Hope is: A desire accompanied by confident expectation of its fulfillment.
In the bible hope stands for both the act of hoping and the thing hoped for.
The act of hoping:
1 Cor 9:10
For our sakes, no doubt, this is written, that he who plows should plow in hope, and he who threshes in hope should be partaker of his hope.
The thing hoped for:
Col 1:5
5 because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel.
1 Peter 1:3
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
Where does hope come from? It comes from God.
Rom 15:13
13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
At one time we were without hope.
Eph 2:12
12 that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
But now, if we are "IN" Christ Jesus we have hope.
Eph 2:13
13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
Because of God's abundant mercy, we have available to us a living hope through Jesus Christ, to an inheritance incorruptible, reserved in heaven for those who believe and obey His will.
1 Peter 1:3-5
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
Hope is only for those who are "IN" Christ.
Acts 24:15-16
15 I have hope in God, which they themselves also accept, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust. 16 This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men.
How do I get "IN" Christ? How can I have this hope?
Rom. 6:1-4
1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? 3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Acts 2:38-39
38 Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call." 40 And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, "Be saved from this perverse generation." 41 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.
So, we can be justified by God's grace and become heirs, having the "HOPE" or "Confident Expectation" of eternal life if we do our part. And our part is to: believe on the Lord our God, repent of our sins, confess that Jesus is the Christ, be baptized into Christ to put off the old man and his deeds, and remain faithful until death. Then, we shall receive our crown of life.