Faith's Triumph and Trial: Awaiting Christ's Better Promise

³⁰ By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days.

³¹ By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies in peace, did not perish with those who were disobedient.

³² And what more shall I say? Time will not allow me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets,

³³ who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions,

³⁴ quenched the raging fire, and escaped the edge of the sword; who gained strength from weakness, became mighty in battle, and put foreign armies to flight.

³⁵ Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused their release, so that they might gain a better resurrection.

³⁶ Still others endured mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment.

³⁷ They were stoned, they were sawed in two, they were put to death by the sword. They went around in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, oppressed, and mistreated.

³⁸ The world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and hid in caves and holes in the ground.

³⁹ These were all commended for their faith, yet they did not receive what was promised.

⁴⁰ God had planned something better for us, so that together with us they would be made perfect.