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And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return.
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But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.
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By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,
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of whom it was said, "In Isaac your seed shall be called,"
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concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.
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By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.
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By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.
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By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones.
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By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king's command.
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By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter,
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choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin,
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esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward.
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By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible.
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By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them.
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By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned.
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By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days.
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By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace.
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And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets:
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who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
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quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.
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Women received their dead raised to life again. And others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection.
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Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment.
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They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented--
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of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth.
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And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise,
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God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.