Strangers seeking a homeland

8By faith Abraham, when called, obeyed to go out to a place that he was going to receive as an inheritance, and he went out not knowing where he was going.

9By faith he lived as a foreigner in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise.

10For he was waiting for the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

11By faith even Sarah herself received power to conceive offspring, even beyond the proper time of life, because she considered the one who had promised to be faithful.

12Therefore from one man, and this one as good as dead, descendants were born as numerous as the stars of heaven and as the innumerable sand by the seashore.

13All these died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them from afar and greeted them, and having confessed that they are strangers and exiles on the earth.

14For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a homeland.

15And if they had been remembering that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return.

16But as it is, they long for a better country—that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.