²⁰ By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau [believing what God revealed to him], even regarding things to come.^{(A) 21} By faith Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and bowed in worship, leaning on the top of his staff.^{(B) 22} By faith Joseph, when he was dying, referred to [the promise of God for] the exodus of the sons of Israel [from Egypt], and gave instructions concerning [the burial of] his bones [in the land of the promise].^(C)

²³ By faith Moses, after his birth, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful and divinely favored child; and they were not afraid of the king’s (Pharaoh’s) decree.^{(D) 24} By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter,^{(E) 25} because he preferred to endure the hardship of the people of God rather than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin. ²⁶ He considered the reproach of the ^[a]Christ [that is, the rebuke he would suffer for his faithful obedience to God] to be greater wealth than all the treasures of Egypt; for he looked ahead to the reward [promised by God]. ²⁷ By faith he left Egypt, being unafraid of the wrath of the king; for he endured [steadfastly], as seeing Him who is unseen.^{(F) 28} By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood [on the doorposts], so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch them (the firstborn of Israel).^{(G) 29} By faith the people [of Israel] crossed the Red Sea as though they were passing through dry land; but when the Egyptians attempted it they were drowned.^(H)

³⁰ By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days [by Joshua and the sons of Israel].^{(I) 31} By faith Rahab the prostitute was not destroyed along with those who were disobedient, because she had welcomed the spies [sent by the sons of Israel] in peace.^(J)

³² And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets,^{(K) 33} who by faith [that is, with an enduring trust in God and His promises] subdued kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promised blessings, closed the mouths of lions,^{(L) 34} extinguished the power of [raging] fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became mighty and unbeatable in battle, putting enemy forces to flight.^{(M) 35} Women received back their dead by resurrection; and others were tortured [to death], refusing to accept release [offered on the condition of denying their faith], so that they would be resurrected to a better life;^{(N) 36} and others experienced the trial of mocking and scourging [amid torture], and even chains and imprisonment. ³⁷ They were stoned [to death], they were sawn in two, they were lured with tempting offers [to renounce their faith], they were put to death by the sword; they went about wrapped in the skins of sheep and goats, utterly destitute, oppressed, cruelly treated ³⁸ (people of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and [living in] caves and holes in the ground.

³⁹ And all of these, though they gained [divine] approval through their faith, did not receive [the fulfillment of] what was promised, ⁴⁰ because God had us in mind and had something better for us, so that they [these men and women of authentic faith] would not be made perfect [that is, completed in Him] apart from us.