Letters to the Churches

By trusting, he lived as a temporary resident in the Land of the promise, as if it were not his, staying in tents with Yitz’chak and Ya‘akov, who were to receive what was promised along with him.

For he was looking forward to the city with permanent foundations, of which the architect and builder is God.

By trusting, he received potency to father a child, even when he was past the age for it, as was Sarah herself; because he regarded the One who had made the promise as trustworthy.

Therefore this one man, who was virtually dead, fathered descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky, and as countless as the grains of the sand on the seashore.

All these people kept on trusting until they died, without receiving what had been promised. They had only seen it and welcomed it from a distance, while acknowledging that they were aliens and temporary residents on the earth.

For people who speak this way make it clear that they are looking for a fatherland.

Now if they were to keep recalling the one they left, they would have an opportunity to return;

but as it is, they aspire to a better fatherland, a heavenly one. This is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.

By trusting, Avraham, when he was put to the test, offered up Yitz’chak as a sacrifice. Yes, he offered up his only son, he who had received the promises,

to whom it had been said, “What is called your ‘seed’ will be in Yitz’chak.”

For he had concluded that God could even raise people from the dead! And, figuratively speaking, he did so receive him.

By trusting, Yitz’chak in his blessings over Ya‘akov and Esav made reference to events yet to come.

By trusting, Ya‘akov, when he was dying, blessed each of Yosef’s sons, leaning on his walking-stick as he bowed in prayer.

By trusting, Yosef, near the end of his life, remembered about the Exodus of the people of Isra’el and gave instructions about what to do with his bones.

By trusting, the parents of Moshe hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw that he was a beautiful child, and they weren’t afraid of the king’s decree.

By trusting, Moshe, after he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.

He chose being mistreated along with God’s people rather than enjoying the passing pleasures of sin.

He had come to regard abuse suffered on behalf of the Messiah as greater riches than the treasures of Egypt, for he kept his eyes fixed on the reward.

By trusting, he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered as one who sees the unseen.

By trusting, he obeyed the requirements for the Pesach, including the smearing of the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Isra’el.

By trusting, they walked through the Red Sea as through dry land; when the Egyptians tried to do it, the sea swallowed them up.

By trusting, the walls of Yericho fell down — after the people had marched around them for seven days.

By trusting, Rachav the prostitute welcomed the spies and therefore did not die along with those who were disobedient.

What more should I say? There isn’t time to tell about Gid‘on, Barak, Shimshon, Yiftach, David, Sh’mu’el and the prophets;

who, through trusting, conquered kingdoms, worked righteousness, received what was promised, shut the mouths of lions,