Hebrews 11
11
By Faith
1Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of #Rom. 8:24; 2 Cor. 4:18; 5:7; 1 Pet. 1:8things not seen. 2For by it the people of old received their commendation. 3By faith we understand that the universe was created by #See Gen. 1:1 the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of #[Rom. 4:17]things that are visible.
4By faith #Gen. 4:4-8; 1 John 3:12 Abel offered to God #Prov. 15:8 a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And #Gen. 4:10 through his faith, though he died, he #ch. 12:24still speaks. 5By faith #Gen. 5:22-24; [2 Kgs. 2:11]Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. 6And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God #1 Chr. 28:9; Jer. 29:12-14; [John 4:24]must believe that he exists and #1 Chr. 28:9; Jer. 29:12-14; [John 4:24]that he rewards those who seek him. 7By faith #Gen. 6:13-22; Luke 17:26; 1 Pet. 3:20 Noah, being warned by God concerning #ver. 1 events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of #Rom. 4:13; [Gen. 6:9; Ezek. 14:14, 20]the righteousness that comes by faith.
8By faith #Gen. 12:1-4; Acts 7:2-4 Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place #Gen. 12:7that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9By faith he went to live in #Acts 7:5 the land of promise, as in a foreign land, #Gen. 12:8; 13:3, 18; 18:1, 9 living in tents #Gen. 35:27with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. 10For he was looking forward to #ch. 12:22; [ch. 13:14] the city that has #Ps. 87:1; Rev. 21:14 foundations, #Rev. 21:2, 10whose designer and builder is God. 11By faith #Gen. 17:19; 18:11-14; 21:2 Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered #ch. 10:23him faithful who had promised. 12Therefore from one man, and #Rom. 4:19 him as good as dead, were born descendants #Gen. 22:17; 32:12; See Gen. 15:5as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.
13These all died in faith, #ver. 39 not having received the things promised, but #ver. 27; John 8:56; [Matt. 13:17] having seen them and greeted them from afar, and #Gen. 23:4; 47:9; [1 Chr. 29:15; Ps. 39:12] having acknowledged that they were #Eph. 2:19strangers and exiles on the earth. 14For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, #[Gen. 24:6-8]they would have had opportunity to return. 16But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed #Gen. 26:24; 28:13; Ex. 3:6; 4:5; [ch. 2:11] to be called their God, for #[ver. 10; Matt. 25:34; John 14:2]he has prepared for them a city.
17By faith #Gen. 22:1-10; James 2:21Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, 18of whom it was said, #Rom. 9:7; Cited from Gen. 21:12“Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” 19#Rom. 4:17-21He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. 20By faith #Gen. 27:27-29, 39, 40Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau. 21By faith #Gen. 48:16, 20 Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, #[Gen. 47:31]bowing in worship over the head of his staff. 22By faith #Gen. 50:24, 25; Ex. 13:19Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones.
23By faith #Ex. 2:2, 3; Acts 7:20 Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of #Ex. 1:16, 22the king’s edict. 24By faith Moses, when he was grown up, #Ex. 2:10, 11refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25#[Job 36:21; Ps. 84:10] choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy #1 John 2:17the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26#ch. 13:13; [Ps. 89:50, 51; Phil. 3:7, 8; 1 Pet. 4:14] He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to #ch. 2:2; 10:35the reward. 27By faith he #Ex. 12:37; 13:17, 18 left Egypt, #Ex. 10:28, 29 not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured #ver. 13; See 1 Tim. 1:17as seeing him who is invisible. 28By faith #Ex. 12:21-30he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them.
29By faith #Ex. 14:21-30the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned. 30By faith #Josh. 6:15, 16, 20the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. 31By faith #Josh. 6:25; James 2:25 Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she #Josh. 2:1, 8-13had given a friendly welcome to the spies.
32And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of #Judg. 6:11 Gideon, #Judg. 4:6 Barak, #Judg. 13:24 Samson, #Judg. 11:1 Jephthah, of #1 Sam. 16:1, 13 David and #1 Sam. 1:20Samuel and the prophets— 33who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, #Judg. 14:6; 1 Sam. 17:35; Dan. 6:22stopped the mouths of lions, 34#Dan. 3:25 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, #Judg. 7:21; 1 Sam. 17:51; 2 Sam. 12:29became mighty in war, #Judg. 7:21; 1 Sam. 17:51; 2 Sam. 12:29put foreign armies to flight. 35#1 Kgs. 17:22; 2 Kgs. 4:35Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. 36Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even #Gen. 39:20; Jer. 20:2; 37:15chains and imprisonment. 37#1 Kgs. 21:13; 2 Chr. 24:21 They were stoned, they were sawn in two,#11:37 Some manuscripts add they were tempted #1 Kgs. 19:10; Jer. 26:23 they were killed with the sword. #2 Kgs. 1:8They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— 38of whom the world was not worthy—#1 Sam. 22:1; 1 Kgs. 18:4; 19:9wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
39And all these, #ver. 2, 13; [1 Pet. 1:12]though commended through their faith, #ver. 2, 13; [1 Pet. 1:12]did not receive what was promised, 40since God had provided something better for us, #[Rev. 6:11]that apart from us they should not be made perfect.
Currently Selected:
Hebrews 11: ESV
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Sign up to receive news and updates about the ESV:
Hebrews 11
11
1Now faith is the substantiating of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2For in the power of this the elders have obtained testimony. 3By faith we apprehend that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that that which is seen should not take its origin from things which appear.
4By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained testimony of being righteous, God bearing testimony to his gifts, and by it, having died, he yet speaks. 5By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him; for before his translation he has the testimony that he had pleased God. 6But without faith it is impossible to please him. For he that draws near to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them who seek him out. 7By faith, Noah, oracularly warned concerning things not yet seen, moved with fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his house; by which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. 8By faith Abraham, being called, obeyed to go out into the place which he was to receive for an inheritance, and went out, not knowing where he was going. 9By faith he sojourned as a stranger in the land of promise as a foreign country, having dwelt in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; 10for he waited for the city which has foundations, of which God is the artificer and constructor. 11By faith also Sarah herself received strength for the conception of seed, and that beyond a seasonable age; since she counted him faithful who promised. 12Wherefore also there have been born of one, and that of one become dead, even as the stars of heaven in multitude, and as the countless sand which is by the sea shore. 13All these died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them from afar off and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and sojourners on the earth. 14For they who say such things shew clearly that they seek their country. 15And if they had called to mind that from whence they went out, they had had opportunity to have returned; 16but now they seek a better, that is, a heavenly; wherefore God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God; for he has prepared for them a city. 17By faith Abraham, when tried, offered up Isaac, and he who had received to himself the promises offered up his only begotten son, 18as to whom it had been said, In Isaac shall thy seed be called: 19counting that God was able to raise him even from among the dead, whence also he received him in a figure. 20By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. 21By faith Jacob when dying blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshipped on the top of his staff. 22By faith Joseph when dying called to mind the going forth of the sons of Israel, and gave commandment concerning his bones. 23By faith Moses, being born, was hid three months by his parents, because they saw the child beautiful; and they did not fear the injunction of the king. 24By faith Moses, when he had become great, refused to be called son of Pharaoh's daughter; 25choosing rather to suffer affliction along with the people of God than to have the temporary pleasure of sin; 26esteeming the reproach of the Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt, for he had respect to the recompense. 27By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he persevered, as seeing him who is invisible. 28By faith he celebrated the passover and the sprinkling of the blood, that the destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them. 29By faith they passed through the Red sea as through dry land; of which the Egyptians having made trial were swallowed up. 30By faith the walls of Jericho fell, having been encircled for seven days. 31By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish along with the unbelieving, having received the spies in peace.
32And what more do I say? For the time would fail me telling of Gideon, and Barak, and Samson, and Jephthah, and David and Samuel, and of the prophets: 33who by faith overcame kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped lions' mouths, 34quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, became strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, made the armies of strangers give way. 35Women received their dead again by resurrection; and others were tortured, not having accepted deliverance, that they might get a better resurrection; 36and others underwent trial of mockings and scourgings, yea, and of bonds and imprisonment. 37They were stoned, were sawn asunder, were tempted, died by the death of the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, destitute, afflicted, evil treated, 38(of whom the world was not worthy,) wandering in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caverns of the earth. 39And these all, having obtained witness through faith, did not receive the promise, 40God having foreseen some better thing for us, that they should not be made perfect without us.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
First published in 1890. This edition is maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.