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CAP 11
1 But feith is the substaunce of thingis that ben to be hopid, and an argument of thingis not apperynge.
2 And in this feith elde men han gete witnessyng.
3 Bi feith we vndurstonden that the worldis weren maad bi Goddis word, that visible thingis weren maad of vnuysible thingis.
4 Bi feith Abel offride a myche more sacrifice than Caym to God, bi which he gat witnessyng to be iust, for God bar witnessyng to hise yiftis; and bi that feith he deed spekith yit.
5 Bi feith Ennok was translatid, that he schulde not se deth; and he was not foundun, for the Lord translatide him. For bifore translacioun he hadde witnessing that he pleside God.
6 And it is impossible to plese God without feith. For it bihoueth that a man comynge to God, bileue that he is, and that he is rewardere to men that seken hym.
7 Bi feith Noe dredde, thorouy answere takun of these thingis that yit weren not seyn, and schapide a schip in to the helthe of his hous; bi which he dampnede the world, and is ordeyned eir of riytwisnesse, which is bi feith.
8 By feith he that is clepid Abraham, obeiede to go out in to a place, whiche he schulde take in to eritage; and he wente out, not witinge whidur he schulde go.
9 Bi feith he dwelte in the loond of biheest, as in an alien loond, dwellynge in litle housis with Ysaac and Jacob, euene heiris of the same biheest.
10 For he abood a citee hauynge foundementis, whos crafti man and maker is God.
11 Bi feith also the ilke Sara bareyn, took vertu in consceyuyng of seed, yhe, ayen the tyme of age; for sche bileuede hym trewe, that hadde bihiyte.
12 For which thing of oon, and yit nyy deed, ther ben borun as sterris of heuene in multitude, and as grauel that is at the see side out of noumbre.
13 Bi feith alle these ben deed, whanne the biheestis weren not takun, but thei bihelden hem afer, and gretynge hem wel, and knoulechide that thei weren pilgryms, and herboryd men on the erthe.
14 And thei that sayn these thingis, signifien that thei sechen a cuntre.
15 `If thei hadden hadde mynde of the ilke, of which thei wenten out, thei hadden tyme of turnyng ayen;
16 but now thei desiren a betere, that is to seie, heuenli. Therfor God is not confoundid to be clepid the God of hem; for he made redi to hem a citee.
17 Bi feith Abraham offride Ysaac, whanne he was temptid; and he offride the oon bigetun, whych had takun the biheestis;
18 to whom it was seid, For in Ysaac the seed schal be clepid to thee.
19 For he demyde, that God is myyti to reise hym, yhe, fro deth; wherfor he took hym also in to a parable.
20 Bi feith also of thingis to comynge, Ysaac blesside Jacob and Esau.
21 Bi feith Jacob diynge blesside alle the sones of Joseph, and onouride the hiynesse of his yerde.
22 Bi feith Joseph dyynge hadde mynde of the passyng forth of the children of Israel, and comaundide of hise boonys.
23 Bi feith Moyses borun, was hid thre monethis of his fadir and modir, for that thei seiyen the yonge child fair; and thei dredden not the maundement of the king.
24 Bi feith Moises was maad greet, and denyede that he was the sone of Faraos douytir,
25 and chees more to be turmentid with the puple of God, than to haue myrthe of temporal synne;
26 demynge the repreef of Crist more richessis than the tresours of Egipcians; for he bihelde in to the rewarding.
27 Bi feith he forsook Egipt, and dredde not the hardynesse of the king; for he abood, as seinge hym that was vnuysible.
28 Bi feith he halewide pask, and the scheding out of blood, that he that distriede the firste thingis of Egipcians, schulde not touche hem.
29 Bi feith thei passiden the reed see, as bi drye lond, which thing Egipcians asaiynge weren deuourid.
30 Bi feith the wallis of Jerico felden doun, bi cumpassyng of seuene daies.
31 Bi feith Raab hoor resseyuede the aspieris with pees, and perischide not with vnbileueful men.
32 And what yit schal Y seie? For tyme schal faile to me tellynge of Gedeon, Barak, Sampson, Jepte, Dauid, and Samuel, and of othere prophetis;
33 whiche bi feith ouercamen rewmes, wrouyten riytwisnesse, gaten repromyssiouns; thei stoppiden the mouthis of liouns,
34 thei quenchiden the feersnesse of fier, thei dryueden awei the egge of swerd, thei coueriden of sijknesse, thei weren maad strong in batel, thei turneden the oostis of aliens.
35 Wymmen resseyueden her deed children fro deth to lijf; but othere weren holdun forth, not takinge redempcioun, that thei schulden fynde a betere ayenrising.
36 And othere asaieden scornyngis and betingis, more ouer and boondis and prisouns.
37 Thei weren stoned, thei weren sawid, thei weren temptid, thei weren deed in sleyng of swerd. Thei wenten aboute in broc skynnes, and in skynnes of geet, nedi, angwischid, turmentid;
38 to whiche the world was not worthi. Thei erriden in wildernessis, in mounteynes and dennes, and caues of the erthe.
39 And alle these, preued bi witnessing of feith, token not repromyssioun;
40 for God purueiede sum betere thing for vs, that thei schulden not be maad perfit with outen vs.