person whom God made right with himself because Noah trusted him. BSB BSB: By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in godly fear built an ark to save his family. By faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
The Faith of Abraham and Sarah (Genesis 15–22; Romans 4:1–12)
8 UDB God called Abraham to go to the land that he would give his descendants. Because Abraham trusted him, he obeyed God and left his country, even though he did not know where he was going. BSB BSB: By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, without knowing where he was going.
9 UDB Because Abraham trusted God, he lived as though he were a foreigner in a land that God had promised to give to his descendants. Abraham lived in tents, and his son Isaac and his grandson Jacob did also. God promised to give to Isaac and Jacob the same things that he promised to give to Abraham. BSB BSB: By faith he dwelt in the promised land as 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 UDB Abraham was waiting to live in the permanent city that God himself would design and build. BSB BSB: For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.
11 UDB And even though Sarah was unable to have children because of her old age, Abraham received the ability to father a child because he considered Yahweh to be faithful because he had made the promise to him that he would have a son. BSB BSB: By faith Sarah, even though she was barren and beyond the proper age, was enabled to conceive a child, because she considered Him faithful who had promised.
12 UDB So, although Abraham was too old to have children, from that one man descended people who are as many in number as the stars in the sky and are as countless as the grains of sand along the shore, just as God promised him. BSB BSB: And so from 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 UDB While they still trusted in God, all these people died. Even though they had not yet received the things that God had promised to give them, it was as though they had seen those things in the distance, and they were glad. It was as though they had admitted that they did not belong to this earth but that they were only here temporarily. BSB BSB: All these people died in faith, without having received the things they were promised. However, they saw them and welcomed them from afar. And they acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.
14 UDB As for people who say such things, they clearly show that they long for a place that will become their true native land. BSB BSB: Now those who say such things show that they are seeking a country of their own.
15 UDB If they had been thinking that their true native land was the place from which they had come, they could have simply returned there. BSB BSB: If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return.
16 UDB Instead, they desired a better place in which to live. They desired a home in heaven. Therefore, God was pleased for them to call him their God. He even prepared a city for them to live in with him. BSB BSB: 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.
18 UDB It was about this son that God had said, "It is only from Isaac that I will consider your family to descend." BSB BSB: even though God had said to him, “Through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned.”
19 UDB Abraham considered that to fulfill that promise, God could make Isaac live again even if he died after Abraham had sacrificed him! The result was that when Abraham did receive Isaac back after God told him not to harm Isaac, it was as though he received him back even after he died. BSB BSB: Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and in a sense, he did receive Isaac back from death.
The Faith of Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph (Genesis 27–50)
20 UDB Because Isaac trusted God, he prayed that God would bless his sons Jacob and Esau after he died. BSB BSB: By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning the future.
21 UDB Because Jacob trusted God, as he was dying he prayed God would bless each of the sons of his own son Joseph. He worshiped God as he leaned upon his walking stick before he died. BSB BSB: 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 UDB Because Joseph trusted God, when he was about to die in Egypt, he thought ahead to the time when the Israelites would leave Egypt, and he instructed his people to carry his bones with them when they left Egypt. BSB BSB: By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites and gave instructions about his bones.
The Faith of Moses (Exodus 2–15; Acts 7:20–22)
23 UDB Moses's mother and father show us how they trusted in God. For three months after their son was born, they hid him because they saw that the child was beautiful. They were not afraid of disobeying the command from the king of Egypt. The king's command declared that all the Jewish male babies must be killed. BSB BSB: By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after his birth, because they saw that he was a beautiful child, and they were unafraid of the king’s edict.
24 UDB The daughter of the king whom they called Pharaoh raised Moses, but when Moses had grown up, because he trusted God, he refused to accept the royal privileges that would have been his if people were to call him by the title "Moses, son of Pharaoh's daughter." BSB BSB: By faith Moses, when he was grown, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.
25 UDB He decided that it was better for others to mistreat him for a time along with God's people than to temporarily enjoy living sinfully in the king's palace. BSB BSB: He chose to suffer oppression with God’s people rather than to experience the fleeting enjoyment of sin.
26 UDB He decided that if he suffered for Christ, it would be worth far more in God's sight than owning the treasures of Egypt that he would receive as one of Pharaoh's family. He looked forward to the time when God would give him an eternal reward. BSB BSB: He valued disgrace for Christ above the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to his reward.
27 UDB Because he trusted God, Moses left Egypt. He was not afraid that the king would be angry because he left. He kept going because it was as though he kept seeing God, whom no one can see. BSB BSB: By faith Moses left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw Him who is invisible.
28 UDB Because Moses believed God would save his own people, he obeyed God's commands about Passover. He instructed the people to sprinkle blood on their doorposts so that the angel who causes people to die would pass over the homes that had blood sprinkled on them. For where the blood was sprinkled, he would not kill the first child in that home; but in any other home without the blood, the angel would make the oldest child to die. BSB BSB: By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch Israel’s own firstborn.
29 UDB Because the people of Israel trusted God when they walked through the Sea of Reeds, it was as though they were walking on dry land! But when the army of Egypt also attempted to cross where the sea had been, they drowned because the sea came back and flooded them! BSB BSB: By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to follow, they were drowned.
The Faith of Many (Joshua–Malachi)
30 UDB Because the people of Israel trusted God, the walls around the city of Jericho collapsed after the Israelites marched around the walls for seven days. BSB BSB: By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days.
31 UDB Rahab was a prostitute, but because she trusted God, she did not perish with those inside Jericho who disobeyed God. Joshua had sent spies into the city to find ways to destroy it, but God saved Rahab because she welcomed those spies peacefully. BSB BSB: By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies in peace, did not perish with those who were disobedient.
32 UDB I do not know what more I should say about others who trusted in God. It would take too much time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the other prophets. BSB BSB: And what more shall I say? Time will not allow me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets, 33 UDB Because they trusted God, some of them did great deeds for him. Some conquered lands ruled by powerful men. Some ruled Israel and justly treated men and nations. Some received from God the things that he promised to give them. Some forced lions to keep their mouths shut. BSB BSB: who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions,
34 UDB Some escaped from burning up in fire. Some escaped from others who tried to kill them with swords. Some became well again after being sick. Some became powerful when they fought wars. Some caused armies that came from foreign lands to run away from them. BSB BSB: quenched the raging fire, and escaped the edge of the sword; who gained strength from weakness, became mighty in battle, and put foreign armies to flight.
36 UDB Other people who trusted God were mocked. Some had their backs cut open by being struck with whips. Some were chained and put in prison. BSB BSB: Still others endured mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment.
37 UDB Some of those believers were stoned to death. Others were sawn completely into two parts. Others were killed with swords. Others of these people who trusted God wandered around the land wearing garments made only of skins from sheep and goats. They did not have any money. People constantly oppressed them and harmed them. BSB BSB: They were stoned, they were sawed in two, they were put to death by the sword. They went around in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, oppressed, and mistreated.
38 UDB The people on earth who caused those who trusted in God to suffer like this were so bad that they did not deserve to live with people like those who trusted God. Some who trusted God wandered in deserts and mountains. Some lived in caves and in other large holes in the ground. BSB BSB: The world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and hid in caves and holes in the ground.
39 UDB Although God approved of all these people because they trusted him, he had not yet given them all that he had promised for them to have. BSB BSB: These were all commended for their faith, yet they did not receive what was promised.
40 UDB God had an even better plan for us. His purpose was that when we are brought together with those who trusted in God before, and we are all gathered together in heaven, then they will receive everything that God had promised to all who trust him, and we also will receive every promise together with them. BSB BSB: God had planned something better for us, so that together with us they would be made perfect.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.