Hebreos 11: La fe.
1 ES pues la fe la sustancia de las cosas que se esperan, la demostración de las cosas que no se ven.
2 Porque por ella alcanzaron testimonio los antiguos.
3 Por la fe entendemos haber sido compuestos los siglos por la palabra de Dios, siendo hecho lo que se ve, de lo que no se veía.
4 Por la fe Abel ofreció á Dios mayor sacrificio que Caín, por la cual alcanzó testimonio de que era justo, dando Dios testimonio á sus presentes; y difunto, aun habla por ella.
5 Por la fe Enoc fué traspuesto para no ver muerte, y no fué hallado, porque lo traspuso Dios. Y antes que fuese traspuesto, tuvo testimonio de haber agradado á Dios.
6 Empero sin fe es imposible agradar á Dios; porque es menester que el que á Dios se allega, crea que le hay, y que es galardonador de los que le buscan.
7 Por la fe Noé, habiendo recibido respuesta de cosas que aun no se veían, con temor aparejó el arca en que su casa se salvase: por la cual fe condenó al mundo, y fué hecho heredero de la justicia que es por la fe.
8 Por la fe Abraham, siendo llamado, obedeció para salir al lugar que había de recibir por heredad; y salió sin saber dónde iba.
9 Por fe habitó en la tierra prometida como en tierra ajena, morando en cabañas con Isaac y Jacob, herederos juntamente de la misma promesa:
10 Porque esperaba ciudad con fundamentos, el artífice y hacedor de la cual es Dios.
11 Por la fe también la misma Sara, siendo estéril, recibió fuerza para concebir simiente; y parió aun fuera del tiempo de la edad, porque creyó ser fiel el que lo había prometido.
12 Por lo cual también, de uno, y ése ya amortecido, salieron como las estrellas del cielo en multitud, y como la arena inmunerable que está á la orilla de la mar.
13 Conforme á la fe murieron todos éstos sin haber recibido las promesas, sino mirándolas de lejos, y creyéndolas, y saludándolas, y confesando que eran peregrinos y advenedizos sobre la tierra.
14 Porque los que esto dicen, claramente dan á entender que buscan una patria.
15 Que si se acordaran de aquella de donde salieron, cierto tenían tiempo para volverse:
16 Empero deseaban la mejor, es á saber, la celestial; por lo cual Dios no se avergüenza de llamarse Dios de ellos: porque les había aparejado ciudad.
17 Por fe ofreció Abraham á Isaac cuando fué probado, y ofrecía al unigénito el que había recibido las promesas,
18 Habiéndole sido dicho: En Isaac te será llamada simiente:
19 Pensando que aun de los muertos es Dios poderoso para levantar; de donde también le volvió á recibir por figura.
20 Por fe bendijo Isaac á Jacob y á Esaú respecto á cosas que habían de ser.
21 Por fe Jacob, muriéndose, bendijo á cada uno de los hijos de José, y adoró estribando sobre la punta de su bordón.
22 Por fe José, muriéndose, se acordó de la partida de los hijos de Israel; y dió mandamiento acerca de sus huesos.
23 Por fe Moisés, nacido, fué escondido de sus padres por tres meses, porque le vieron hermoso niño; y no temieron el mandamiento del rey.
24 Por fe Moisés, hecho ya grande, rehusó ser llamado hijo de la hija de Faraón;
25 Escogiendo antes ser afligido con el pueblo de Dios, que gozar de comodidades temporales de pecado.
26 Teniendo por mayores riquezas el vituperio de Cristo que los tesoros de los Egipcios; porque miraba á la remuneración.
27 Por fe dejó á Egipto, no temiendo la ira del rey; porque se sostuvo como viendo al Invisible.
28 Por fe celebró la pascua y el derramamiento de la sangre, para que el que mataba los primogénitos no los tocase.
29 Por fe pasaron el mar Bermejo como por tierra seca: lo cual probando los Egipcios, fueron sumergidos.
30 Por fe cayeron los muros de Jericó con rodearlos siete días.
31 Por fe Rahab la ramera no pereció juntamente con los incrédulos, habiendo recibido á los espías con paz.
32 ¿Y qué más digo? porque el tiempo me faltará contando de Gedeón, de Barac, de Samsón, de Jephté, de David, de Samuel, y de los profetas:
33 Que por fe ganaron reinos, obraron justicia, alcanzaron promesas, taparon las bocas de leones,
34 Apagaron fuegos impetuosos, evitaron filo de cuchillo, convalecieron de enfermedades, fueron hechos fuertes en batallas, trastornaron campos de extraños.
35 Las mujeres recibieron sus muertos por resurrección; unos fueron estirados, no aceptando el rescate, para ganar mejor resurrección;
36 Otros experimentaron vituperios y azotes; y á más de esto prisiones y cárceles;
37 Fueron apedreados, aserrados, tentados, muertos á cuchillo; anduvieron de acá para allá cubiertos de pieles de ovejas y de cabras, pobres, angustiados, maltratados;
38 De los cuales el mundo no era digno; perdidos por los desiertos, por los montes, por las cuevas y por las cavernas de la tierra.
39 Y todos éstos, aprobados por testimonio de la fe, no recibieron la promesa;
40 Proveyendo Dios alguna cosa mejor para nosotros, para que no fuesen perfeccionados sin nosotros.
Reflexión por Noemi Dominguez:
“La fe es el pájaro que percibe la luz cuando el amanecer aún está oscuro.” [Rabindranath Tagore]. La fe es como una fuente de agua que halla el sediento peregrino en el desierto; una vez que la encontró no puede alejarse de ella. “Y sin fe es imposible agradar a Dios; porque es necesario que el que se acerca a Dios crea que Él existe, y que es remunerador de los que le buscan.” [versículo 6, Biblia de las Américas]. La fe genuina es caminar con Dios, obedecer aunque no entendamos todo lo que Dios nos manda, es dejar la seguridad de lo conocido para salir “sin saber donde iba” [versículo 8, Reina Varela 1960], es vivir como extranjeros porque tenemos una ciudad cuyo arquitecto y constructor es Dios [versículo 10]; es, a pesar de nuestras falencias como Sara, recibir lo prometido, es como Abraham, entregar lo más preciado creyendo que Dios lo restituiría a la vida, es confiar, como Jacob, y los padres de Moises, que nuestros descendientes han de alcanzar las bendiciones venideras [versículos 20 y 23]. Es, como Moisés “perder lo que no podemos retener para ganar lo que no podemos perder” [Jim Elliott]. Por la fe caen muros y los pecadores transformados son usados por Dios. Pero no todos conquistaron reinos o taparon la boca de los leones, “Mucha gente se burló de ellos y los maltrató… “Eran pobres, estaban tristes, y habían sido maltratados.” [versículos 37 y 39, Traducción en el Lenguaje Actual]; “Dios estaba contento con todas estas personas, pues confiaron en él. Pero ninguna de ellas recibió lo que Dios había prometido” [versículo 39, Traducción en el Lenguaje Actual] en este mundo. Señor, que mi fe no solo me permita ver las respuestas que espero, que me sostenga cuando, como estos últimos, “aunque lo que espero no esperara, lo mismo que te quiero te quisiera” [soneto al Crucificado].
Hebrews 11: By Faith We Understand.
1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
2 For by it the elders obtained a good report.
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.
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 speaketh.
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.
6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
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.
8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
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:
10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
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.
12 Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.
13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.
15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.
16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
17 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,
18 Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:
19 Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.
20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.
21 By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff.
22 By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones.
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.
24 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter;
25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;
26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.
27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.
28 Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.
29 By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.
30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.
31 By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.
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:
33 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions.
34 Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.
35 Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:
36 And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:
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;
38 (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:
40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.
Reflexion by Noemi Dominguez:
“Faith is the bird that feels light when the dawn is still dark. ” [Rabindranath Tagore]. Faith is like a spring of fresh water that the thirsty pilgrim finds in the desert; once he found it, he cannot get away from it. ” But without faith it is impossible to [walk with God and] please Him, for whoever comes [near] to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He rewards those who [earnestly and diligently] seek Him. ” [verse 6, Amplified Bible]. Genuine faith is to walk with God, to obey even if we do not understand what God asks us to go, it is to leave the security of the known to leave “without knowing where it was going” [verse 8, Amplified Bible], it is to live as foreigners because we have a city whose architect and builder is God [verse 10]; it is, in spite of our shortcomings like Sarah, to receive what was promised, it is like Abraham, to give the most precious thing believing that God would restore it to life, is to trust, like Jacob, and the parents of Moses, that our descendants will apprehend the blessings to come [verses 20 and 23] . It is, like Moses, “to give up we cannot keep in order to gain what we cannot lose” [Jim Elliott]. By faith walls fall and transformed sinners are used by God. But not everyone conquered kingdoms or covered the mouths of lions, “… they were ” poor, mistreated, and tortured.” ” The world did not deserve these good people, who had to wander in deserts [verses 37 and 39, Contemporary English Version]; “All of them pleased God because of their faith! But still they died without being given what had been promised” [verse 39, Contemporary English Version] in this world. Lord, may my faith not only allow me to receive the answers I hope for, may you sustain me when, like those mentioned last, and “Though I’m denied what I hope for; as my love is now, it should remain. ” [sonnet to the Crucified].
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