11. By faith, even though Sarah herself was barren and he was too old, he received the ability to procreate, because he regarded the one who had given the promise to be trustworthy.
12. So in fact children were fathered by one man – and this one as good as dead – like the number of stars in the sky and like the innumerable grains of sand on the seashore.
13. These all died in faith without receiving the things promised, but they saw them in the distance and welcomed them and acknowledged that they were strangers and foreigners on the earth.
14. For those who speak in such a way make it clear that they are seeking a homeland.
15. In fact, if they had been thinking of the land that they had left, they would have had opportunity to return.
16. But as it is, they aspire to a better land, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.
17. By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac. He had received the promises, yet he was ready to offer up his only son.
18. God had told him, “Through Isaac descendants will carry on your name,”
19. and he reasoned that God could even raise him from the dead, and in a sense he received him back from there.
20. By faith also Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning the future.
21. By faith Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph and worshiped as he leaned on his staff.
22. By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, mentioned the exodus of the sons of Israel and gave instructions about his burial.
23. By faith, when Moses was born, his parents hid him for three months, because they saw the child was beautiful and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.
24. By faith, when he grew up, Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter,
25. choosing rather to be ill-treated with the people of God than to enjoy sin’s fleeting pleasure.
26. He regarded abuse suffered for Christ to be greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for his eyes were fixed on the reward.
27. By faith he left Egypt without fearing the king’s anger, for he persevered as though he could see the one who is invisible.
28. By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that the one who destroyed the firstborn would not touch them.