Hebrews 11:1-7

Expanded Bible

What Is Faith?

11 Faith means ·being sure [the assurance; or the tangible reality; or the sure foundation] of the things we hope for and ·knowing that something is real even if we do not see it [the conviction/assurance/evidence about things not seen]. ² Faith is the reason ·we remember [or God commended/approved] ·great people who lived in the past [the people of old; the ancients; our spiritual ancestors].

³ It is by faith we understand that the ·whole world [universe; cosmos; ages] was made by God’s ·command [word; Gen. 1] so what we see was ·made by something that cannot be seen [^Lnot made from/by visible things].

⁴ It was by faith that Abel offered God a ·better [more acceptable] sacrifice than Cain [Gen. 4:4–8]. God ·said he was pleased with [commended him for; bore testimony to] the gifts Abel offered and ·called Abel [commended him as; testified that he was] a ·good [righteous] man because of his faith. Abel died, but through his faith he is still speaking [12:24].

⁵ It was by faith that Enoch was taken to heaven so he would not ·die [experience/^Lsee death]. He could not be found, because God had taken him away [Gen. 5:22–24]. Before he was taken, ·the Scripture says that he was [^Lhe was commended as] a man who truly pleased God. ⁶ [^LAnd] Without faith no one can please God. [^LFor; Because] Anyone who comes to God must believe that he ·is real [exists] and that he rewards those who ·truly want to find [earnestly/sincerely seek] him.

⁷ It was by faith that Noah heard God’s warnings about things he could not yet see [Gen. 6:13–22]. He ·obeyed God [responded with reverent fear] and built a ·large boat [^Tark] to save his ·family [household]. By his faith, Noah ·showed that the world was wrong [^Lcondemned/pronounced judgment against the world], and he became ·one of those who are made right with God [^Lan heir of the righteousness that comes] through faith.