The Great Faith of God's People
1 Faith makes us sure of what we hope for and gives us proof of what we cannot see. 2 It was their faith that made our ancestors pleasing to God.
3 Because of our faith, we know that the world was made at God's command. We also know that what can be seen was made out of what cannot be seen.
4 Because Abel had faith, he offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. God was pleased with him and his gift, and even though Abel is now dead, his faith still speaks for him.
5 Enoch had faith and did not die. He pleased God, and God took him up to heaven. This is why his body was never found. 6 But without faith no one can please God. We must believe that God is real and rewards everyone who searches for him.
7 Because Noah had faith, he was warned about something that had not yet happened. He obeyed and built a boat that saved him and his family. In this way the people of the world were judged, and Noah was given the blessings that come to everyone who pleases God.
8 Abraham had faith and obeyed God. He was told to go to the land that God had said would be his, and he left for a country he had never seen. 9 Because Abraham had faith, he lived as a stranger in the promised land. He lived there in a tent, and so did Isaac and Jacob, who were later given the same promise. 10 Abraham did this, because he was waiting for the eternal city God had planned and built.
11 Even when Sarah was too old to have children, she had faith that God would do what he had promised, and she had a son. 12 Her husband Abraham was almost dead, but he became the ancestor of many people. In fact, there are as many of them as there are stars in the sky or grains of sand along the seashore.
13 Every one of those people died. But they still had faith, even though they had not received what they had been promised. They were glad just to see these things from far away, and they agreed that they were only strangers and foreigners on this earth. 14 When people talk this way, it is clear they are looking for a place to call their own. 15 If they had been talking about the land where they had once lived, they could have gone back at any time. 16 But they were looking forward to a better home in heaven. This is why God wasn't ashamed for them to call him their God. He even built a city for them.
17-18 Abraham had been promised that Isaac, his only son, would continue his family. But when Abraham was tested, he had faith and was willing to sacrifice Isaac, 19 because he was sure that God could raise people to life. This was just like getting Isaac back from death.
20 Isaac had faith, and he promised blessings to Jacob and Esau. 21 Later, when Jacob was about to die, he leaned on his walking stick and worshiped. Then because of his faith he blessed each of Joseph's sons. 22 And right before Joseph died, he had faith that God would lead the people of Israel out of Egypt. So he told them to take his bones with them.
23 Because Moses' parents had faith, they kept him hidden until he was three months old. They saw that he was a beautiful child, and they were not afraid to disobey the king's orders. 24 Then after Moses grew up, his faith made him refuse to be called the king's grandson. 25 He chose to be mistreated with God's people instead of having the good time that sin could bring for a little while. 26 Moses knew that the treasures of Egypt were not as wonderful as what he would receive from suffering for the Messiah, and he looked forward to his reward.
27 Because of his faith, Moses left Egypt. Moses had seen the invisible God and wasn't afraid of the king's anger. 28 His faith also made him celebrate Passover. He sprinkled the blood of animals on the doorposts, so that the first-born sons of the people of Israel would not be killed by the destroying angel.
29 Because of their faith, the people walked through the Red Sea on dry land. But when the Egyptians tried to do it, they were drowned.
30 God's people had faith, and when they had walked around the city of Jericho for seven days, its walls fell down.
31 Rahab had been a prostitute, but she had faith and welcomed the spies. So she wasn't killed with the people who disobeyed.
32 What else can I say? There isn't enough time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets. 33 Their faith helped them conquer kingdoms, and because they did right, God made promises to them. They closed the jaws of lions 34 and put out raging fires and escaped from the swords of their enemies. Although they were weak, they were given the strength and power to chase foreign armies away.
35 Some women received their loved ones back from death. Many of these people were tortured, but they refused to be released. They were sure they would get a better reward when the dead are raised to life. 36 Others were made fun of and beaten with whips, and some were chained in jail. 37 Still others were stoned to death or sawed in two or killed with swords. Some had nothing but sheep skins or goat skins to wear. They were poor, mistreated, and tortured. 38 The world did not deserve these good people, who had to wander in deserts and on mountains and had to live in caves and holes in the ground.
39 All of them pleased God because of their faith! But still they died without being given what had been promised. 40 This was because God had something better in store for us. And he did not want them to reach the goal of their faith without us.
Ongamburiro otjikwatjike
1 Ongamburiro oyo okuriyameka koviṋa, mbi tu undja, nokutjiwa, tjiri, imbi mbi ha munika. 2 Ongamburiro otja indji ondja tjita kutja ovandu woruveze orukuru ve tjate ku Ndjambi.
3 Omongamburiro eṱe tji tu tjiwa nawa kutja ouye wa utwa i embo ra Ndjambi, kokutja imbi mbi munika vya zire mu imbi mbi ha munika.
4 Omena rongamburiro Abel tja punguhira Ndjambi ombunguhiro ombwa tjinene okukapita indji ya Kain. Nu motjimbe tjongamburiro ndji Ndjambi we mu vara otja omusemba, indu Ndjambi omuini tjinga a yakura oviyandjewa vye. Nu mena rongamburiro ye Abel ingee ngamba u hungira, nandarire kutja wa ṱa.
5 Omena rongamburiro Enok tja toorwa e nomuinyo; nu kape nomundu ngwe mu muna, Ndjambi tjinga e mu toora. Omatjangwa maye tja Enok ngunda e hiya toorwa, Ndjambi wa kara nonyuṋe mu ye. 6 Kape nomundu ngu tjata ku Ndjambi e hi nongamburiro. Orondu ingwi ngu meya ku Ndjambi ma sokukara nongamburiro yokutja ku na Ndjambi, nokutja eye u yandja ondjambi ku imba mbe mu paha.
7 Omena rongamburiro Noa tja kara puratena komaronga wa Ndjambi otja koviṋa vyoruveze ndu maru ya mbya ha sora okumuna. Eye wa kara nonḓuviro ku Ndjambi na tungu otjitendeze okuyama onganda ye. Nu mena rongamburiro ye ouye wa pangurwa, nungwari eye wa rira omurumate wousemba mbwa zira mongamburiro.
8 Omena rongamburiro Abraham tja ri nonḓuviro, indu Ndjambi tje mu isanene kutja a pite okuyenda kehi Ndjambi nde mu kwizikirire kutja me mu pe. Eye wa tjindire mehi re omuini e hi nokutjiwa kutja ma i pi. 9 Omena rongamburiro eye tja katurire otja owozonganda mehi Ndjambi nde mu kwizikirire. Eye wa turire mozondanda otja Isak na Jakob wina mba rumatere pamwe na ye inga omakwizikiro tjingewo. 10 Orondu Abraham aa undju otjihuro tji tji nomazikameno omazeu, nu tji tja utirwe nu tji tja tungirwe i Ndjambi omuini.
11 A ri mena rongamburiro Abraham tja yenenene okukwata, nandarire kutja eye wa kurupire tjinene, nu nandarire kutja Sara omuini kaa panduka ovanatje. Abraham we riyamekere ku Ndjambi kutja eye a yenenise omakwizikiro we. 12 Nu nandarire kutja eye wa kurupire tjinene nga tja ri pokukoka, momurumendu umwe ngwi omu mwa za ozondekurona ozengi nai tjimuna ozonyose kevaverwa nu tjimuna eheke pomukuro wokuvare, ndi ha varwa.
13 Omena rongamburiro ovandu avehe mba tji va ṱa. Owo kave munine oviṋa Ndjambi mbye ve kwizikirire, nungwari ve vi muna kokure nave yorokere vyo; nowo va yakura kutja owo ovandu wozonganda novayenda kombanda yehi. 14 Imba mbe hungira oviṋa mbi ve raisa kutja owo ve paha ehi mu mave kakara neha. 15 Andakuzu va kara pokuhihamenwa ehi ku va ziririre, atjave muna oruveze okuyaruka ngo. 16 Nungwari owo va ri nonḓero okukara neha ewa komeho, okutja oro ndi reyuru. Ndjambi ope ha zu okuṱohoṋi okuisanewa kutja oNdjambi wawo, eye tjinga e ve ṱunina otjihuro.
17 Omena rongamburiro Abraham tja punguha omuna we Isak otja ombunguhiro, indu Ndjambi tja rorere Abraham. Abraham otjingeye ingwi Ndjambi ka tjitire omakwizikiro, nungwari eye we rirongererere okupunguha omuna we omukwatwa erike. 18 Ndjambi wa tjere ku ye: “Mu Isak omu mamu zu ozondekurona zoye.” 19 Abraham we rihungirira mu ye omuini kutja Ndjambi u nomasa okupendura Isak movakoke; nu komuhingo mbwi Abraham otja kotorerwa Isak okuza movakoke.
20 Omena rongamburiro Isak tja sera Jakob na Esau ondaya koruveze ndu maru ya.
21 A ri mena rongamburiro Jakob tja sera ovazandu vevari va Josef ondaya, eye tja ri pokukoka. Eye we rikotamena ku Ndjambi a ṱaṱere kokati ke.
22 A ri mena rongamburiro Josef, tja ri pokukoka, tja hungirire omatjindiro wOvaisrael okuza mOengipte na raere kutja orutu rwe ngaru tjitwe vi.
23 Omena rongamburiro ovanene va Moses tji ve mu horekere oure womieze vitatu tja za nokupandukwa, Owo va munine kutja eye wa ri okanatje okawa, notji ve ha tirire okunakaura omarakiza wombara.
24 A ri mena rongamburiro Moses, tje kurire, tja panḓere okuisanewa kutja eye omuna womusuko wa Farao. 25 Eye we rivangera okutatumisiwa pamwe notjiwaṋa tja Ndjambi pokukara mombyarero yourunde yoruveze orusupi. 26 Eye wa tjivirwe, tjiri, kutja okuzara omayambururiro motjimbe tjOmutwirisiwa oko otjiṋa otjinanḓengu tjinene komeho povihuze avihe vya Engipte, tjinga a tara kondjambi yoruveze ndu maru ya.
27 A ri mena rongamburiro Moses tja zire mo mOengipte nokuhinokutira omazenge wombara. Eye wa kakaterere ku ingwi ngu ha munika tjimuna aayo ee mu munu. 28 Omena rongamburiro eye tja zikamisire indi eyuva rOpaska na rakiza kutja ombinḓu i pemenenwe komivero, kokutja ingwi omuengeri omuzepe a ha zepa omavena omaveri wOvaisreal.
29 Omena rongamburiro Ovaisrael tji va kondere Omuronga wOtuu aayo opopakukutu; nOvengipte tji va vangere okukonda wina va ṋiṋinwe i omeva.
30 A ri mena rongamburiro orumbo rwa Jeriko tji rwa wira, indu Ovaisrael tji va zire nokurukondoroka omayuva hambombari. 31 Omena rongamburiro omukorondu Rahab tje ha ṱire puna imba mbe ha ri nonḓuviro ku Ndjambi, eye tjinga a sekirisire ozohoze zOvaisrael nohange.
32 Nu me hungire tjike rukwao? Oruveze karu nakundjiyandjera okuserekarera Gideon na Barak na Simson na Jefta na David na Samuel novaprofete. 33 A ri mena rongamburiro owo tji va havere omauhona, tji va tjitire imbi mbi ri ovisemba, nowo va perwe imbi Ndjambi mbya kwizikire; nu va patere ovinyo vyozongeyama, 34 ave zemisa omiriro mbya rundire nave penge engaruvyo; owo va ri ovingundi, nungwari va harere omasa; va ri ovanamasa movita nave ramba ovimbumba vyovita vyovandu wozonganda. 35 Omena rongamburiro ovakazendu tji va kotorerwa ovaṱi vawo, mba pendurirwe movakoke.
Tjiva va ṱukuṱurirwe otutu, nu kave vangere okukuturwa kutja ve mune ombendukiro yomuinyo omuwa komeho. 36 Tjiva va nyekerererwe nave tonwa, novakwao tjiva va pandekerwe nave yumbwa motjovakamburwa. 37 Owo va kozerwe nomawe, ave kondwa novikonde vyomiti nave ṱengaruvyo. Va ryangere momikova vyozonḓu novyozongombo. Owo va ri nouhepe, va ri mombamisiro, nu va tatumisirwe. 38 Ouye kau pwire okuveyakura! Owo va sangaukire momakuti onguza na mozondundu, nu ave kara motupoko na momina.
39 Nandarire kutja ongamburiro yawo avehe ya hongononenwe nohiviro onene, kave na pu va munine imbi Ndjambi mbya kwizikire, 40 Ndjambi tjinga e tu tyera otjiṋa otjiwa komeho, kokutja owo ave ha munu omayenenisiro nokuhina eṱe.
