11:1 - Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Clement of Alexandria Stromata Book II
"For hereby," pre-eminently, "the elders obtained a good report. But without faith it is impossible to please God."[21]Tertullian On the Apparel of Women Book II
oes not spring from a sound conscience: why therefore excite toward yourself that evil (passion)? why invite (that) to which you profess yourself a stranger? secondly, because we ought not to open a way to temptations, which, by their instancy, sometimes achieve (a wickedness) which God expels from them who are His; (or, ) at all events, put the spirit into a thorough tumult by (presenting) a stumbling-block (to it). We ought indeed to walk so holily, and with so entire substantiality[9]
11:3 - Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
Shepherd of Hermas Vision Third
and much inferior place they will be laid, and that, too, only when they have been tortured and completed the days of their sins. And on this account will they be transferred, because they have partaken of the righteous Word.[30]Clement of Alexandria Stromata Book II
"By faith Abel offered to God a fuller sacrifice than Cain, by which he received testimony that he was righteous, God giving testimony to him respecting his gifts; and by it he, being dead, yet speaketh," and so forth, down to "than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season."[27]
11:4 - By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaks.
Tertullian An Answer to the Jews
what he was offering in simplicity of heart, and reprobated the sacrifice of his brother Cain, who was not rightly dividing what he was offering.[29]
11:5 - By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.
1 Clement
Let us take (for instance) Enoch, who, being found righteous in obedience, was translated, and death was never known to happen to him.[52]Tertullian An Answer to the Jews
For Enoch, too, most righteous man, uncircumcised and in-observant of the Sabbath, He translated from this world;[31]Tertullian A Treatise on the Soul
Such power was not accorded to the great Medea herself-over a human being at any rate, if allowed her over a silly sheep. Enoch no doubt was translated,[296]Gospel of Nicodemus I The Acts of Pilate
Buthem, a teacher, says: It is written in the law, And Enoch walked with God, and is not, because God took him.[55]
11:7 - By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
Tertullian An Answer to the Jews
written in stone-tables, I contend that there was a law unwritten, which was habitually understood naturally, and by the fathers was habitually kept. For whence was Noah "found righteous,"[23]
11:9 - By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:
Tertullian An Answer to the Jews
and that[5]
11:10 - For he looked for a city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
Alexander Epistles on the Arian Heresy
Who hath induced them to say, that for our sakes He was made; although Paul says, "for whom are all things, and by whom are all things? "[58]Methodius Discourse V. Thallousa
And the Jews declared that the shadow of the image (of the heavenly things which was afforded to them), was the third from the reality; but we clearly behold the image of the heavenly order; for the truth will be accurately made manifest after the resurrection, when we shall see the heavenly tabernacle (the city in heaven "whose builder and maker is God"[24]
11:11 - Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.
Five Books in Reply to Marcion
By the arrival of the "perfect things."[260]
11:13 - These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them far off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
Irenaeus Against Heresies Book V
and [yet] he did not receive an inheritance in it, not even a footstep, but was always a stranger and a pilgrim therein.[276]Tertullian On Exhortation to Chastity
Are not we, too, travellers in this world?[64]
11:14 - For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.
Five Books in Reply to Marcion
Dead fates.[62]
11:16 - But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he has prepared for them a city.
Origen Commentary on John Book II
For it was a great gift to the Patriarchs that God in place of His own name should add their name to His own designation as God, as Paul says,[48]
11:17 - By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,
1 Clement
On account of his faith and hospitality, a son was given him in his old age; and in the exercise of obedience, he offered him as a sacrifice to God on one of the mountains which He showed him.[57]
11:23 - By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment.
Methodius Discourse VII. Procilla
For consider what confidence Seth had towards God, and Abel, and Enos, and Enoch, and Methuselah, and Noah, the first lovers of righteousness, and the first of the first-born children who are written in heaven,[17]
11:25 - Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;
Shepherd of Hermas Similitude Sixth
For luxury and deceit have no memories, on account of the folly with which they are clothed; but when punishment and torture cleave to a man for one day, he is punished and tortured for a year; for punishment and torture have powerful memories. While tortured and punished, therefore, for a whole year, he remembers at last[15]
11:26 - Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.
Clement of Alexandria Stromata Book IV
By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible."[151]
11:30 - By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.
Shepherd of Hermas Vision Third
"What have they borne? "said I. "Listen," said she: "scourges, prisons, great tribulations, crosses, wild beasts,[6]
11:31 - By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.
1 Clement
As soon, therefore, as thou knowest that we are at hand, thou shall gather all thy family under thy roof, and they shall be preserved, but all that. are found outside of thy dwelling shall perish."[52]
11:32 - And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:
Clement of Alexandria Stromata Book II
Why then should I review and adduce any further testimonies of faith from the history in our hands? "For the time would fail me were I to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephtha, David, and Samuel, and the prophets," and what follows.[28]Tertullian An Answer to the Jews
-a fact which they cannot deny.[299]Peter of Alexandria Canonical Epistle
For they sought not what was profitable for them, but that which was profitable for the many, that they might be saved, and that they might be enabled to say unto them many things conducing to this, that they might act suitably to the Word of God, "unless," as says the apostle, "the time should fail me in speaking."[34]
11:35 - Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:
Cyprian Treatise XI Exhortation to Martyrdom Addressed to Fortunatus
But he, trusting in his martyrdom, and promising to himself from the retribution of God the reward of resurrection, exclaimed and said, "Thou indeed impotently destroyest us out of this present life; but the King of the world will raise us up, who die for His laws, unto the eternal resurrection of life."[95]
11:36 - And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:
Clement of Alexandria Stromata Book IV
Wherefore also, having encompassing us such a cloud," holy and transparent, "of witnesses, laying aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, let us run with patience the race set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith."[149]Cyprian Epistle VIII
But if before the day of your contest, of the mercy of God, peace shall supervene, let there still remain to you the sound will and the glorious conscience.[10]
11:37 - They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;
1 Clement
Let us be imitators also of those who in goat-skins and sheep-skins[82]A Letter from Origen to Africanus
For the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews, in speaking of the prophets, and what they suffered, says, "They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, they were slain with the sword"[13]Origen Against Celsus Book VII
Indeed, the prophets themselves, who for the purity of their lives received the Divine Spirit, "wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented: they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth."[23]Lactantius Divine Institutes Book IV
His temple, He was unwilling to send him with heavenly power and glory, that the people who had been ungrateful towards God might be led into the greatest error, and suffer punishment for their crimes, since they had not received their Lord and God, as the prophets had before foretold that it would thus happen. For Isaiah whom the Jews most cruelly slew, cutting him asunder with a saw,[97]Constitutions of the Holy Apostles Book V
-one with stones, another with the sword; one they sawed asunder,[141]Revelation of Paul
While he was yet speaking, there came other three, and saluted me, saying: Welcome, Paul, beloved of God, the boast of the churches, and model of angels. And I asked: Who are you? And the first said: I am Isaiah, whom Manasseh sawed with a wood saw.[31]Origen Commentary on Matthew Book X
And they, too, were dishonoured in their own country among the Jews who went about "in sheep-skins, in goat-skins, being destitute, afflicted," and so on;[121]