Hebrews 11
11
Heroes of Faith
1Now faith is the reality # Or assurance of what is hoped for, the proof # Or conviction of what is not seen. # Rm 8:24; 2Co 4:18 2For our ancestors won God’s approval by it.
3By faith we understand that the universe was # Or the worlds were, or the ages were created by God’s command, # Or word # Gn 1:1; Jn 1:3; 2Pt 3:5 so that what is seen has been made from things that are not visible.
4By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was approved as a righteous man, because God approved his gifts, and even though he is dead, he still speaks through his faith. # Gn 4:4; 1Jn 3:12
5By faith Enoch was taken away so he did not experience death, and he was not to be found because God took him away. # Gn 5:21-24 For prior to his removal he was approved, since he had pleased God. # Gn 5:21-24; 2Kg 2:11 6Now without faith it is impossible to please God, for the one who draws near to Him must believe that He exists and rewards those who seek Him.
7By faith Noah, after he was warned about what was not yet seen and motivated by godly fear, built an ark to deliver his family. By faith he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. # Gn 6:13-22; 1Pt 3:20
8By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed and went out to a place he was going to receive as an inheritance. He went out, not knowing where he was going. # Gn 12:1-4,7; Ac 7:2-4 9By faith he stayed as a foreigner in the land of promise, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, coheirs of the same promise. # Gn 12:8; 18:1; Ac 7:5; Heb 6:17 10For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. # Heb 12:22; 13:14; Rv 21:2,10,14
11By faith even Sarah herself, when she was unable to have children, received power to conceive offspring, even though she was past the age, since she # Or By faith Abraham, even though he was past age — and Sarah herself was barren — received the ability to procreate since he considered that the One who had promised was faithful. # Gn 17:19; 18:11-14; 21:2 12Therefore from one man — in fact, from one as good as dead — came offspring as numerous as the stars of heaven and as innumerable as the grains of sand by the seashore. # Gn 22:17; Rm 4:19
13These all died in faith without having received the promises, but they saw them from a distance, # Mt 13:17; Jn 8:56; Heb 11:39 greeted them, and confessed that they were foreigners and temporary residents on the earth. # Gn 23:4; 1Ch 29:15; Ps 39:12; 1Pt 1:17 14Now those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15If they were thinking about where they came from, they would have had an opportunity to return. 16But they now desire a better place — a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them. # Ex 3:6,15; Mk 8:38; 2Tm 4:18; Heb 13:14
17By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac. # Gn 22:1-10; Jms 2:21 He received the promises and he was offering his unique son, 18the one it had been said about, Your seed will be traced # Lit called through Isaac. # Gn 21:12; Rm 9:7 # Gn 21:12 19He considered God to be able even to raise someone from the dead, # Rm 4:17 and as an illustration, # Or a foreshadowing, or a parable, or a type he received him back.
20By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau # Gn 25:25; 27:26-40 concerning things to come. 21By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and he worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. # Gn 47:31; 48:1,5,16,20 # Gn 47:31 22By faith Joseph, as he was nearing the end of his life, mentioned the exodus of the Israelites and gave instructions concerning his bones. # Gn 50:24-25; Ex 13:19
23By faith, after Moses was born, he was hidden by his parents for three months, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they didn’t fear the king’s edict. # Ex 1:16,22; 2:2 24By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter 25and chose to suffer with the people of God rather than to enjoy the short-lived pleasure of sin. # Ex 2:10-11; Ps 84:10 26For he considered the reproach because of the Messiah to be greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, since his attention was on the reward. # Heb 10:35; 13:13
27By faith he left Egypt behind, not being afraid of the king’s anger, for Moses persevered as one who sees Him who is invisible. # Rm 1:20; Col 1:15-16; 1Tm 1:17 28By faith he instituted the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn might not touch the Israelites. 29By faith they crossed the Red Sea as though they were on dry land. When the Egyptians attempted to do this, they were drowned. # Ex 14:22-30
30By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after being encircled by the Israelites for seven days. 31By faith Rahab the prostitute received the spies in peace and didn’t perish with those who disobeyed. # Jos 2:1; 6:23
32And what more can I say? Time is too short for me to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, # Jdg 4:6; 11:1; 13:24 David, Samuel, and the prophets, # 1Sm 1:20; 16:1,13 33who by faith conquered kingdoms, # 2Sm 7:11; 8:1-3 administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, # Jdg 14:5-6; 1Sm 17:34-37; Dn 6:22 34quenched the raging of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, gained strength after being weak, became mighty in battle, and put foreign armies to flight. # Jdg 15:8; 2Kg 20:7; Dn 3:25 35Women received their dead — they were raised to life again. Some men were tortured, not accepting release, so that they might gain a better resurrection, 36and others experienced mockings and scourgings, as well as bonds and imprisonment. # Gn 39:20; Jr 20:2 37They were stoned, # Other mss add they were tempted # 1Kg 21:13; 2Ch 24:20-21 they were sawed in two, they died by the sword, they wandered about in sheepskins, in goatskins, # 1Kg 19:10; 2Kg 1:8 destitute, afflicted, and mistreated. 38The world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and on mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground.
39All these were approved through their faith, but they did not receive what was promised, 40since God had provided something better for us, so that they would not be made perfect without us. # Heb 11:16; Rv 6:11
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Hebrews 11
11
The Triumphs of Faith
1Now faith is the assurance (title deed, confirmation) of things hoped for (divinely guaranteed), and the evidence of things not seen [the conviction of their reality—faith comprehends as fact what cannot be experienced by the physical senses]. 2For by this [kind of] faith the #11:2 I.e. those men and women who were faithful to God before the old covenant and those faithful to God after its establishment, those mentioned in this chapter.men of old gained [divine] approval.
3By faith [that is, with an inherent trust and enduring confidence in the power, wisdom and goodness of God] we understand that the worlds (universe, ages) were framed and created [formed, put in order, and equipped for their intended purpose] by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible. 4By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which it was testified of him that he was righteous (upright, in right standing with God), and God testified by accepting his gifts. And though he died, yet through [this act of] faith he still speaks. [Gen 4:3-10] 5By faith [that pleased God] Enoch was caught up and taken to heaven so that he would not have a glimpse of death; and he was not found because God had taken him; for even before he was taken [to heaven], he received the testimony [still on record] that he had walked with God and pleased Him. [Gen 5:21-24] 6But 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. 7By faith [with confidence in God and His word] Noah, being warned by God about events not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his family. By this [act of obedience] he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness which comes by faith. [Gen 6:13-22]
8By faith Abraham, when he was called [by God], obeyed by going to a place which he was to receive as an inheritance; and he went, not knowing where he was going. 9By faith he lived as a foreigner in the promised land, as in a strange land, living in tents [as nomads] with Isaac and Jacob, who were fellow heirs of the same promise. [Gen 12:1-8] 10For he was [waiting expectantly and confidently] looking forward to the city which has foundations, [an eternal, heavenly city] whose architect and builder is God. 11By faith even Sarah herself received the ability to conceive [a child], even [when she was long] past the normal age for it, because she considered Him who had given her the promise to be reliable and true [to His word]. [Gen 17:19; 18:11-14; 21:2] 12So from one man, though he was [physically] as good as dead, were born as many descendants as the stars of heaven in number, and innumerable as the sand on the seashore. [Gen 15:5, 6; 22:17; 32:12]
13All these died in faith [guided and sustained by it], without receiving the [tangible fulfillment of God’s] promises, only having seen (anticipated) them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. [Gen 23:4; Ps 39:12] 14Now those who say such things make it clear that they are looking for a country of their own. 15And if they had been thinking of that country from which they departed [as their true home], they would have had [a continuing] opportunity to return. 16But the truth is that they were longing for a better country, that is, a heavenly one. For that reason God is not ashamed [of them or] to be called their God [even to be surnamed their God—the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob]; for He has prepared a city for them. [Ex 3:6, 15; 4:5]
17By faith Abraham, when he was tested [that is, as the testing of his faith was still in progress], #11:17 Lit has offered. Even though Abraham did not follow through with the sacrifice per the fact that it was a test from God, from Abraham’s perspective the offering was completed although he did not physically offer Isaac.offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises [of God] was ready to sacrifice his only son [of promise]; [Gen 22:1-10] 18to whom it was said, “Through Isaac your descendants shall be called.” [Gen 21:12] 19For he considered [it reasonable to believe] that God was able to raise Isaac even from among the dead. [Indeed, in the sense that he was prepared to sacrifice Isaac in obedience to God] Abraham did receive him back [from the dead] figuratively speaking. 20By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau [believing what God revealed to him], even regarding things to come. [Gen 27:27-29, 39, 40] 21By faith Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and bowed in worship, leaning on the top of his staff. [Gen 48] 22By faith Joseph, when he was dying, referred to [the promise of God for] the exodus of the sons of Israel [from Egypt], and gave instructions concerning [the burial of] his bones [in the land of the promise]. [Gen 50:24, 25; Ex 13:19]
23By faith Moses, after his birth, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful and divinely favored child; and they were not afraid of the king’s (Pharaoh’s) decree. [Ex 1:22; 2:2; Acts 7:20] 24By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, [Ex 2:10, 15] 25because he preferred to endure the hardship of the people of God rather than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin. 26He considered the reproach of the #11:26 The author is probably suggesting two things here: 1) Moses’ reproach was like what was endured by Jesus in His suffering and death, and 2) Moses’ reproach was for the sake of Christ. Whether typology is involved here is debated.Christ [that is, the rebuke he would suffer for his faithful obedience to God] to be greater wealth than all the treasures of Egypt; for he looked ahead to the reward [promised by God]. 27By faith he left Egypt, being unafraid of the wrath of the king; for he endured [steadfastly], as seeing Him who is unseen. [Ex 2:15] 28By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood [on the doorposts], so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch them (the firstborn of Israel). [Ex 12:21-30] 29By faith the people [of Israel] crossed the Red Sea as though they were passing through dry land; but when the Egyptians attempted it they were drowned. [Ex 14:21-31]
30By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days [by Joshua and the sons of Israel]. [Josh 6:12-21] 31By faith Rahab the prostitute was not destroyed along with those who were disobedient, because she had welcomed the spies [sent by the sons of Israel] in peace. [Josh 2:1-21; 6:22-25]
32And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, [Judg 4; 5; 6-8; 11; 12; 13-16; 1 Sam 1-30; 2 Sam 1-24; 1 Kin 1; 2; Acts 3:24] 33who by faith [that is, with an enduring trust in God and His promises] subdued kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promised blessings, closed the mouths of lions, [Dan 6] 34extinguished the power of [raging] fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became mighty and unbeatable in battle, putting enemy forces to flight. [Dan 3] 35Women received back their dead by resurrection; and others were tortured [to death], refusing to accept release [offered on the condition of denying their faith], so that they would be resurrected to a better life; [1 Kin 17:17-24; 2 Kin 4:25-37] 36and others experienced the trial of mocking and scourging [amid torture], and even chains and imprisonment. 37They were stoned [to death], they were sawn in two, they were lured with tempting offers [to renounce their faith], they were put to death by the sword; they went about wrapped in the skins of sheep and goats, utterly destitute, oppressed, cruelly treated 38(people of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and [living in] caves and holes in the ground.
39And all of these, though they gained [divine] approval through their faith, did not receive [the fulfillment of] what was promised, 40because God had us in mind and had something better for us, so that they [these men and women of authentic faith] would not be made perfect [that is, completed in Him] apart from us.
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