Hebrews · Chapter 11

[ edit] Forſoþe feiþ is þe ſubſtaunce of þingis to be hopid, an argument, or certeynte, of þingis not apperinge. Soþeli in þis feiþ olde men han getun witneſſyng. Bi feiþ we vndirſtonden þe worldis for to be ſchapun, or maad, bi Goddis word, þat viſyble þingis weren maad of vnuyſible þingis. By feiþ Abel offride ful moche more ooſt, or ſacrifice, þan Cayn to God, by þe which he gat witneſſing for to be iuſt, God beringe witneſſyng to his ȝiftis; and by þat feiþ he deed ſpekiþ ȝit. By feiþ Enok is tranſlatid, þat he ſchulde not ſe deeþ; and he was not founden, for þe Lord tranſlatide him. Forſoþe bifore tranſlacioun he hadde witneſſing for to haue pleſid God.

Forſoþe it is inpoſſible ony man for to pleſe God wiþoute feiþ. Forſoþ it bihoueþ a man comynge to God, for to bileue for he is, and he is rewarder of men ynſekinge him. Bi feiþ Noe, anſwere take of þeſe þingis þat ȝit weren not ſeyn, dredinge ſchapide an ark, or ſchip, into þe helþe of his hows; bi which he dampnyde þe world, and is inſtued, or ordeyned, eir of riȝtwyſneſſe, þe which is by feiþ. By feiþ he þat is clepid Abraham, obeiede for to go into a place, which he was to takinge into heritage; and he wente out, not witinge whidur he ſchulde go.

By feiþ he dwelte in þe lond of aȝenbiheeſte, as in an alien, in litel houſis dwellinge wiþ Yſaac and Jacob, euene eyris of þe ſame aȝenbyheeſte. Soþeli he abood a cite hauynge fundamentis, whos crafty man and maker is God. By feiþ and þe ilke Sare bareyn, took vertu into conſeyuing of ſeed, ȝhe, bi ſydis, or wiþoute, þe tyme of age; for ſche bileuide him trewe, þat hadde aȝenbihiȝt. For which þing and of oon, and him nyȝ deed, men ben borun as ſterris of heuen in multitude, and as grauel, or ſoond, þat is at ſee ſide vnnoumbrable.

By feiþ alle þes ben deede, þe aȝenbiheeſtis not takun, but þei biholdinge hem aferr, and gretinge wel, and knowlechinge for þei ben pilgrymes, and herborid men vpon þe erþe. Soþli þei þat ſeyn þes þingis, ſignifien hem for to ſeke a cuntre. And forſoþe if þei hadden had mynde of þe ilke, of þe which þei wenten out, ſoþli þei hadden tyme of turnyng aȝen; now forſoþ þei deſyren a betere, þat is to ſeye, heuenly. Þerfore God is not confoundid, or ſchamed, for to be clepid þe God of hem; forſoþe he made redy to hem a cite.

Bi feiþ Abraham offride Yſaac, whanne he was temptid; and he offride þe oon bigetyn, þe which hadde takyn repromyſſiouns, or aȝenbiheeſtis; to whom it was ſeid, For in Yſaac ſeed ſchal be clepid to þee; demynge, for and fro deed men God is myȝty for to reiſe hym; wherof he took him and into a parable. By feiþ and of þingis to comynge, Yſaac bleſſide Jacob and Eſau. By feiþ Jacob deyinge, by alle þe ſones of Joſeph bleſſide, and honouride þe hiȝneſſe of his ȝerde. By feiþ Joſeph deyinge hadde mynde of þe paſſynge forþ of þe ſones of Iſrael, and comaundide of his boones.

By feiþ Moyſes born, was hid þre moneþis of his fadir and modir, for þat þei ſiȝen þe ȝonge child fair, or ſemely; and þei dredden not þe maundement of þe kyng. By feiþ Moyſes maad greet, denyede him for to be þe ſone of Pharaois douȝtir, cheſynge more for to be turmentid wiþ þe peple of God, þan for to haue myrþe of temperal ſynne; demynge þe reproue of Criſt more richeſſis þan þe treſouris of Egipſians; forſoþe he bihelde into þe rewardyng. By feiþ he forſook Egipt, not ſchamynge, or dredynge, þe hardneſſe of þe kyng; forſoþ he as ſeynge ſuſteynede þe inuiſyble. By feiþ he halowide paſk, and ſchedinge of blood, leſt he þat diſtryede þe firſte þingis of Egipſiens, ſchulde touche hem.

By feiþ þei paſſiden þe reede ſee, as bi drye lond, þe which þing Egipciens aſayinge weren deuourid. By feiþ þe wallis of Jerico felden doun, by cumpaſſing of ſeuene dayes. By feiþ Raab hoore periſchide not wiþ vnbileueful men, ſhe takynge, or receyuynge, þe aſpiers wiþ pees. And what ȝit ſchal I ſeye?

Soþeli tyme ſchal fayle me tellinge of Gedeon, Barach, Sampſon, Jepte, Dauiþ, and Samuel, and oþere prophetis; þe whiche by feiþ ouercamen rewmes, wrouȝten riȝtwyſneſſe, gaten repromyſſiouns; þei ſtoppiden þe mouþis of lyouns, þei quenchiden þe feerneſſe of fyer, þei dryuen awey þe egge of ſwerd, þei keuereden of ſykneſſe, þei weren maad ſtrong in batel, þei turneden þe caſtels, or ooſtis, of aliens. Wymmen receyueden her deede of aȝenryſing; forſoþe oþere ben holdun forþ, or deede, not takinge redempcioun, þat þei ſchulden fynde betere aȝenryſyng. Forſoþ oþere aſſayeden ſcornyngis and betyngis, more ouer and boondis and priſouns.

Þei weren ſtoonyd, þei weren kitt, þei weren temptid, þei weren deed in ſleynge of ſwerd. Þei wenten aboute in brok ſkynnes, and in ſkynnes of geet, nedy, angwyſſchid, turmentid; to which þe world was not worþi; þei erringe in wildirneſſis, in mounteyns, and dennys, and cauys of erþe. And alle þeſe, proued by witneſſing of feiþ, tooken not repromyſſioun; God purueyinge ſum betere þing for vs, þat þei ſchulden not be fulfillid wiþouten vs.