riversident@Hebrews:11:3 @ By faith we understand that the worlds came into order at the word of God, so that what is now seen did not come out of things that are visible.
riversident@Hebrews:11:4 @ By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, for which he had witness borne to him that he was righteous, God testifying to his gifts, and by it, though dead, he still speaks.
riversident@Hebrews:11:5 @ By faith Enoch was taken from the earth so that he did not see death, and he was not found because God had taken him. For before being taken he had this testimony that he had pleased God.
riversident@Hebrews:11:6 @ But without faith it is impossible to please him. For he who comes to God must have faith that he exists and that he becomes the rewarder of those who seek him.
riversident@Hebrews:11:7 @ By faith Noah, after receiving a divine warning regarding things as yet unseen, reverently built an ark for the saving of his household. Thus he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness of faith.
riversident@Hebrews:11:8 @ By faith Abraham when called obeyed and came out into the place which he was to obtain for an inheritance. He came out not knowing where he was coming.
riversident@Hebrews:11:9 @ By faith he made his home in the promised land as in a foreign country, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise.
riversident@Hebrews:11:11 @ By faith Sarah received power to conceive a child even when past the natural time of life, since she thought him trustworthy who had given the promise.
riversident@Hebrews:11:12 @ And so from just one man, already dead in that respect, there sprang descendants "as the stars of heaven in multitude and as the sand on the seashore innumerable."
riversident@Hebrews:11:13 @ These all died in faith, not having obtained the promised blessings, but they saw them and greeted them afar and confessed that they were strangers and foreigners in the land.
riversident@Hebrews:11:15 @ And if they had been thinking of that land from which they came they would have had opportunity to return.
riversident@Hebrews:11:16 @ But now they desire a better land, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed of them \'97 of being called their God; for he has prepared for them a city.
riversident@Hebrews:11:17 @ By faith Abraham when he was tested offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises began offering his only son
riversident@Hebrews:11:18 @ regarding whom it had been said, "Those only whose descent is through Isaac shall be called your descendants."
riversident@Hebrews:11:19 @ He reasoned that God was able to raise him even from the dead, and figuratively he did win him back from the dead.
riversident@Hebrews:11:21 @ By faith Jacob when dying blessed each of the sons of Joseph and worshiped leaning on the top of his staff.
riversident@Hebrews:11:22 @ By faith Joseph, when at his end, mentioned the departure of the children of Israel and gave orders regarding his own bones.
riversident@Hebrews:11:23 @ By faith Moses at his birth was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they did not fear the king's command.
riversident@Hebrews:11:25 @ He chose rather to suffer hard-ship with the people of God than to enjoy the brief pleasure of sin,
riversident@Hebrews:11:26 @ and he thought the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt. For he was looking to the final reward.
riversident@Hebrews:11:27 @ By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king's anger; for he endured as if seeing him who is unseen.
riversident@Hebrews:11:28 @ By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that the destroyer might not touch their first-born.
riversident@Hebrews:11:29 @ By faith they crossed the Red Sea as on dry land; but the Egyptians when they tried to do so were drowned.
riversident@Hebrews:11:31 @ By faith Rahab, the prostitute, did not perish with those who had refused to believe; because she had welcomed the spies with peace.
riversident@Hebrews:11:32 @ And what shall I say further? Time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, and of David and Samuel and the prophets;
riversident@Hebrews:11:33 @ who through faith struggled against kingdoms and subdued them, did deeds of righteousness, obtained promised blessings, shut the mouths of lions,
riversident@Hebrews:11:34 @ quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness grew strong, became mighty in war, turned back armies of foreigners.
riversident@Hebrews:11:35 @ Women received back their dead by a resurrection. Others were tortured, refusing to pay for liberation, in order to gain a better resurrection.
riversident@Hebrews:11:37 @ They were stoned, afflicted, sawn in two, murdered with the sword. They went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, destitute, distressed, maltreated.
riversident@Hebrews:11:38 @ The world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in caves and in holes in the earth.
riversident@Hebrews:11:39 @ All these won God's approval by their faith. Yet they did not obtain the fulfillment of the promise.
riversident@Hebrews:11:40 @ In reference to us God had something better in view, that they without us should not reach perfection.
riversident@Hebrews:12:1 @ THEREFORE, surrounded as we are by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily besets us, and let us run with patience the race that lies before us,
riversident@Hebrews:12:2 @ looking to Jesus the beginner and finisher of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured a cross, thinking little of the shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.
riversident@Hebrews:12:3 @ Think of him who endured such hostile speaking of sinners against him, that you may not grow weary and despondent in heart.
riversident@Hebrews:12:5 @ and you have forgotten the encouragement which reasons with you as with sons, "My son, do not think slightingly of the discipline of the Lord and be not faint-hearted when reproved by him:
riversident@Hebrews:12:7 @ It is for discipline that you are enduring. God is laying it upon you as upon sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline?
riversident@Hebrews:12:9 @ Besides, we had fathers of our flesh who disciplined us and we used to reverence them. Shall we not much more be submissive to the Father of our spirits and live?
riversident@Hebrews:12:10 @ For they for a few days disciplined us as seemed good to them, but he for our profit, that we may share his holiness.
riversident@Hebrews:12:11 @ All discipline for the time being seems not joyous but grievous, but afterward it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have passed through its training.
riversident@Hebrews:12:13 @ and make straight paths for your feet, so that the lame limb may not be put out of joint but rather cured.
riversident@Hebrews:12:15 @ Be on your guard that no one shall fail of the grace of God, that no bitter root shall sprout up and trouble you and through it many be stained,
riversident@Hebrews:12:17 @ For you know that afterward when he wished to inherit the blessing he was rejected, for he found no place for a change in his father's mind though he sought it earnestly with tears.
riversident@Hebrews:12:18 @ For you have not come to something that may be touched, ablaze with fire, and to blackness and darkness and tempest
riversident@Hebrews:12:19 @ and the blast of a trumpet and the sound of words which those who heard begged not to have spoken of them.
riversident@Hebrews:12:22 @ But you have come to Mount Zion and the city of the living God, heavenly Jerusalem, to tens of thousands of angels,
riversident@Hebrews:12:23 @ to the festal assembly and congregation of first-born who are enrolled in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of righteous men made perfect,
riversident@Hebrews:12:24 @ and to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant and to the sprinkled blood which tells something better than the blood of Abel.
riversident@Hebrews:12:25 @ Beware of rejecting him who is speaking. For if those did not escape who rejected him who taught the divine will on earth, much less shall we if we reject him who speaks from heaven.
riversident@Hebrews:12:26 @ His voice then shook the earth, but now he has announced, "Yet once for all I shall shake not only the earth but also heaven."
riversident@Hebrews:12:27 @ And this expression "yet once for all" shows the removal of the things shaken, as of things that have been made, that the unshaken things may remain.
riversident@Hebrews:12:28 @ So then, since we are receiving an unshaken kingdom, let us have grace by which we may worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.
riversident@Hebrews:13:2 @ Do not forget hospitality: for by this some have, without knowing it, had angels as their guests.
riversident@Hebrews:13:3 @ Keep in mind the prisoners, as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are suffering hardships, since you yourselves are also in the body.
riversident@Hebrews:13:4 @ Let marriage be held in honor by all and let the bed be undefiled; for unchaste persons and adulterers God will judge.
riversident@Hebrews:13:5 @ Let your lives be free from the love of money. Be content with what you have. For he has said, "I will not fail you nor will I forsake you."
riversident@Hebrews:13:7 @ Remember your leaders, those who have spoken to you God's message, think how they ended their lives and imitate their faith.
riversident@Hebrews:13:9 @ Do not be carried away with all sorts of foreign teachings. It is well to have the heart strengthened by grace, not by special kinds of food. Those who live in that way are not profited.
riversident@Hebrews:13:11 @ For the bodies of the animals whose blood is brought into the holy place by the High Priest are burned outside the camp.
riversident@Hebrews:13:15 @ Through him then let us offer to God always the sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of lips that make confession in his name.
riversident@Hebrews:13:17 @ Obey your leaders and yield to their authority; for they watch over your souls as those who must give account, that they may do it with joy and not with sighing. That would be unprofitable for you.
riversident@Hebrews:13:18 @ Pray for us: for we are confident that we have a good conscience, wishing to live nobly in every way.
riversident@Hebrews:13:20 @ May the God of peace, who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of an eternal covenant,
riversident@Hebrews:13:21 @ equip you with every good thing for doing his will, doing in you what is well-pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for the ages of the ages. Amen.
riversident@Hebrews:13:23 @ I wish you to know that our brother Timothy has been set at liberty. With him, if he comes soon, I will see you.
riversident@Hebrews:13:24 @ Give my greetings to all your leaders and all the holy. Those who are from Italy send their greetings to you.