¹ Nach dem Tode Moses, des Knechtes des HERRN, sprach der HERR zu Josua, dem Sohn Nuns, Moses Diener:

² Mein Knecht Mose ist gestorben; so mache dich nun auf und zeuch über diesen Jordan, du und dies ganze Volk, in das Land, das ich ihnen, den Kindern Israel, gegeben habe.

³ Alle Stätte, darauf eure Fußsohlen treten werden, habe ich euch gegeben, wie ich Mose geredet habe.

⁴ Von der Wüste an und diesem Libanon bis an das große Wasser Phrath, das ganze Land der Hethiter, bis an das große Meer gegen dem Abend, sollen eure Grenze sein.

⁵ Es soll dir niemand widerstehen dein Leben lang. Wie ich mit Mose gewesen bin, also will ich auch mit dir sein. Ich will dich nicht verlassen noch von dir weichen.

⁶ Sei getrost und unverzagt; denn du sollst diesem Volk das Land austeilen, das ich ihren Vätern geschworen habe, daß ich's ihnen geben wollte.

⁷ Sei nur getrost und sehr freudig, daß du haltest und tust allerdinge nach dem Gesetz, das dir Mose, mein Knecht, geboten hat. Weiche nicht davon, weder zur Rechten noch zur Linken, auf daß du weislich handeln mögest in allem, das du tun sollst.

⁸ Und laß das Buch dieses Gesetzes nicht von deinem Munde kommen, sondern betrachte es Tag und Nacht, auf daß du haltest und tust allerdinge nach dem, das drinnen geschrieben stehet. Alsdann wird dir's gelingen in allem, das du tust, und wirst weislich handeln können.

⁹ Siehe, ich habe dir geboten, daß du getrost und freudig seiest. Laß dir nicht grauen und entsetze dich nicht; denn der HERR, dein Gott, ist mit dir in allem, das du tun wirst.

¹⁰ Da gebot Josua den Hauptleuten des Volks und sprach:

¹¹ Gehet durch das Lager und gebietet dem Volk und sprechet: Schaffet euch Vorrat; denn über drei Tage werdet ihr über diesen Jordan gehen, daß ihr hineinkommet und das Land einnehmet, das euch der HERR, euer Gott, geben wird.

¹² Und zu den Rubenitern, Gaditern und dem halben Stamm Manasse sprach Josua:

¹³ Gedenket an das Wort, das euch Mose, der Knecht des HERRN, sagte und sprach: Der HERR, euer Gott, hat euch zur Ruhe gebracht und dies Land gegeben.

¹⁴ Eure Weiber und Kinder und Vieh lasset im Lande bleiben, das euch Mose gegeben hat diesseit des Jordans; ihr aber sollt vor euren Brüdern herziehen gerüstet, was streitbare Männer sind, und ihnen helfen,

¹⁵ bis daß der HERR eure Brüder auch zur Ruhe bringt, wie euch, daß sie auch einnehmen das Land, das ihnen der HERR, euer Gott, geben wird. Alsdann sollt ihr wieder umkehren in euer Land, das euch Mose, der Knecht des HERRN, eingegeben hat zu besitzen, diesseit des Jordans, gegen der Sonnen Aufgang.

¹⁶ Und sie antworteten Josua und sprachen: Alles, was du uns geboten hast, das wollen wir tun, und wo du uns hinsendest, da wollen wir hingehen.

¹⁷ Wie wir Mose gehorsam sind gewesen, so wollen wir dir auch gehorsam sein, allein daß der HERR, dein Gott, nur mit dir sei, wie er mit Mose war.

¹⁸ Wer deinem Munde ungehorsam ist und nicht gehorchet deinen Worten in allem, das du uns gebeutst, der soll sterben. Sei nur getrost und unverzagt!

¹ Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, proof of things not seen.

² For by this, the elders obtained testimony.

³ By faith, we understand that the universe has been framed by the word of God, so that what is seen has not been made out of things which are visible.

⁴ By faith, Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he had testimony given to him that he was righteous, God testifying with respect to his gifts; and through it he, being dead, still speaks.

⁵ By faith, Enoch was taken away, so that he wouldn't see death, and he was not found, because God translated him. For he has had testimony given to him that before his translation he had been well pleasing to God.

⁶ Without faith it is impossible to be well pleasing to him, for he who comes to God must believe that he exists, and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him.

⁷ By faith, Noah, being warned about things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared a ship for the saving of his house, through which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.

⁸ By faith, Abraham, when he was called, obeyed to go out to the place which he was to receive for an inheritance. He went out, not knowing where he went.

⁹ By faith, he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a land not his own, dwelling in tents, with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise.

¹⁰ For he looked for the city which has the foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

¹¹ By faith, even Sarah herself received power to conceive, and she bore a child when she was past age, since she counted him faithful who had promised.

¹² Therefore as many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as innumerable as the sand which is by the sea shore, were fathered by one man, and him as good as dead.

¹³ These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them and embraced them from afar, and having confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

¹⁴ For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own.

¹⁵ If indeed they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had enough time to return.

¹⁶ But now they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

¹⁷ By faith, Abraham, being tested, offered up Isaac. Yes, he who had gladly received the promises was offering up his one and only son;

¹⁸ even he to whom it was said, "In Isaac will your seed be called;"

¹⁹ concluding that God is able to raise up even from the dead. Figuratively speaking, he also did receive him back from the dead.

²⁰ By faith, Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even concerning things to come.

²¹ By faith, Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.

²² By faith, Joseph, when his end was near, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel; and gave instructions concerning his bones.

²³ By faith, Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that he was a beautiful child, and they were not afraid of the king's commandment.

²⁴ By faith, Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter,

²⁵ choosing rather to share ill treatment with God's people, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a time;

²⁶ accounting the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he looked to the reward.

²⁷ By faith, he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.

²⁸ By faith, he kept the Passover, and the sprinkling of the blood, that the destroyer of the firstborn should not touch them.

²⁹ By faith, they passed through the Red Sea as on dry land. When the Egyptians tried to do so, they were swallowed up.

³⁰ By faith, the walls of Jericho fell down, after they had been encircled for seven days.

³¹ By faith, Rahab the prostitute, didn't perish with those who were disobedient, having received the spies in peace.

³² What more shall I say? For the time would fail me if I told of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets;

³³ who, through faith subdued kingdoms, worked out righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,

³⁴ quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, grew mighty in war, and caused foreign armies to flee.

³⁵ Women received their dead by resurrection. Others were tortured, not accepting their deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection.

³⁶ Others were tried by mocking and scourging, yes, moreover by bonds and imprisonment.

³⁷ They were stoned. They were sawn apart. They were tempted. They were slain with the sword. They went around in sheep skins and in goat skins; being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated

³⁸ (of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts, mountains, caves, and the holes of the earth.

³⁹ These all, having had testimony given to them through their faith, didn't receive the promise,

⁴⁰ God having provided some better thing concerning us, so that apart from us they should not be made perfect.