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.
Eitaalo
1 Okukala tu na eitaalo otashi ti okukala tu na einekelo lya kola miinima mbyoka twa tegamena naambyoka itaatu vulu oku yi mona ngashingeyi. 2 Aantu mbeyaka yonale oya hokiwa kuKalunga omolwokwiitaala kwawo. 3 Okeitaalo alike tatu shi uvu ko kutya uuyuni owa shitwa nohapu yaKalunga, naashoka shi wetike osha ningwa mushoka shaa wetike.
4 Eitaalo olyo olya longitha Abel, a gandje omayambo omawanawa kuKalunga ge vule gaKain. Kalunga okwe mu hokwa omolweitaalo lye nokwe mu tala omuyuuki, sho a taamba omagano ge. Koonkondo dheitaalo Abel ota popi natango, nonando okwa sa.
5 Eitaalo olyo lya popile Enok, kaa se. Okwa kuthwa po kuKalunga ye ina monika nando okomuntu, oshoka Kalunga okwe mu fala megulu. Enyolo otali ti: Enok manga inaa kuthwa po, okwa li a hokiwa kuKalunga. 6 Kape na ngoka ta hokiwa kuKalunga, ngele ke na eitaalo. Oshoka ngoka te ya kuKalunga, oku na okukala i itaala kutya Kalunga oko e li nota futu ayehe mboka taye mu kongo.
7 Eitaalo olyo lya longitha Noa, a uve ko omalondodho gaKalunga taga popi iinima mbyoka tayi ke ya, ye ina vula oku yi mona. Noa okwa vulika kuKalunga e ta tungu onguluwato, moka a hupile pamwe naanegumbo lye. Osho ngeyi okwa pe uuyuni uusama nokwa pewa kuKalunga uuyuuki mboka tau zi mokwiitaala.
8 Eitaalo olyo lya longitha Abraham, a vulike, uuna ndoka Kalunga e mu ithana, nokwa tembukile koshilongo shoka Kalunga u uvaneke oku mu pa. Okwa tembuka mo moshilongo shaandjawo, ye ina tseya mpoka ta yi. 9 Koonkondo dheitaalo okwa kala a fa omukwiilongo moshilongo shoka Kalunga e mu uvanekela. Okwa kala momatsali gowala, nosho wo Isak naJakob, mboka Kalunga e ya uvanekela euvaneko tuu ndyoka. 10 Oshoka Abraham okwa li a tegelela oshilando shoka shi na omikanka dha kolelela, sha sindwa nosha tungwa kuKalunga mwene.
11 Eitaalo olyo lya ningi Abraham, a vule okuninga he yaIsak, nando okwa li a kulupa, naSara wo okwa li a adha ethimbo ndyoka itaa vulu we okumona okanona. Abraham okwi inekele Kalunga ngoka ha gwanitha shoka e shi uvaneka. 12 Nonando okwa li a kulupa, muye omwa ka za oluvalo olwindji lwa fa oonyothi dhokegulu nolwa nyengana okuyalula, ongomawe gehekevi lyopooha dhefuta.
13 Ootatekulu mbaka ayehe oya sile meitaalo. Oyo inaa mona iinima mbyoka Kalunga e yi ya uvanekela, ihe oye yi talele kokule noye yi nyanyukilwa. Oya dhimbulula kutya oyo oondjendi naakwiilongo kombanda yevi. 14 Mboka ya tumbula omatumbulo ga tya ngeyi, oye shi holola sha yela kutya inaya adha oshilongo shaandjawo. 15 Oyo inaa dhiladhila nando okushuna koshilongo hoka ya zile; nonando oya li ye na ompito oku shi ninga. 16 Ihe oya li ya yuulukwa koshilongo shoka oshiwanawa shomegulu. Onkee Kalunga ine ya idhimbika, sho taye mu ithana Kalunga kawo, oshoka okwe ya longekidhila oshilando.
17 Eitaalo olyo lya longitha Abraham, a gandje omwana Isak, a ninge eyambo, sho Kalunga a li e mu yeleke. Abraham oye tuu ngoka Kalunga e mu uvanekela euvaneko, ihe nando ongaaka, okwa li i ilongekidha okuyamba po epona lye. 18 Kalunga okwa li a lombwele Abraham a ti: “Oluvalo lwoye otalu ka za muIsak.” 19 Abraham okwa li u uvite kutya Kalunga ota vulu okuyumudha Isak nokuusi. Onkee otatu vulu okutya, Abraham okwa peululwa Isak a zi mokusa.
20 Eitaalo olyo lya longitha Isak, a tumbulile Jakob naEsau omayambeko ngoka tage ke ya.
21 Eitaalo olyo lya longitha Jakob, a yambeke aana yaJosef aamati, manga inaa sa. Oye okwi ikolelele kolwoondje lwe e ta galikana Kalunga.
22 Eitaalo olyo lya longitha Josef, a popye pokusa kwe etembu lyAaisraeli lyokuza muEgipiti nokwe ya lombwele kutya oye na okuninga ngiini omudhimba gwe.
23 Eitaalo olyo lya longitha aakuluntu yaMoses, ye mu holeke oomwedhi ndatu, sho a valwa. Oya mono kutya okanona okawanawa, yo inaa tila oshipango shomukwaniilwa.
24 Eitaalo olyo lya longitha Moses, sho a koko a vule okutinda kutya ke shi omuna gwomukadhona omuna gwaFarao. 25 Okwa hogolola po okuhepekwa pamwe naantu yaKalunga, ye ina zimina uutoye wuulunde wokathimbo kowala. 26 Oye okwa dhimbulula kutya okuhumbata ondhino omolwOmugwayekwa gwaKalunga oshi vule omauyamba agehe gomuEgipiti, oshoka okwa li e wete ondjambi ndjoka ta ka pewa konakuyiwa.
27 Eitaalo olyo lya longitha Moses, a thige po Egipiti inaa tila ondjahi yomukwaniilwa. Moses okwa li e na omukumo ongaangoka a mono Kalunga, nando iha monika. 28 Eitaalo olyo lya longitha Moses, opo a dhike Opaasa nokupopya kutya ombinzi oyi na okugwayekwa komiyelo dhomagumbo, opo omuyengeli gweso kaa vule okudhipaga po iisheeli yAaisraeli.
29 Eitaalo olyo lya kumike Aaisraeli, ya vule okutaaguluka Efuta etiligane ya fa taa ende puukukutu, Aayegipiti sho ya yelekele oku shi ninga, oya siikilwa komeya e taa si.
30 Eitaalo olyo lya teyitha po omakuma goshilando shaJeriko, Aaisraeli sho ye shi dhingoloka omasiku gaheyali. 31 Eitaalo olyo lya gamene ohonda Rahab, kaa dhipagwe pamwe naanandumbo naKalunga, oshoka okwa hupithitha oondaadhi.
32 Nandi tsikile ko natango? Kandi na ethimbo lya gwana okuhokolola Gideon, Barak, Simson, Jefta, David, Samuel naahunganeki. 33 Omolweitaalo oya kondjitha iilongo e taa yi sindi. Oya longo shoka shu uka noya gwanithilwa omauvaneko gaKalunga. Oya mutike omakana goonime, 34 oya dhimi omaziko gomililo dha hanya noya henuka omagongamwele. Oyo oya kala ya fa kaaye na oonkondo, ihe oya ningi oofule molugodhi noya sindi omatanga gaakwiita aakwiilongo. 35 Omolweitaalo aakiintu yamwe oya yumudhilwa oonakusa yawo.
Yamwe oya si komahepeko, sho ya tindi okutaamba emangululo, oshoka oya li taa tegelele okufalwa momwenyo omupe. 36 Yamwe oya shekwa e taa dhengwa noongola, yamwe oya mangwa nomalyenge e taa tulwa mondholongo. 37 Yamwe oya dhipagwa nomamanya, yamwe oya tetwa pokati nayamwe oya dhipagwa negongamwele. Oye endagula ya zala iipa yoonzi noyiikombo, oya si oluhepo, oya tidhaganwa e taa monithwa iihuna. 38 Uuyuni kawa li nando uuwanawa kuyo. Oyo oya li taa alaala moombuga nomoondundu noya kala momakololo nomoombogo dhevi.
39 Aantu ayehe mboka oya pandulwa molweitaalo lyawo, ihe onkee tuu inaa mona egwanitho lyeuvaneko lyaKalunga. 40 Oshoka Kalunga okwa li e tu nine edhiladhilo lilwe ewanawa. Olyo ndika: oyo otaa ka mona owala egwano pamwe natse.
