Hebrews 11:8-22

⁸ By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was going to receive as an inheritance. He went out without knowing where he was going.

⁹ By faith he lived in the land he had been promised as a stranger. He lived in tents along with Isaac and Jacob, who were coheirs of the same promise. ¹⁰ He was looking forward to a city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

¹¹ By faith even Sarah received the ability to have a child, though she herself was barren and past the age for having children, because she believed that the one who promised was faithful. ¹² So descendants were born from one man (and he was as good as dead). They were as many as the number of the stars in the sky and as countless as the grains of sand on the seashore. ¹³ All these people died in faith without receiving the promises, but they saw the promises from a distance and welcomed them. They confessed that they were strangers and immigrants on earth. ¹⁴ People who say this kind of thing make it clear that they are looking for a homeland. ¹⁵ If they had been thinking about the country that they had left, they would have had the opportunity to return to it. ¹⁶ But at this point in time, they are longing for a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore, God isn’t ashamed to be called their God—he has prepared a city for them.

¹⁷ By faith Abraham offered Isaac when he was tested. The one who received the promises was offering his only son. ¹⁸ He had been told concerning him, Your legitimate descendants will come from Isaac. ¹⁹ He figured that God could even raise him from the dead. So in a way he did receive him back from the dead.

²⁰ By faith Isaac also blessed Jacob and Esau concerning their future.

²¹ By faith Jacob blessed each of Joseph’s sons as he was dying and bowed in worship over the head of his staff.

²² By faith Joseph recalled the exodus of the Israelites at the end of his life, and gave instructions about burying his bones.