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.
ǂGoms
1 ǂGom da ka, o da ge ǃâubasen da ra xūn di ǁaposasib tsî mû tama da hâ xūn di ǂanǁaposa ūhâ. 2 ǁÎn di ǂgomsa xus ge sada aboxan ge Elob xa ūǃoahesa.
3 ǂGomsa xus ge ǃhūbaib ge Elob di mîsa xu kuruhe ǃkhaisa da ra ǁnâuǃāsa, mû da ran ge mû tama da hâna xu ǀkhī ǃkhaisa.
4 ǂGomsa xus ge Abeli ge Kainni dis ǃgâ-ai ǃgâi ǁguibasa Eloba a ǁguibasa. Nē ǂgoms ǃnâ-us ge Elob ge Abeli ǁguibasa ūǃoasa, ǁîbab ge ǂhanu-ai khoeb ase ǃkhōǃoa xui-ao tsî ǁkhā ǂgomsa xus ge ǁōb ge xaweb nētsēs tsîna ganupe ra ǃhoasa.
5 ǂGomsa xus ge Henoxi ge ǁō tamase ūǃapahe tsî khoe-i xare-i xa hōhe tama isa, Elob ge ūǃapa bi amaga. Xoas ge Henoxi ge Eloba ūǃapaheb nîs aiǃâ ǃgâiǃgâiǂgao ti ra mî. 6 ǂGoms ose i ge a īǁoa Eloba ǃgâiǃgâiǂgaosa. Elob kōse ra ǀgūǀgūsen-i ge nî ǂgom, ǁîb ûi hâ tsîb ǁîba ǁnān ǁîba ra ôana ra mādawa-am ǃkhaisa.
7 ǂGomsa xus ge Noaxi ge Elob di ǃkhâikhoms, ǃgoaxaǁaeb di xūn mû tamab ge hâ in disa ǁnâuǀnamsa. Tsîb ge ǁîb tsî omaris âb din nî sâuhese arka ge kuru. ǁÎb di ǂgoms ǃnâ-us ge ǃhūbaib ge ǀgoraǃgâhesa, tsîb ge ge ǂgomsa xu hâ ǂhanu-aisib di ǀumi-ao kai.
8 ǂGomsa xus ge Abrahammi ge Elob ǂgaisa ǁnâuǀnam tsî ǁnā ǃhūb Elob nî ǀguitsē ǀumis ase mā bib ǁga ǃgûsa. Tsîb ge ǁîb di ǁgûsi ǃhūba xu ge doe, mâǀîb garu ǃkhaisa ǀūǃâ. 9 ǂGomsa xus ge ǃhaokhoe-i khamib ge ǃhao ǃhūb, Elob ge mîmâiba bib ǃnâ ǁansa. ǁNāpab ge ǁîb ǀkha ge hâ in ǀkha tentomdi ǃnâ gere hâ, Isaki tsî Jakob hâkha, ǀhûǀumi-aokha hîa ǁkhā mîmâisa Eloba xu ge ǃkhōǃoakha tsîn ge ega dī khami. 10 Abrahammi ge ama ǃgaoǃgaoba ūhâ ǃās, Elob a ǁîs di ǀapeǁgui-ao tsî a kuru-aosa ǃâubasen hâ i xui-ao.
11 ǂGomsa xus ge Saras tsî Abrahammi tsîra ge ǁîra di kairasib ǃnâ ǀgôa-e a hōsa, Saras ge ǀgôa-e hō ǁoa i tsî Abrahammi tsîn ge kaise kaira hâ i xawe. Abrahammi ge ǃKhūb, nē mîmâisa ge dība ǂgomǂgomsab ase ǃgapaǀî xui-ao. 12 ǀGui khoeb, kairasib xa ǁō hâ khami ge ī ib di surib ge ǀhommi di ǀgamiron kōse ǂgui tsî huri-ammi di ǃhūb kōse ǃgôahe ǁoasase īsa.
13 ǂGoms ǃnâs ge nē khoen hoan ge ǁōsa. ǁÎn hoan ge Elob ge ǁîna mîmâiba xūnan ǃkhōǃoa tamase ge ǁō. ǁÎn ge mîmâisa xūna ǃnūseba xu mû tsî ǁnās xa dâ, tsî ǃhaokhoe tsî ǃhūsabese ǀguin hâ nē ǃhūbaib ai ǃkhaisa gere ǂanǃgâ. 14 Tsî ǁnān nēna ra mîn ge ra ǃgāsa kai, ǁgûsiǃhū-en ra ôa ǃkhaisa. 15 Tsî ǁnā ǃhūb ǁîba xun ge hāb xan ga ǂâi-oa hâ, on ge ǁnāǀî ǁkhawa oas di ǁkhoreba ga ūhâ hâ. 16 Xawen ge nēsi ǃgâi ǃhū-i, ǀhomsi-e ra ǁkhorebasen. ǁNā-amagab ge Eloba ǁîn xa ǁîn di Elose ǂgaihesa tao tama hâ, ǁînab ǃā-e aiǂhomiba hâ xui-ao.
17 ǂGomsa xus ge Abrahammi ge ǃâitsâheb geo, Isaka ǁguibasa. Abrahammi, Elob mîmâisa ge ǃkhōǃoab ge ǁîb di ǀguise ǃnae hâ ǀgôaba ge ǁguiba. 18 ǁÎb ǃoab ge Eloba ge mî: “Isaki ǃnâ-ub ge sa suriba nî ǂgaihe.” 19 Abrahammi ge ge ǂgom hâ i Elob Isaka ǁō hâna xu ǂkhaiǂkhaisa a ǁkhā ǃkhaisa. Abrahammi ge ǁkhāti ǂkhōts* kao ǁkhawa ǁîb ôaba ǁōba xu ge ǃkhōǃoa.
20 ǂGomsa xus ge Isaki ge Jakob tsî Esaub hâkha ǃgoaxaǁaeb ǃaroma ǀkhaesa.
21 ǂGomsa xus ge Jakob ge ǁōkharob âb ai Josefi di ǀgam ǀgôakha, ǁîb di ǁgâibasenhaib ai ǁgâibasen tsî Eloba ra ǀgoreǀîse ǀkhaesa.
22 ǂGomsa xus ge Josefi ge ǁōb ra hîa, Israelǁîn di Egipteba xu doeǂoas xa ǃhoa tsî ǁîb di soros ǀkhan mâti nî dī ǃkhais di ǁguiǂamde māsa.
23 ǂGomsa xus ge Moseb di îra ge ǃnaeb ges khaoǃgâ, ǁîba ǃnona ǁkhâgu di ǁaeba gaugausa, îsa ǀgôarob a ǃkhaisa ra ge mûo; ǁîra ge gao-aob mîmāsa ge ǃao tama hâ i.
24 ǂGomsa xus ge Moseb ge kaib geo, Faraob ôas di ôab aseb nî ǂgaihe ǃkhaisa ǂgao tama isa. 25 Tsîb ge Elob di ǁaes ǀkhab nî tsūse sîsenūhe ǃkhaisa ge ǁhûi, ǁaerob di ǁkhoab, ǁoreb dibab nî ūhâs xa. 26 Tsîb ge Xristub* ǃaroma tsâsa Egipteb di ǁuib xa kai ǃkhūsib ase ge ǃgôa, ǃgoaxaǁaeb di mādawa-amsab gere mûǂuiba xui-ao.
27 ǂGomsa xus ge gao-aob ǁaixasiba ǃao tamaseb ge Egipteba xu ǂoasa. ǁÎb ge mûheǁoasa Eloba ge mû khami ge mâǀgai. 28 ǂGomsa xus ge Pasxaǃuiǂûsa ǂnûiǂgā tsîb ge ǀaoba dao-amdi ai ǀgapi kaisa, îb tā ǁŌb di ǀHomǃgāba ǂguroǃnaesan Israelǁaes dina tsâǀkhā.
29 ǂGomsa xus ge Israelǁaes ge ǀApahuriba ǂnâsa ǃhūb ais ase ǃgâusa; Egipteǁîn ge nēsa dītsâ tsî ge āǁō.
30 ǂGomsa xus ge Jerixos di ǂnubiǂgoagu ge ǁnāsa, hû tsēdi ǁaebas ge Israelǁaesa ǁîga ǃgûǂnamipes khaoǃgâ. 31 ǂGomsa xus ge ǀai-aos Raxabs ge Elob ǃoagu a ǁnâuǀnamoǃnân ǀkha ǁō tama isa, ǃkhē-aogas ge khoexaǃnâse ǁkhoreǁhare xui-ao.
32 Tare-e ta ǃaruǀî mî ǁkhā? ǃAruǀî ta Gideonni, Baraki, Simsonni, Jeftab, Davidi, Samueli tsî kēbo-aogu tsîgu xa xū-e mî ǃkhais di ǁae-i ge a ǀkhai. 33 ǂGomsa xus ge ǁîgu ge gaosiga ǃkhamdan, Elob ǂâis ǃoa ǂhanuse dī, mîmâide ǃkhōǃoa tsî xamgu amǃnâga ǂganamsa. 34 ǁÎgu ge ǀaes di ǀgaisa ǁhabuba ǀari tsî gôab di ǁōba xu ge ǃkhoeni, ǂkhabusasib ǃnâ gu ge ǀgaiba ǃkhōǃoa tsî ǃkhams ǃnâ ǀgai tsî toroǂnubidi ǃhaokhoen dide ge ǃkhoeni kai. 35 Taradi ge ǁîdi di ǁō hâ khoexakhoen, ǁōba xu ûib ǃoa ǂkhaiǂkhaihe hâna ǁkhawa ge hō-oa.
ǃGâi ûib ǃoa hâ khâisa ǃkhōǃoas ǃaroman ge ǀnîna ǃnoraǃnorahesa ǂgao tama i tsî ǁōb kōse tsûtsûhesa ge māsen. 36 Naun ge ǁkhawa ǃhōhes tsî ǂnauhes tsîna ge tsâ, tsî ǁkhāti khedegu ǀkha ǃgaehes tsî ǃkhōsis ǃnâ ūhes tsîn ǀkha. 37 ǀNîn ge ǀuiǁhomhe, ǀgam ǃâra ǃnâ saxaǃāhe tsî gôab ǀkha gere ǃgamhe. ǁÎn ge gūkhōn tsî pirikhōn ǃnâ ǃgûma tsî ǀgâsib, ǁgâiǀāb tsî tsūse ûi-ūhes ǃnâ gere tsâ. 38 ǃHūbaib ge ǁîna ge harebeoǃnâba tsîn ge ǃgaroǃkhaigu tsî ǃhomgu ǃnâ hâma tsî ǁhoadi tsî ǃhūb ǃnâ hâ ādi ǃnâ gere ǁan.
39 Tsî nēn hoan ge Elob di ǃgâiǃgâibasensa ǁîn di ǂgoms ǃaroma ge dan, xawen ge ǁîb ge mîmâi xūna ǃkhōǃoa tama ge i. 40 Eloba ge sada ǃgâi ǀapeǁguiba ūba hâ. Sada osen ge ǁîna a dīǀoaǀoahe ǁoa.
