By faith these people overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice, and received what God had promised them. They shut the mouths of lions,

他们因着信，制伏了敌国，行了公义，得了应许，堵了狮子的口，

他们藉着信，制伏了敌国，行了公义，得了应许，堵住了狮子的口，

他们藉着信，制伏了敌国，行了公义，得了应许，堵住了狮子的口，

他们凭信心战胜了敌国，行了公义，得到了应许，堵住了狮子的口，

他们藉着信，就战胜了敌国，伸张了正义，得到了应许，堵住了狮子的口，

他们藉着信，征服了列国，行了公义，获得了那些应许；他们堵住了狮子的口，

他們因着信，制伏了敵國，行了公義，得了應許，堵了獅子的口，

他們藉着信，制伏了敵國，行了公義，得了應許，堵住了獅子的口，

他們藉着信，制伏了敵國，行了公義，得了應許，堵住了獅子的口，

他們憑信心戰勝了敵國，行了公義，得到了應許，堵住了獅子的口，

他們藉著信，就戰勝了敵國，伸張了正義，得到了應許，堵住了獅子的口，

因着信、他們制勝了列國，執行了公義政治，得了所應許的，堵住了獅子的口，

他們藉著信，征服了列國，行了公義，獲得了那些應許；他們堵住了獅子的口，

其人以信而服諸國、行公義、得應許、箝獅口、

彼有信故能服敵國、行公義、獲所許之福、箝獅口、

彼眾有信、則服敵國、行公義、獲所許、箝獅口、

總之、彼等之征服敵國、發揚公義、獲賜恩諾、箝制獅口、

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

Because of their faith they took over kingdoms. They ruled fairly. They received the blessings God had promised. They shut the mouths of lions.

who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,

who by faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions,

who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions,

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

who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,

who by faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions,

Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,

Through faith they conquered kingdoms, administered justice, gained what was promised, shut the mouths of lions,

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

As Samson and his parents were going down to Timnah, a young lion suddenly attacked Samson near the vineyards of Timnah.At that moment the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon him, and he ripped the lion’s jaws apart with his bare hands. He did it as easily as if it were a young goat. But he didn’t tell his father or mother about it.

“ Don’t be ridiculous!” Saul replied.“ There’s no way you can fight this Philistine and possibly win! You’re only a boy, and he’s been a man of war since his youth.”But David persisted.“ I have been taking care of my father’s sheep and goats,” he said.“ When a lion or a bear comes to steal a lamb from the flock,I go after it with a club and rescue the lamb from its mouth. If the animal turns on me, I catch it by the jaw and club it to death.I have done this to both lions and bears, and I’ll do it to this pagan Philistine, too, for he has defied the armies of the living God!

Praise the Lord, who is my rock. He trains my hands for war and gives my fingers skill for battle.He is my loving ally and my fortress, my tower of safety, my rescuer. He is my shield, and I take refuge in him. He makes the nations submit to me.

You drove out the pagan nations by your power and gave all the land to our ancestors. You crushed their enemies and set our ancestors free.They did not conquer the land with their swords; it was not their own strong arm that gave them victory. It was your right hand and strong arm and the blinding light from your face that helped them, for you loved them.You are my King and my God. You command victories for Israel.Only by your power can we push back our enemies; only in your name can we trample our foes.I do not trust in my bow; I do not count on my sword to save me.

God arms me with strength, and he makes my way perfect.He makes me as surefooted as a deer, enabling me to stand on mountain heights.He trains my hands for battle; he strengthens my arm to draw a bronze bow.

You will trample upon lions and cobras; you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet!

Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.

Now the gates of Jericho were tightly shut because the people were afraid of the Israelites. No one was allowed to go out or in.But the Lord said to Joshua,“ I have given you Jericho, its king, and all its strong warriors.You and your fighting men should march around the town once a day for six days.Seven priests will walk ahead of the Ark, each carrying a ram’s horn. On the seventh day you are to march around the town seven times, with the priests blowing the horns.When you hear the priests give one long blast on the rams’ horns, have all the people shout as loud as they can. Then the walls of the town will collapse, and the people can charge straight into the town.”So Joshua called together the priests and said,“ Take up the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant, and assign seven priests to walk in front of it, each carrying a ram’s horn.”Then he gave orders to the people:“ March around the town, and the armed men will lead the way in front of the Ark of the Lord.”After Joshua spoke to the people, the seven priests with the rams’ horns started marching in the presence of the Lord, blowing the horns as they marched. And the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant followed behind them.Some of the armed men marched in front of the priests with the horns and some behind the Ark, with the priests continually blowing the horns.“ Do not shout; do not even talk,” Joshua commanded.“ Not a single word from any of you until I tell you to shout. Then shout!”So the Ark of the Lord was carried around the town once that day, and then everyone returned to spend the night in the camp.Joshua got up early the next morning, and the priests again carried the Ark of the Lord.The seven priests with the rams’ horns marched in front of the Ark of the Lord, blowing their horns. Again the armed men marched both in front of the priests with the horns and behind the Ark of the Lord. All this time the priests were blowing their horns.

But the Lord stood with me and gave me strength so that I might preach the Good News in its entirety for all the Gentiles to hear. And he rescued me from certain death.

For you grant victory to kings! You rescued your servant David from the fatal sword.

It was by faith that Abel brought a more acceptable offering to God than Cain did. Abel’s offering gave evidence that he was a righteous man, and God showed his approval of his gifts. Although Abel is long dead, he still speaks to us by his example of faith.It was by faith that Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying—“ he disappeared, because God took him.” For before he was taken up, he was known as a person who pleased God.And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.It was by faith that Noah built a large boat to save his family from the flood. He obeyed God, who warned him about things that had never happened before. By his faith Noah condemned the rest of the world, and he received the righteousness that comes by faith.It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going.

Then you will not become spiritually dull and indifferent. Instead, you will follow the example of those who are going to inherit God’s promises because of their faith and endurance.For example, there was God’s promise to Abraham. Since there was no one greater to swear by, God took an oath in his own name, saying:“ I will certainly bless you, and I will multiply your descendants beyond number.”Then Abraham waited patiently, and he received what God had promised.

After this, David defeated and subdued the Philistines by conquering Gath, their largest town.David also conquered the land of Moab. He made the people lie down on the ground in a row, and he measured them off in groups with a length of rope. He measured off two groups to be executed for every one group to be spared. The Moabites who were spared became David’s subjects and paid him tribute money.David also destroyed the forces of Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah, when Hadadezer marched out to strengthen his control along the Euphrates River.David captured 1,000 chariots, 7,000 charioteers, and 20,000 foot soldiers. He crippled all the chariot horses except enough for 100 chariots.When Arameans from Damascus arrived to help King Hadadezer, David killed 22,000 of them.Then he placed several army garrisons in Damascus, the Aramean capital, and the Arameans became David’s subjects and paid him tribute money. So the Lord made David victorious wherever he went.David brought the gold shields of Hadadezer’s officers to Jerusalem,along with a large amount of bronze from Hadadezer’s towns of Tebah and Berothai.When King Toi of Hamath heard that David had destroyed the entire army of Hadadezer,he sent his son Joram to congratulate King David for his successful campaign. Hadadezer and Toi had been enemies and were often at war. Joram presented David with many gifts of silver, gold, and bronze.King David dedicated all these gifts to the Lord, as he did with the silver and gold from the other nations he had defeated—from Edom, Moab, Ammon, Philistia, and Amalek— and from Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah.So David became even more famous when he returned from destroying 18,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt.He placed army garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites became David’s subjects. In fact, the Lord made David victorious wherever he went.

When he got there, he called out in anguish,“ Daniel, servant of the living God! Was your God, whom you serve so faithfully, able to rescue you from the lions?”Daniel answered,“ Long live the king!My God sent his angel to shut the lions’ mouths so that they would not hurt me, for I have been found innocent in his sight. And I have not wronged you, Your Majesty.”The king was overjoyed and ordered that Daniel be lifted from the den. Not a scratch was found on him, for he had trusted in his God.

God gave the promises to Abraham and his child. And notice that the Scripture doesn’t say“ to his children,” as if it meant many descendants. Rather, it says“ to his child”— and that, of course, means Christ.

It was by faith that Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice when God was testing him. Abraham, who had received God’s promises, was ready to sacrifice his only son, Isaac,

David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in all.He had reigned over Judah from Hebron for seven years and six months, and from Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah for thirty three years.David then led his men to Jerusalem to fight against the Jebusites, the original inhabitants of the land who were living there. The Jebusites taunted David, saying,“ You’ll never get in here! Even the blind and lame could keep you out!” For the Jebusites thought they were safe.But David captured the fortress of Zion, which is now called the City of David.On the day of the attack, David said to his troops,“ I hate those‘ lame’ and‘ blind’ Jebusites. Whoever attacks them should strike by going into the city through the water tunnel.” That is the origin of the saying,“ The blind and the lame may not enter the house.”So David made the fortress his home, and he called it the City of David. He extended the city, starting at the supporting terraces and working inward.And David became more and more powerful, because the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies was with him.Then King Hiram of Tyre sent messengers to David, along with cedar timber and carpenters and stonemasons, and they built David a palace.And David realized that the Lord had confirmed him as king over Israel and had blessed his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.After moving from Hebron to Jerusalem, David married more concubines and wives, and they had more sons and daughters.These are the names of David’s sons who were born in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon,Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia,Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king of Israel, they mobilized all their forces to capture him. But David was told they were coming, so he went into the stronghold.The Philistines arrived and spread out across the valley of Rephaim.So David asked the Lord,“ Should I go out to fight the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?” The Lord replied to David,“ Yes, go ahead. I will certainly hand them over to you.”So David went to Baal perazim and defeated the Philistines there.“ The Lord did it!” David exclaimed.“ He burst through my enemies like a raging flood!” So he named that place Baal perazim( which means“ the Lord who bursts through”).The Philistines had abandoned their idols there, so David and his men confiscated them.But after a while the Philistines returned and again spread out across the valley of Rephaim.And again David asked the Lord what to do.“ Do not attack them straight on,” the Lord replied.“ Instead, circle around behind and attack them near the poplar trees.When you hear a sound like marching feet in the tops of the poplar trees, be on the alert! That will be the signal that the Lord is moving ahead of you to strike down the Philistine army.”So David did what the Lord commanded, and he struck down the Philistines all the way from Gibeon to Gezer.

Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.

starting from the time I appointed judges to rule my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies.“‘ Furthermore, the Lord declares that he will make a house for you— a dynasty of kings!For when you die and are buried with your ancestors, I will raise up one of your descendants, your own offspring, and I will make his kingdom strong.He is the one who will build a house— a temple— for my name. And I will secure his royal throne forever.I will be his father, and he will be my son. If he sins, I will correct and discipline him with the rod, like any father would do.But my favor will not be taken from him as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from your sight.Your house and your kingdom will continue before me for all time, and your throne will be secure forever.’”So Nathan went back to David and told him everything the Lord had said in this vision.