Hebrews 11

Listen to Hebrews 11

By Faith

1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of 1things not seen.
2 For by it the people of old received their commendation.
3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by 2the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of 3things that are visible.
4 By faith 4Abel offered to God 5a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And 6through his faith, though he died, he 7still speaks.
5 By faith 8Enoch 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.
6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God 9must believe that he exists and 10that he rewards those who seek him.
7 By faith 11Noah, being warned by God concerning 12events 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 13the righteousness that comes by faith.
8 By faith 14Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place 15that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.
9 By faith he went to live in 16the land of promise, as in a foreign land, 17living in tents 18with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise.
10 For he was looking forward to 19the city that has 20foundations, 21whose designer and builder is God.
11 By faith 22Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered 23him faithful who had promised.
12 Therefore from one man, and 24him as good as dead, were born descendants 25as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.
13 These all died in faith, 26not having received the things promised, but 27having seen them and greeted them from afar, and 28having acknowledged that they were 29strangers and exiles on the earth.
14 For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland.
15 If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, 30they would have had opportunity to return.
16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed 31to be called their God, for 32he has prepared for them a city.
17 By faith 33Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son,
18 of whom it was said, 34"Through Isaac shall your offspring be named."
19 35He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.
20 By faith 36Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau.
21 By faith 37Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, 38bowing in worship over the head of his staff.
22 By faith 39Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones.
23 By faith 40Moses, 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 41the king's edict.
24 By faith Moses, when he was grown up, 42refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter,
25 43choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy 44the fleeting pleasures of sin.
26 45He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to 46the reward.
27 By faith he 47left Egypt, 48not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured 49as seeing him who is invisible.
28 By faith 50he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them.
29 By faith 51the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned.
30 By faith 52the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days.
31 By faith 53Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she 54had given a friendly welcome to the spies.
32 And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of 55Gideon, 56Barak, 57Samson, 58Jephthah, of 59David and 60Samuel and the prophets--
33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, 61stopped the mouths of lions,
34 62quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, 63became mighty in war, 64put foreign armies to flight.
35 65Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life.
36 Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even 66chains and imprisonment.
37 67They were stoned, they were sawn in two,[a]68they were killed with the sword. 69They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated--
38 of whom the world was not worthy--70wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
39 And all these, 71though commended through their faith, 72did not receive what was promised,
40 since God had provided something better for us, 73that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

Images for Hebrews 11

Cross References 73

  • 1. Romans 8:24; 2 Corinthians 4:18; 2 Corinthians 5:7; 1 Peter 1:8
  • 2. See Genesis 1:1
  • 3. [Romans 4:17]
  • 4. Genesis 4:4-8; 1 John 3:12
  • 5. Proverbs 15:8
  • 6. Genesis 4:10
  • 7. Hebrews 12:24
  • 8. Genesis 5:22-24; [2 Kings 2:11]
  • 9. 1 Chronicles 28:9; Jeremiah 29:12-14; [John 4:24]
  • 10. 1 Chronicles 28:9; Jeremiah 29:12-14; [John 4:24]
  • 11. Genesis 6:13-22; Luke 17:26; 1 Peter 3:20
  • 12. ver. 1
  • 13. Romans 4:13; [Genesis 6:9; Ezekiel 14:14, 20]
  • 14. Genesis 12:1-4; Acts 7:2-4
  • 15. Genesis 12:7
  • 16. Acts 7:5
  • 17. Genesis 12:8; Genesis 13:3, 18; Genesis 18:1, 9
  • 18. Genesis 35:27
  • 19. Hebrews 12:22; [Hebrews 13:14]
  • 20. Psalms 87:1; Revelation 21:14
  • 21. Revelation 21:2, 10
  • 22. Genesis 17:19; Genesis 18:11-14; Genesis 21:2
  • 23. Hebrews 10:23
  • 24. Romans 4:19
  • 25. Genesis 22:17; Genesis 32:12; See Genesis 15:5
  • 26. ver. 39
  • 27. ver. 27; John 8:56; [Matthew 13:17]
  • 28. Genesis 23:4; Genesis 47:9; [1 Chronicles 29:15; Psalms 39:12]
  • 29. Ephesians 2:19
  • 30. [Genesis 24:6-8]
  • 31. Genesis 26:24; Genesis 28:13; Exodus 3:6; Exodus 4:5; [Hebrews 2:11]
  • 32. [ver. 10; Matthew 25:34; John 14:2]
  • 33. Genesis 22:1-10; James 2:21
  • 34. Romans 9:7; Cited from Genesis 21:12
  • 35. Romans 4:17-21
  • 36. Gen. 27:27-29, 39, 40
  • 37. Genesis 48:16, 20
  • 38. [Genesis 47:31]
  • 39. Genesis 50:24, 25; Exodus 13:19
  • 40. Exodus 2:2, 3; Acts 7:20
  • 41. Exodus 1:16, 22
  • 42. Exodus 2:10, 11
  • 43. [Job 36:21; Psalms 84:10]
  • 44. 1 John 2:17
  • 45. Hebrews 13:13; [Psalms 89:50, 51; Philippians 3:7, 8; 1 Peter 4:14]
  • 46. Hebrews 2:2; Hebrews 10:35
  • 47. Exodus 12:37; Exodus 13:17, 18
  • 48. Exodus 10:28, 29
  • 49. ver. 13; See 1 Timothy 1:17
  • 50. Exodus 12:21-30
  • 51. Exodus 14:21-30
  • 52. Josh. 6:15, 16, 20
  • 53. Joshua 6:25; James 2:25
  • 54. Josh. 2:1, 8-13
  • 55. Judges 6:11
  • 56. Judges 4:6
  • 57. Judges 13:24
  • 58. Judges 11:1
  • 59. 1 Samuel 16:1, 13
  • 60. 1 Samuel 1:20
  • 61. Judges 14:6; 1 Samuel 17:35; Daniel 6:22
  • 62. Daniel 3:25
  • 63. Judges 7:21; 1 Samuel 17:51; 2 Samuel 12:29
  • 64. Judges 7:21; 1 Samuel 17:51; 2 Samuel 12:29
  • 65. 1 Kings 17:22; 2 Kings 4:35
  • 66. Genesis 39:20; Jeremiah 20:2; Jeremiah 37:15
  • 67. 1 Kings 21:13; 2 Chronicles 24:21
  • 68. 1 Kings 19:10; Jeremiah 26:23
  • 69. 2 Kings 1:8
  • 70. 1 Samuel 22:1; 1 Kings 18:4; 1 Kings 19:9
  • 71. ver. 2, 13; [1 Peter 1:12]
  • 72. ver. 2, 13; [1 Peter 1:12]
  • 73. [Revelation 6:11]

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Some manuscripts add they were tempted

Hebrews 11 Commentaries

The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.