[1] Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. [2] Indeed, by faith our ancestors received approval. [3] By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible.
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[8] By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to set out for a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; and he set out, not knowing where he was going. [9] By faith he stayed for a time in the land he had been promised, as in a foreign land, living in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. [10] For he looked forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. [11] By faith he received power of procreation, even though he was too old-- and Sarah herself was barren-- because he considered him faithful who had promised. [12] Therefore from one person, and this one as good as dead, descendants were born, "as many as the stars of heaven and as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore."
[13] All of these died in faith without having received the promises, but from a distance they saw and greeted them. They confessed that they were strangers and foreigners on the earth, [14] for people who speak in this way make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. [15] If they had been thinking of the land that they had left behind, they would have had opportunity to return. [16] But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; indeed, he has prepared a city for them.
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Verse 1: “it Being now faith of expectations support , of deeds proof not of them seeing .”
There is no statement about “things hoped for,” as “things” is a desire (from hope) for material possessions or aids. The capitalized “Being” (“Estin,” in the third-person) is a state of existence with Yahweh, as this is a word that must be seen as divinely elevated in meaning, to a level of Yahweh. Thus, “it Being” in one’s soul-body is “now” a state of true “faith” (beyond “belief”). This “faith” comes with one possessing (Genitive case “of”) “expectations,” rather than hopes. Hopes are based on having seen something before, but not often or routine. When the spirituality of “if Being” is a “faith” for spiritual matters, those come from an internal “support” or “assurances,” which never existed before (lower-case estin). Thus true “faith” comes with knowledge of “assurances” that promise “deeds” to come as “proof,” without having ever “seen” such “deeds” done before. Such “deeds” are miracles and prophesying the truth for others to hear, which does not come from a host soul in a body of flesh, but from “it Being now” within their soul-flesh, bringing one true “faith of expectations,” with the soul-body in full “support” of that inner presence, possessing the soul-body as its new Lord.
Verse 2: “within to this indeed they witnessed these elders .”
In divine Scripture, which is everything gathered together in the “Holy Bible” (and more), the Greek preposition “en” is read in the same way as the English word “in.” It is a directional preposition that is read so generically that it gets no deeper attention as to what else it could intent to state. Strong’s defines it as “in, on, at, by, with,” implying “among.” The English word is an equivalent in meaning; but HELPS Word studies explains this: “properly, in (inside, within); (figuratively) "in the realm (sphere) of," as in the condition (state) in which something operates from the inside (within).” When one is reading divine Scripture and realizes everything must be leaned towards a spiritual meaning, the word “en” has to be read as meaning “within” or “inside” one’s flesh, where one’s soul resides.
When this verse is shown to begin in this manner, “within” is a statement about this “Being” that brings “faith” over belief and sets “expectations of deeds,” based on an unsee [spiritual] presence. This is now said to be “within” Paul and the true Christians to whom his epistles were written. Paul is then saying that this same inner presence has always been available to souls that marry Yahweh, who then provide a physical ‘womb’ in which His Son’s soul can be resurrected, as this is the same divine union “witnessed” by the “elders” of Israel. They knew this “Being” that brought “faith” by having all lived up to the lineage of Abram, as the “stars” that shone the light of truth, as Saints truly in the name “Israel” – “Who Retains Yahweh’s elohim.”
Verse 3: “to Faith we realize we are completed these ages to words of God , into this not from out of of causing to appear , this being discerned being born .”
This verse begins with the capitalized Greek word “Pistei,” which is the Dative feminine singular form of “pistis,” which was used in verse one, meaning “faith, faithfulness.” Here, the word is written in a divinely elevated state that says “Faith” is not possible in the physical realm, unless one’s soul has been taken “to Faith” by Yahweh. A soul in its flesh can be taught things to believe by teachers and masters, but without personal experience (from which ownership transfers mechanical beliefs into true faith) faith is impossible. When Paul wrote of “these ages to words of God,” the “words of God” are spiritual and impossible to be seen. The laws of the universe are possible to have faith in, simply because a soul in the flesh can be told to believe and then experience such things as gravity, light, and the microcosm-macrocosm comparisons, none of which is visible, but they are proved. They are “of God” (the Genitive case stating the possessive) and no human being can “cause to appear” these laws of the universe. They simply exist. The Greek verb “gegonenai” would typically be translated as “having come into being” or “having happened,” but the spiritual translation of “being born” states that faith does not simply “happen” or “come into being,” it is “born” when a soul married Yahweh and gives rebirth to His Son’s soul, who brings with him the All-knowing Christ Mind.
Now, these first three verses having nothing to do with directly naming Abram or Abraham. This means these three verses are more related to the Track 1 Old Testament reading selection from Isaiah, where Yahweh gave Isaiah a vision that spoke of what Yahweh did not find pleasing from those people calling themselves His priests. The sacrificing of animals and burning their flesh on an altar fire was based on the beliefs of practice, derived from written words misunderstood. Because the souls of those priests were not married to Yahweh, they could not discern the truth and have a personal experience that led them to the true faith of an Israelite. True faith would have led them to know that Yahweh was only pleased with the sacrifice of the souls of those priests to Him, so they would become His wife-souls and the mothers of His Son’s soul reborn. Instead, they practiced self-worth and self-preservation in the flesh, sacrificing beast in their place. That Old Testament story states the difference between beliefs in the name of God and true faith in the name of Yahweh and Adam-Jesus.
Verse 8: “to Faith calling , Abram he listened to have gone out into a place that he will be about to receive into an inheritance , kai he went out , not knowing where he goes .”
In this, the capitalized word “Pistei” is repeated, thereby having the same divinely elevated meaning that says Abram experienced Yahweh and knew faith, beyond beliefs. This led to a “calling,” where this word is known to be an unseen, unheard “call” to follow a spiritual lead. This becomes comparative to Paul writing in verse one, as a “test” or “proof” of that unseen. When one has personal experience of Yahweh, one spiritually hears His voice and sees his images of words in visions. It is these powerful words that call to a prophet and have him or her go as Yahweh commands.
In the second segment of words in this verse, the key term to grasp is “inheritance.” When one has come to the realization that divine Scripture is not about the material or physical, but instead about the spiritual, an “inheritance” can only be the promise of eternal life. Because Abram was a soul in the flesh married to Yahweh and His Spirit, he heard the word of Yahweh in his soul, so that “calling” found Abram “listening” and “obeying” (from total submission to Yahweh’s Will); so, Abram “went out into a place,” not because he was promised to possess this physical “place,” but Abram “went out” because he had already been promised “the place” of eternal life. With that promise already assured his soul, Abram’s “inheritance” meant nothing as some stretch of land on earth that he could pitch a tent and raise his livestock.
The comma mark leading to the word “kai” means great importance should be found in the fact stated, that Abram “went out.” This says his soul immediately did as Yahweh instructed; so, the prophecy of Abraham arguing with Yahweh about the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah was not what such a devoted and committed wife-soul does. Abram did as he was told by Yahweh. Thus, the last segment says Abram went “not knowing where he goes,” which is a statement of true faith. Abram had no reason to question anything told to him by Yahweh. His faith had him pack up and leave.
Verse 9: “to Faith he dwelt as a stranger into land of this of promise , even as belonging to another , within to tabernacles having inhabited with Isaac [name meaning Laughter, He Will Laugh] kai Jacob [name meaning Supplanter] , of them joint participants of the promise of this of it the soul .”
Once again, Paul began a verse with the capitalized word “Pistei,” which is the same as that beginning verse eight and verse three, as well as a variation of the word “pistis” written in verse one. Here it is most vital to see the spirituality of this being stated by Paul, as he understood that Abram stood “as a stranger” (the translation of “parōkēsen” and the essential meaning of “sojourner”) in a place on the ”earth” that was filled with people whose souls were not married to Yahweh [the high priest of Salem, Melchizedek being an exception]. This means the “promise” is eternal salvation, not some plot of land. In the second segment, which states, “even as belonging to another,” this must also be read spiritually, where “belonging to another” is relative to an elohim, which is a spiritually possessing soul-spirit-demon-god-angel, which are imprisoned in the earthly realm as powers that are immaterial. This says every soul on earth is possessed either by Yahweh, other spirits, or to one’s own soul, which pretends to be a god over its own flesh.
In the third segment, that tiny word “en” appears again, with it translating into English as “within,” showing an internal soul presence. Rather than read “skēnais” as “to tents,” making it sound more physical in a wilderness environment, “to tabernacle” makes this be read as the body of flesh, which serves as the holy place surrounding a soul that has married Yahweh, who sits upon one’s soul, like the cherubim atop the Ark of the Covenant. This use makes this most holy union be only to souls that are like Abram (the promise made with Yahweh and Abram about the stars so numerous), which are then named as the direct descendants of Abram: Isaac and Jacob. In that, it must be noted that Esau was a favored son of Isaac, whose birthright was stolen by Jacob, causing Isaac to curse Esau while on his death bed. This history says only those souls that became like Abram – married to Yahweh spiritually – were those named as “co-inheritors” of eternal life. When “autēs” is not translated as “same,” but as “oneself” or “same self,” where a “self” is understood to be a “soul,” then the “promise” is not land to be passed on to favored elder male children (physical attributes), but the “promise” assured Abram, which was eternal life for his soul, after subjection to serve Yahweh absolutely.
Verse 10: “he will be expecting indeed this these foundation stones possessing inhabitants of a city , of whom builder kai creator this God .”
Here, verse on began by Paul speaking “of expectations support” or “of hopes assurance,” so now he is adding to that theme by saying Abram (and all souls who will be his descendants by their souls marrying Yahweh) will be “he expecting,” based on “to Being now faith.” When we read of “foundations” and a “city,” this becomes confusing because it forces a brain to focus on the material world, not the spiritual. Jesus is the “cornerstone,” which is how one should see a soul marrying Yahweh will then be set with the “foundation stone” that will allow one to be “called” by Yahweh to enter the ‘lion’s den,’ where a “city” is a place where those not married to Yahweh spread their influences that demand Jesus be one’s inner Lord. It is then this soul of Yahweh’s Son within one’s soul-flesh that is he “who” is the “builder” that cannot be swayed by the influences of evil. Importantly (from “kai”), Jesus [a name that means “Yah Saves”] is the Yahweh elohim made by the hand of Yahweh in Eden, as the “creator” of “this” Son “foundation stone” is “God.”
Verse 11: “to Faith kai , to her soul Sarah [a name meaning Princess] [ barren ] , power into the laying down of that sown received , kai by the side of opportunity maturity , because faithful she was led this having promised .”
Once more Paul begins a verse with “Pistei,” showing a most divine elevation towards this focus of “Faith,” which can only come from Yahweh. This is followed immediately by the marker word for importance, which says “to Faith” is important if a soul is seeking eternal salvation. This use of “kai” then leading to a comma mark of separation and pause, then had Paul bring up focus on “Sarah,” whose name means “Princess.” Her name then implies the femininity of all souls, whether in male bodies of flesh or female, as feminine souls when divine union to Yahweh is concerned. All souls in the flesh are to be wives spiritually to Yahweh. When the “cornerstone foundation” has been laid in one’s soul, then all will become a “Princess” to the Prince of Peace. Where the NRSV took it upon themselves to translate the word Paul placed within brackets (“steira”), which is something often seen as optional text by translation services [see Luke’s version of the ’Lord’s Prayer’ for examples of such omissions], the use of brackets says “Sarah” was “barren,” in the sense that she could not conceive the Spirit of Yahweh on her own, or by any physical means involving Abram. Thus, her “Faith” came to “her soul” when she was “barren” of that spiritual presence.
When Paul wrote of “power into the laying down of that sown received,” this is Yahweh who made “Sarah” become as fruitful as Abram. The same words that can translate as “conception of seed” becomes too focused on the physical act of sex and pregnancy. This says that Yahweh had already entered Sarah, most likely not long after Abram took her as his wife, so the couple were both souls married to Yahweh, in support of one another as physical man and wife. There was no need for Sarah to become physically pregnant during those early days of their physical marriage (Abram left Haran at the age of seventy and was ninety-nine; so, they had been married at least thirty years). This means Yahweh kept Sarah from conceiving a child, because she was in need of “seasoned maturity” or the “opportunity” to “mature in Christ,” before becoming a physical mother. Her soul had proved its value to Yahweh and was promised eternal life, long before she became physically pregnant with Isaac.
Verse 12: “on which account kai away from of one it was born , kai this of having been made impotent , just as these stars of this of heaven to this to a great number , kai even as this sand this by the side of this edge of this of sea this innumerable .”
In this verse, it is important to see how the Greek word “dio” begins it and then immediately leads to a “kai,” marking importance to follow. Because the word “dio” means “wherefore, on which account, therefore,” as a statement word connecting that just said about “faith having been promised,” this verse is explaining the “promise” of eternal life. This importantly is then said to be “away from,” which says Sarah (nor Abram) had any negotiating powers to bring about any “promise” from Yahweh. The Genitive case “henos” says Sarah was possessed “of one,” where that “one” is Yahweh, through divine marriage with her soul. With that divine union based on Yahweh’s acceptance of Sarah as having proved (her “promise” to Yahweh) her complete submission to Him, she “was born” anew of Yahweh’s Spirit. Sarah’s only role was to do as Yahweh led her, which was to follow Abram as his wife. Nothing was bargained, relative to children; and, the only “promises” were complete servitude in exchange for a soul’s eternal life beyond death of the flesh.
With that important statement made, Paul then wrote a comma mark of separation, followed by another use of the word “kai,” showing another important statement to follow. The Greek word “nenekrōmenou” is written in the Genitive masculine singular, as a Perfect Participle, such that the masculine singular speaks of Sarah’s soul, as all of the spiritual world is masculine, when not trapped within a body of matter (the feminine essence). The root verb then says “this to put to death,” implying in usage “make as dead; render weak, impotent.” This word importantly speaks of a soul that has not married Yahweh and become saved. Upon the death of the flesh, those souls will be Judged as unworthy of the spiritual realm; and, they will be sent back into new flesh, having to start the process of pretend life all over again. It is that failure to see the need to marry Yahweh that becomes a state of “impotence, such that the new birth offered by Yahweh is far greater than giving birth to human children. As such, Sarah’s “impotence” became a statement by Yahweh, in one of His wife-souls, that says children are not the measure of a Saint’s success in the flesh. That ability to reproduce is seen in a soul touching another soul and leading another soul to marry Yahweh. Those are the true “children of Yahweh,” which are born of His servants.
After Paul made that statement, he then recalled the “stars” of the universe shown to Abram in a vision. When Paul wrote those “stars of this of heaven,” the use of “heaven” must be read metaphorically as the souls-spirits-angels-saints that are divine lights of truth, as Yahweh’s wife-souls. The true descendants of Abram and Sarah could not possibly touch so many souls physically; but the story of Abram and Sarah would live on forever and become the seed of thought that would become so many future Saints that would be “to this to a great number.”
With that story made from Genesis 15, Paul then wrote a comma mark of separation, followed by another use of “kai,” denoting another important statement that explains the “stars of heaven” statement. Here, Paul wrote it is important to see the “stars” in the night sky as limited in how many can be seen, due to the weather. In case some would say (scientists and astronomers) they have calculated how many stars exist, the comparison should be made to “grains of sand on the shore by the sea.” The sand extends beyond the water line, where an innumerable number of grains of sand also exist, out of sight from physical eyes. The point of this analogy is the descendants of Abram and Sarah were pairs of Saints, each of whose souls had married Yahweh, becoming His Son reborn (pairs of spiritual brothers, as Jesus resurrected), sent out into ministry as points of light for truth in the darkness and the foundation upon which many shall walk into the waters and know Yahweh. All of this says the “promise” is “born” of Yahweh, to prove one’s ability to reproduce Saints, where all are the same Son of Yahweh, spiritually possessing souls, not new flesh born with a failed soul.
Verse 13: “According to faith they died these all , not having received these promises , on the other hand from afar them having seen , kai having welcomed , kai having agreed because foreigners kai residing in a foreign place they exist upon this earth .”
Paul began this verse with a capitalized “Kata,” which in the lower-case simply means “down, against, according to,” implying (among other things) “throughout, day-by-day, and by way of.” HELPS Word-studies says this word means “properly, "down from, i.e. from a higher to a lower plane, with special reference to the terminus (end-point).” When this is seen as divinely elevated to a state equal to Yahweh, the aspect of the innumerable number of Saints modeled from Abram and Sarah, each a soul married to Yahweh, that divine union means has brought them each “faith,” from His spiritual realm; and, to receive that “faith” of ‘heaven,’ “all” had to “die” of self-ego and self-will, as a sacrifice placed upon a most divine altar.
When the second segment then says, “not having received these promises,” this means self-sacrifice must be a willing surrender of self to Yahweh, “not” because of a bargained “promise,” but because one knows the sins one has committed. Knowing one’s sins demand justice, those souls surrender to Yahweh for Judgment, well before their natural bodies of flesh die. They do this because of love of Yahweh, “not” because a Big Brain thinks this will come with the “promise” of eternal life. Still, the third segment says these souls sacrificing to Yahweh have read Scripture and from that they have glimpsed “from afar” this promise; although, “not” as a barrenness being removed, so one can have physical children. The “distance” of the perception coming from Scripture (due to poor paraphrases and a lack of understanding how to read divine texts) says true repentance is the primary reason souls submit fully to Yahweh and welcome His punishment, prior to physical death. That was written by Paul, preceded by the marker word of importance to realize – “kai.”
The last two segments also begin with the word “kai,” first showing the importance in realizing those souls “have agreed upon” the terms of surrender, which is always a willing compliance to the Law – the Covenant of divine marriage. To say they are “strangers” or “foreigners” says all souls have been sinners prior. To enter into a state of sainthood, where righteousness is the only way to live in the flesh, means a soul alone in its flesh can never make this lifestyle be realized. Only after divine union with the Spirit of Yahweh, having been made pure, as a virgin womb in which the soul of Yahweh’s Son can be conceived and born anew. When the last segment importantly says, “residing in a foreign place they exist upon this earth,” the plural number is less about the innumerable Saints descended from Abram and Sarah and more about the duality of the soul of Jesus having merged with the soul of a sacrificed human, so the tabernacle of the flesh has become a “foreign place” in a world of sin, where that “existence upon this earth” leads Saints into ministry, as Jesus “upon this flesh” once again.
Verse 14: “those indeed such as this are saying it to appear because one’s native place they are seeking after .”
Here, again, the plural number relates back to the joint Spirit of Yahweh and the soul of His Son with a soul committing totally to serve His, in exchange for all past sins being forgiven. It is “those” saved souls who “indeed” are “those saying it to appear,” in person. This is “because” it is the lost souls who repent their sins that Yahweh and His Son “are seeking after” to save them. The only way those souls can be saved is by the presence of the Spirit and the Son of Yahweh being within, so the soul in its flesh knows personally of that presence. For this Trinity to be established forever, a commitment of divine union must be made. That commitment comes with the promise of eternal life.
Verse 15: “kai if truly of that one they will be calling to mind away from of who they escaped , they will possess an opportunity to return .”
In this verse Paul led with the word “kai,” meaning this verse is important to grasp. It then follows to state the conditional, where “if” is a statement of choice. Yahweh does not refuse to accept a soul as His wife, as He invites all souls to make that choice. Making that choice then puts the ball in the court of the soul, who must realize their sins and “truly” repent. True repentance is not just lip-service, but honest and sincere efforts to show Yahweh how serious one’s soul is to committing to Him forever. This then leads to the Genitive case that states possession “of that one,” who is Yahweh, where the soul becomes His possession as a wife-soul. Those souls will then importantly be found “calling to mind” the soul of Jesus, turning “away from” their own soul’s rule over their body of flesh. In many cases, the “hold” of sin has made those souls become the possessions of Satan or a lesser demon spirit. By marrying Yahweh, those souls will have “escaped” that unwanted control.
In the last segment of words in this verse, Paul pointed out the double-edge sword that becomes relative to the conditional “if.” Should a soul choose not to commit to Yahweh, “they will possess an opportunity to return” to the state of sin they had attempted to “escape.” However, “if” a soul does “indeed” or “truly” choose to totally submit to Yahweh and His Will, then “they will possess an opportunity to return” to be one with Yahweh in the eternal realm, after the death of their physical bodies. The Greek word “eichon” (rooted in “echó”) means “to have, hold,” implying in usage “to possess.” This is then a statement of divine possession by Yahweh – holy matrimony – where His possession of their souls gives them the ability “to possess an opportunity to return” to Him.
Verse 16: “the present now of stronger they yearn for , this it exists , of heaven . on which account not it ashamed their souls this God , God to call upon of their souls ; he has prepared indeed to their souls a city .”
In this final verse of this reading selection, Paul’s use of “kreittonos” (rooted in “kreittón”) says the “now” is always relative to a weakness that leads a lost soul to seek Yahweh. The word means “better,” but implies in usage “stronger or more excellent.” HELPS Word-studies says its proper usage means “what is better because more fully developed, i.e. in reaching the needed dominion (mastery, dominance).” This is then one seeking the “strength” of Yahweh and His Son’s soul as Lord, because one “years for” the removal of guilt from sins that one cannot cease alone. The second segment is then Paul saying this “yearning” leads to the proof of commitment; and, that leads to a soul realizing “this (Spirit of Yahweh) it exists” within my soul. The “soul” is then clarified by Paul writing “of heaven,” where the Genitive case states the possession of divine marriage, which can only be spiritual (thus “of heaven”).
Following a period mark, a new statement explains why one is led to this new state of being. It is the “shame” of sins and knowing a soul will be condemned in Judgment for a failure to cease evil ways. They all know this “shame” inwardly, because all souls come from “this God,” and regardless of how hard their fleshy brains try to convince them to ignore their guilt, the “soul” knows it is responsible for ‘cleaning up its acts.’ This is how “God calls upon the souls” of all, with the ones saved heeding that call. Finally, when Paul wrote that Yahweh “has prepared indeed to their souls a city,” this cannot be read in terms of a mythical city in heaven of stones and streets of gold. The “city” prepared is that where the soul of Jesus will lead one, in order to save lost souls. A “city” is a place where iniquity thrives and many sinners dwell. A saved soul does not get the pleasure of resting on his or her laurels and do nothing but wait for death to free their souls to some mythical place in outer space. The “city prepared” is where the road of ministry leads a Saint.
It must be noted that this chapter of Paul's letter written in Hebrew includes verses that tell of Noah, before these verses above tell about Abram and Sarah. It is good to know that Noah was a direct descendant of Adam, living 950 years, 600 before the flood and 350 afterwards. Noah was alive for the first 58 years of Abram's life. Abram was a descendant of Shem and Jesus was a descendant of Abraham (according to Matthew's genealogy). Both were descended from Adam. The point of the Genesis 15 reading is only souls married to Yahweh are those "stars" and "grains of sand" that count. All souls that do not marry Yahweh and become where the soul of Adam-Jesus resurrects will be the darkness between the points of light at night and the separateness that makes one grain of sand stand out from the others. It is vital to then read Paul's reading not as a confirmation that Genesis 15 is true and Yahweh promised Abram countless descendant. It is important to realize one has to become one of those descendants; and, this cannot be a material goal.