What faith is. Its wonderful fruits and efficacy demonstrated in the fathers.

 1 Now faith is the substance of things to be hoped for, the evidence of things that appear not.
Est autem fides sperandarum substantia rerum, argumentum non apparentium.

 2 For by this the ancients obtained a testimony.
In hac enim testimonium consecuti sunt senes.

 3 By faith we understand that the world was framed by the word of God; that from invisible things visible things might be made.
Fide intelligimus aptata esse saecula verbo Dei : ut ex invisibilibus visibilia fierent.

 4 By faith Abel offered to God a sacrifice exceeding that of Cain, by which he obtained a testimony that he was just, God giving testimony to his gifts; and by it he being dead yet speaketh.
Fide plurimam hostiam Abel, quam Cain, obtulit Deo, per quam testimonium consecutus est esse justus, testimonium perhibente muneribus ejus Deo, et per illam defunctus adhuc loquitur.

 5 By faith Henoch was translated, that he should not see death; and he was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had testimony that he pleased God.
Fide Henoch translatus est ne videret mortem, et non inveniebatur, quia transtulit illum Deus : ante translationem enim testimonium habuit placuisse Deo.

 6 But without faith it is impossible to please God. For he that cometh to God, must believe that he is, and is a rewarder to them that seek him.
Sine fide autem impossibile est placere Deo. Credere enim oportet accedentem ad Deum quia est, et inquirentibus se remunerator sit.

 7 By faith Noe, having received an answer concerning those things which as yet were not seen, moved with fear, framed the ark for the saving of his house, by the which he condemned the world; and was instituted heir of the justice which is by faith.
Fide Noe responso accepto de iis quae adhuc non videbantur, metuens aptavit arcam in salutem domus suae, per quam damnavit mundum : et justitiae, quae per fidem est, haeres est institutus.

 8 By faith he that is called Abraham, obeyed to go out into a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
Fide qui vocatur Abraham obedivit in locum exire, quem accepturus erat in haereditatem : et exiit, nesciens quo iret.

 9 By faith he abode in the land, dwelling in cottages, with Isaac and Jacob, the co-heirs of the same promise.
Fide demoratus est in terra repromissionis, tamquam in aliena, in casulis habitando cum Isaac et Jacob cohaeredibus repromissionis ejusdem.

 10 For he looked for a city that hath foundations; whose builder and maker is God.
Exspectabat enim fundamenta habentem civitatem : cujus artifex et conditor Deus.

 11 By faith also Sara herself, being barren, received strength to conceive seed, even past the time of age; because she believed that he was faithful who had promised,
Fide et ipsa Sara sterilis virtutem in conceptionem seminis accepit, etiam praeter tempus aetatis : quoniam fidelem credidit esse eum qui repromiserat.

 12 For which cause there sprung even from one (and him as good as dead) as the stars of heaven in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.
Propter quod et ab uno orti sunt ( et hoc emortuo) tamquam sidera caeli in multitudinem, et sicut arena, quae est ad oram maris, innumerabilis.

 13 All these died according to faith, not having received the promises, but beholding them afar off, and saluting them, and confessing that they are pilgrims and strangers on the earth.
Juxta fidem defuncti sunt omnes isti, non acceptis repromissionibus, sed a longe eas aspicientes, et salutantes, et confitentes quia peregrini et hospites sunt super terram.

 14 For they that say these things, do signify that they seek a country.
Qui enim haec dicunt, significant se patriam inquirere.

 15 And truly if they had been mindful of that from whence they came out, they had doubtless time to return.
Et si quidem ipsius meminissent de qua exierunt, habebant utique tempus revertendi :

 16 But now they desire a better, that is to say, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for he hath prepared for them a city.
nunc autem meliorem appetunt, id est, caelestem. Ideo non confunditur Deus vocari Deus eorum : paravit enim illis civitatem.

 17 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered Isaac: and he that had received the promises, offered up his only begotten son;
Fide obtulit Abraham Isaac, cum tentaretur, et unigenitum offerebat, qui susceperat repromissiones :

 18 (To whom it was said: In Isaac shall thy seed be called.)
ad quem dictum est : Quia in Isaac vocabitur tibi semen :

 19 Accounting that God is able to raise up even from the dead. Whereupon also he received him for a parable.
arbitrans quia et a mortuis suscitare potens est Deus : unde eum et in parabolam accepit.

 20 By faith also of things to come, Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau.
Fide et de futuris benedixit Isaac Jacob et Esau.

 21 By faith Jacob dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and adored the top of his rod.
Fide Jacob, moriens, singulos filiorum Joseph benedixit : et adoravit fastigium virgae ejus.

 22 By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the going out of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones.
Fide Joseph, moriens, de profectione filiorum Israel memoratus est, et de ossibus suis mandavit.

 23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months by his parents; because they saw he was a comely babe, and they feared not the king's edict.
Fide Moyses, natus, occultatus est mensibus tribus a parentibus suis, eo quod vidissent elegantem infantem, et non timuerunt regis edictum.

 24 By faith Moses, when he was grown up, denied himself to be the son of Pharao's daughter;
Fide Moyses grandis factus negavit se esse filium filiae Pharaonis,

 25 Rather choosing to be afflicted with the people of God, than to have the pleasure of sin for a time,
magis eligens affligi cum populo Dei, quam temporalis peccati habere jucunditatem,

 26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasure of the Egyptians. For he looked unto the reward.
majores divitias aestimans thesauro Aegyptiorum, improperium Christi : aspiciebat enim in remunerationem.

 27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the fierceness of the king: for he endured as seeing him that is invisible.
Fide reliquit Aegyptum, non veritus animositatem regis : invisibilem enim tamquam videns sustinuit.

 28 By faith he celebrated the pasch, and the shedding of the blood; that he, who destroyed the firstborn, might not touch them.
Fide celebravit Pascha, et sanguinis effusionem : ne qui vastabat primitiva, tangeret eos.

 29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea, as by dry land: which the Egyptians attempting, were swallowed up.
Fide transierunt mare Rubrum tamquam per aridam terram : quod experti Aegyptii, devorati sunt.

 30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, by the going round them seven days.
Fide muri Jericho corruerunt, circuitu dierum septem.

 31 By faith Rahab the harlot perished not with the unbelievers, receiving the spies with peace.
Fide Rahab meretrix non periit cum incredulis, excipiens exploratores cum pace.

 32 And what shall I yet say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, Barac, Samson, Jephthe, David, Samuel, and the prophets:
Et quid adhuc dicam? deficiet enim me tempus enarrantem de Gedeon, Barac, Samson, Jephte, David, Samuel, et prophetis :

 33 Who by faith conquered kingdoms, wrought justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
qui per fidem vicerunt regna, operati sunt justitiam, adepti sunt repromissiones, obturaverunt ora leonum,

 34 Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, recovered strength from weakness, became valiant in battle, put to flight the armies of foreigners:
extinxerunt impetum ignis, effugerunt aciem gladii, convaluerunt de infirmitate, fortes facti sunt in bello, castra verterunt exterorum :

 35 Women received their dead raised to life again. But others were racked, not accepting deliverance, that they might find a better resurrection.
acceperunt mulieres de resurrectione mortuos suos : alii autem distenti sunt non suscipientes redemptionem ut meliorem invenirent resurrectionem.

 36 And others had trial of mockeries and stripes, moreover also of bands and prisons.
Alii vero ludibria, et verbera experti, insuper et vincula, et carceres :

 37 They were stoned, they were cut asunder, they were tempted, they were put to death by the sword, they wandered about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being in want, distressed, afflicted:
lapidati sunt, secti sunt, tentati sunt, in occisione gladii mortui sunt, circuierunt in melotis, in pellibus caprinis, egentes, angustiati, afflicti :

 38 Of whom the world was not worthy; wandering in deserts, in mountains, and in dens, and in caves of the earth.
quibus dignus non erat mundus : in solitudinibus errantes, in montibus, in speluncis, et in cavernis terrae.

 39 And all these being approved by the testimony of faith, received not the promise;
Et hi omnes testimonio fidei probati, non acceperunt repromissionem,

 40 God providing some better thing for us, that they should not be perfected without us.
Deo pro nobis melius aliquid providente, ut non sine nobis consummarentur.