Hebrews 11
11
Examples of Faith in Action
1 Now faith is the realization of what is hoped for, the proof of things not seen. 2For by this the people of old were approved. 3By faith we understand the worlds were created by the word of God, in order that what is seen did not come into existence from what is visible.
4By faith Abel offered to God a greater sacrifice than Cain, by which he was approved that he was righteous, because#*Here “when” is supplied as a component of the temporal participle (“was”) God approved him for his gifts, and through it#I.e., his faith he still speaks, although he#*Here “although” is supplied as a component of the participle (“is dead”) which is understood as concessive is dead. 5By faith Enoch was taken up, so that he did not experience death, and he was not found, because God took him up. For before his removal, he had been approved as having been pleasing#Literally “to be pleasing” to God. 6Now without faith it is impossible to please him, for the one who approaches God must believe that he exists and is a rewarder of those who seek him. 7By faith Noah, having been warned about things not yet seen, out of reverence constructed an ark for the deliverance of his family, by which he pronounced sentence on the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
8By faith Abraham, when he#*Here “when” is supplied as a component of the temporal participle (“was called”) was called, obeyed to go out to a place that he was going to receive for an inheritance, and he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9By faith he lived in the land of promise as a stranger, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the fellow heirs of the same promise. 10For he was expecting the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 11By faith also, with Sarah#Literally “with her, Sarah”,#Some manuscripts have “even though Sarah herself was barren” he received the ability to procreate#Literally “power to deposit seed” even past the normal age#Literally “beyond the time of maturity”, because he regarded the one who had promised to be faithful. 12And therefore these were fathered from one man, and he being as good as dead, as the stars of heaven in number and like the innumerable sand by the shore of the sea.
13These all died in faith without receiving the promises, but seeing them from a distance and welcoming them, and admitting that they were strangers and temporary residents on the earth. 14For those who say such things make clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15And if they remember#Some manuscripts have “they had been remembering” that land from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16But now they aspire to a better land, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.
17By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered Isaac, and the one who received the promises was ready to offer his one and only son, 18with reference to whom it was said, “In Isaac your descendants will be named,”#A quotation from Gen 21:12 19having reasoned that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which he received him back also as a symbol. 20By faith also Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things that were going to happen. 21By faith Jacob, as he#*Here “as” is supplied as a component of the temporal participle (“was dying”) was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. 22By faith Joseph, as he#*Here “as” is supplied as a component of the temporal participle (“was dying”) was dying, mentioned about the exodus of the sons of Israel and gave instructions about his bones.
23By faith Moses, when he#*Here “when” is supplied as a component of the temporal participle (“afraid of”) was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw the child was handsome, and they were not afraid of the edict of the king. 24By faith Moses, when he#*Here “when” is supplied as a component of the temporal participle (“was”) was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25choosing instead to be mistreated with the people of God rather than to experience the transitory enjoyment of sin, 26considering reproach endured for the sake of Christ#Literally “the reproach of Christ” greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. 27By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the anger of the king, for he persevered as if he#*Here “if” is supplied as a component of the participle (“saw”) which is understood as conditional saw the invisible one. 28By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, in order that the one who destroyed the firstborn would not touch them. 29By faith they crossed the Red Sea as if on dry land; the Egyptians, when they made the attempt#Literally “of which attempt making”, were drowned. 30By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they#*Here “after” is supplied as a component of the temporal participle (“had been marched around”) had been marched around for seven days. 31By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she#*Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“welcomed”) which is understood as causal welcomed the spies in peace.
32And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, and Samuel and the prophets, 33who through faith conquered kingdoms, accomplished justice, obtained what was promised, shut the mouths of lions, 34extinguished the effectiveness of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong from weakness, became mighty in battle, put to flight enemy battle lines. 35Women received back their dead by resurrection. But others were tortured, not accepting release, in order that they might gain a better resurrection. 36And others experienced mocking and flogging#Literally “received experience of mocking and flogging”, and in addition bonds and imprisonment. 37They were stoned, they were sawed in two, they died by murder with a sword, they wandered about in sheepskins, in goatskins, impoverished, afflicted, mistreated, 38of whom the world was not worthy, wandering about on deserts and mountains and in caves and in holes in the ground. 39And although they#*Here “although” is supplied as a component of the participle (“were approved”) which is understood as concessive all were approved#Some manuscripts have “And all these, although they were approved” through their faith, they did not receive what was promised, 40because#*Here “because” is supplied as a component of the causal genitive absolute participle (“had provided”) God had provided something better for us, so that they would not be made perfect without us.
Currently Selected:
Hebrews 11: LEB
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
2010 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software
Hebrews 11
11
Faith of the Ancients. 1Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence#Faith is the realization…evidence: the author is not attempting a precise definition. There is dispute about the meaning of the Greek words hypostasis and elenchos, here translated realization and evidence, respectively. Hypostasis usually means “substance,” “being” (as translated in Heb 1:3), or “reality” (as translated in Heb 3:14); here it connotes something more subjective, and so realization has been chosen rather than “assurance” (RSV). Elenchos, usually “proof,” is used here in an objective sense and so translated evidence rather than the transferred sense of “(inner) conviction” (RSV). of things not seen.#1:3; 3:14; Rom 8:24; 2 Cor 4:18. 2Because of it the ancients were well attested. 3#Gn 1:3; Ps 33:6; Wis 9:1; Jn 1:3. By faith we understand that the universe was ordered by the word of God,#By faith…God: this verse does not speak of the faith of the Old Testament men and women but is in the first person plural. Hence it seems out of place in the sequence of thought. so that what is visible came into being through the invisible. 4#The “Praise of the Ancestors” in Sir 44:1–50:21 gives a similar list of heroes. The Cain and Abel narrative in Gn 4:1–16 does not mention Abel’s faith. It says, however, that God “looked with favor on Abel and his offering” (Gn 4:4); in view of Heb 11:6 the author probably understood God’s favor to have been activated by Abel’s faith. Though dead, he still speaks: possibly because his blood “cries out to me from the soil” (Gn 4:10), but more probably a way of saying that the repeated story of Abel provides ongoing witness to faith. By faith Abel offered to God a sacrifice greater than Cain’s. Through this he was attested to be righteous, God bearing witness to his gifts, and through this, though dead, he still speaks.#12:24; Gn 4:4, 10. 5By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and “he was found no more because God had taken him.” Before he was taken up, he was attested to have pleased God.#Gn 5:24; Sir 44:16. 6#One must believe not only that God exists but that he is concerned about human conduct; the Old Testament defines folly as the denial of this truth; cf. Ps 52:2. But without faith it is impossible to please him,#Wis 4:10. for anyone who approaches God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. 7By faith Noah, warned about what was not yet seen, with reverence built an ark for the salvation of his household. Through this he condemned the world and inherited the righteousness that comes through faith.#Gn 6:8–22; Sir 44:17–18; Mt 24:37–39; Lk 17:26–27; 1 Pt 3:20; 2 Pt 2:5.
8By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; he went out, not knowing where he was to go.#Gn 12:1–4; 15:7–21; Sir 44:19–22; Acts 7:2–8; Rom 4:16–22. 9By faith he sojourned in the promised land as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs of the same promise;#Gn 12:8; 13:12; 23:4; 26:3; 35:27. 10for he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and maker is God.#12:22; 13:14; Rev 21:10–22. 11By faith he received power to generate, even though he was past the normal age—and Sarah herself was sterile—for he thought that the one who had made the promise was trustworthy.#Gn 17:19; 21:2; Rom 4:19–21 / 1 Cor 10:13. 12So it was that there came forth from one man, himself as good as dead, descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sands on the seashore.#Gn 15:5; 22:17; 32:13; Ex 32:13; Dt 10:22; Dn 3:36 LXX.
13All these died in faith. They did not receive what had been promised but saw it and greeted it from afar and acknowledged themselves to be strangers and aliens on earth,#Gn 23:4; Ps 39:13. 14for those who speak thus show that they are seeking a homeland. 15If they had been thinking of the land from which they had come, they would have had opportunity to return. 16But now they desire a better homeland, a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.#13:14; Ex 3:6.
17By faith Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was ready to offer his only son,#Gn 22:1–10; Sir 44:20; 1 Mc 2:52; Jas 2:21. 18of whom it was said, “Through Isaac descendants shall bear your name.”#Gn 21:12 LXX; Rom 9:7. 19#As a symbol: Isaac’s “return from death” is seen as a symbol of Christ’s resurrection. Others understand the words en parabolē to mean “in figure,” i.e., the word dead is used figuratively of Isaac, since he did not really die. But in the one other place that parabolē occurs in Hebrews, it means symbol (Heb 9:9). He reasoned that God was able to raise even from the dead,#Rom 4:16–22. and he received Isaac back as a symbol. 20By faith regarding things still to come Isaac#Each of these three patriarchs, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph, had faith in the future fulfillment of God’s promise and renewed this faith when near death. blessed Jacob and Esau.#Gn 27:27–40. 21By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph and “bowed in worship, leaning on the top of his staff.”#Gn 27:38–40; 47:31 LXX; 48:15–16. 22By faith Joseph, near the end of his life, spoke of the Exodus of the Israelites and gave instructions about his bones.#Gn 50:24–25.
23#Ex 2:2; Acts 7:20. By faith Moses was hidden by his parents for three months after his birth, because they saw that he was a beautiful child, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. 24#The reason given for Moses’ departure from Egypt differs from the account in Ex 2:11–15. The author also gives a christological interpretation of his decision to share the trials of his people. By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter;#Ex 2:10–15; Acts 7:23–29. 25he chose to be ill-treated along with the people of God rather than enjoy the fleeting pleasure of sin. 26He considered the reproach of the Anointed greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the recompense. 27By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s fury, for he persevered as if seeing the one who is invisible.#Ex 2:15; Acts 7:29. 28By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them.#Ex 12:21–23; Wis 18:25; 1 Cor 10:10. 29By faith they crossed the Red Sea as if it were dry land, but when the Egyptians attempted it they were drowned.#Ex 14:22–28. 30By faith the walls of Jericho fell after being encircled for seven days.#Jos 6:12–21. 31By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish with the disobedient, for she had received the spies in peace.#Jos 2:1–21; 6:22–25; Jas 2:25.
32What more shall I say? I have not time to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets,#Jgs 4:6–22; 6:11–8:32; 11:1–12:7. 33who by faith conquered kingdoms, did what was righteous, obtained the promises; they closed the mouths of lions,#Dn 6:23. 34put out raging fires, escaped the devouring sword; out of weakness they were made powerful, became strong in battle, and turned back foreign invaders.#Dn 3:22–25, 49–50. 35Women received back their dead through resurrection. Some were tortured and would not accept deliverance, in order to obtain a better resurrection.#1 Kgs 17:17–24; 2 Kgs 4:18–37; 2 Mc 6:18–7:42. 36Others endured mockery, scourging, even chains and imprisonment.#2 Chr 36:16; Jer 20:2; 37:15. 37They were stoned, sawed in two, put to death at sword’s point; they went about in skins of sheep or goats, needy, afflicted, tormented.#2 Chr 24:21. 38The world was not worthy of them. They wandered about in deserts and on mountains, in caves and in crevices in the earth.#1 Mc 2:28–30.
39Yet all these, though approved because of their faith, did not receive what had been promised. 40God had foreseen something better for us, so that without us they should not be made perfect.#So that without us they should not be made perfect: the heroes of the Old Testament obtained their recompense only after the saving work of Christ had been accomplished. Thus they already enjoy what Christians who are still struggling do not yet possess in its fullness.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc