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Hebrews 11

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The Definition and Nature of Faith 1–3

1
Now faith is assurance ofthingshoped for, a conviction of things not seen. ​
2
For therein the elders had witness borne to them.
3
By faith we understand that the worlds have been framed by the word of God, so that what is seen hath not been made out of things which appear. ​

Faith in the Early Generations 4–7

4
By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he had witness borne to him that he was righteous, God bearing witness in respect of his gifts: and through it he being dead yet speaketh. ​
5
By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and he was not found, because God translated him: for he hath had witness borne to him that before his translation he had been well-pleasing unto God:
6
and without faith it is impossible to be well-pleasing unto him; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that seek after him. ​
7
By faith Noah, being warned of God concerning things not seen as yet, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; through which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. ​

The Faith of Abraham and Sarah 8–19

8
By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed to go out unto a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. ​
9
By faith he became a sojourner in the land of promise, as in a land not his own, dwelling in tents, with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:
10
for he looked for the city which hath the foundations, whose builder and maker is God. ​
11
By faith even Sarah herself received power to conceive seed when she was past age, since she counted him faithful who had promised: ​
12
wherefore also there sprang of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of heaven in multitude, and as the sand, which is by the sea-shore, innumerable.
13
These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. ​
14
For they that say such things make it manifest that they are seeking after a country of their own.
15
And if indeed they had been mindful of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return.
16
But now they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God; for he hath prepared for them a city. ​
17
By faith Abraham, being tried, offered up Isaac: yea, he that had gladly received the promises was offering up his only begotten son; ​
18
even he to whom it was said, In Isaac shall thy seed be called:
19
accounting that God is able to raise up, even from the dead; from whence he did also in a figure receive him back. ​

Faith of the Next Patriarchs 20–22

20
By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even concerning things to come. ​
21
By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff.
22
By faith Joseph, when his end was nigh, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones. ​

The Faith of Moses and the Conquest 23–31

23
By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months by his parents, because they saw he was a goodly child; and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment. ​
24
By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter;
25
choosing rather to share ill treatment with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;
26
accounting the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt: for he looked unto the recompense of reward. ​
27
By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible. ​
28
By faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of the blood, that the destroyer of the firstborn should not touch them.
29
By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were swallowed up.
30
By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they had been compassed about for seven days.
31
By faith Rahab the harlot perished not with them that were disobedient, having received the spies with peace. ​

Faith in the Period of Judges and Kings 32–38

32
And what shall I more say? for the time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah; of David and Samuel and the prophets: ​
33
who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
34
quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, waxed mighty in war, turned to flight armies of aliens.
35
Women received their dead by a resurrection: and others were tortured, not accepting their deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: ​
36
and others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:
37
they were stoned, they were sawn asunder, they were tempted, they were slain with the sword: they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated ​
38
(of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves, and the holes of the earth. ​

The Superiority of the New Covenant 39–40

39
And these all, having had witness borne to them through their faith, received not the promise, ​
40
God having provided some better thing concerning us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect. ​

Bible text: American Standard Version (1901) · Public domain

Study Notes for Hebrews 11

Verse 1

the substance of things hoped for — Hupostasis, 'a setting under', a support or foundation; the same word is 'person' in Heb 1:3 and 'confidence' in Heb 3:14. Elegchos, 'evidence', is proof or conviction, and elsewhere only 2 Tim 3:16 ('reproof'). 'Not seen' recalls 2 Cor 5:7, 'we walk by faith, not by sight'.

Verse 3

the worlds were framed by the word of God — 'Worlds' is aion, ages (Heb 1:2, 'by whom also he made the worlds'). Katartizo, 'framed', is to fit or set in order, used of 'mending their nets' (Matt 4:21); it is perfect tense, so the order stands. The 'word' is rhema, the spoken word: 'he spake, and it was done' (Ps 33:9).

Verse 4

he being dead yet speaketh — 'The LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering' of 'the firstlings of his flock' (Gen 4:4), and 'the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground' (Gen 4:10). The blood of Christ 'speaketh better things than that of Abel' (Heb 12:24). 'Obtained witness' and 'testifying' are one verb, martureo, as in v.2.

Verse 6

a rewarder of them that diligently seek him — Misthapodotes, 'rewarder', occurs only here in the New Testament. Ekzeteo, 'diligently seek', is to seek out: 'ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart' (Jer 29:13). The verse gives the ground of what v.5 says of Enoch, that he 'pleased God'.

Verse 7

moved with fear — Eulabeomai, to act with reverent care, found only here and Acts 23:10. 'Warned of God' is chrematizo, the verb of 'admonished of God' in Heb 8:5. God told him 'The end of all flesh is come before me' (Gen 6:13), and 'Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he' (Gen 6:22).

Verse 8

not knowing whither he went — The call was 'unto a land that I will shew thee' (Gen 12:1); Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed (Gen 12:4). 'Obeyed' is hupakouo, to hear and heed. The 'inheritance' (kleronomia) was received only 'after': in v.9 he 'sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country'.

Verse 10

a city which hath foundations — The 'tabernacles' of v.9 had none. Themelios, foundation, is the word of the 'twelve foundations' in Rev 21:14. 'Builder' is technites, a craftsman, and 'maker' (demiourgos) occurs only here. The city is 'the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem' (Heb 12:22).

Verse 11

she judged him faithful who had promised — Hegeomai, to count or reckon, the verb of 'esteeming' in v.26. Sara was 'ninety years old' (Gen 17:17), yet 'Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him' (Gen 21:2). Heb 10:23 states the ground: 'he is faithful that promised'.

Verse 13

strangers and pilgrims on the earth — Xenos is a stranger, and parepidemos a sojourner, found only here and in 1 Pet 1:1 and 2:11. Abraham said, 'I am a stranger and a sojourner with you' (Gen 23:4); Jacob spoke of 'the days of the years of my pilgrimage' (Gen 47:9). 'These all' excludes Enoch (v.5), who did not die.

Verse 16

God is not ashamed to be called their God — Epaischunomai, the verb of Heb 2:11, 'he is not ashamed to call them brethren'. The name is that of Ex 3:6, 'the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob', from which Christ draws, 'God is not the God of the dead, but of the living' (Matt 22:32). 'Prepared' is hetoimazo, as in John 14:2.

Verse 17

offered up Isaac — 'Tried' is peirazo: 'God did tempt Abraham' (Gen 22:1). The first 'offered up' is a perfect tense and the second ('he… offered up his only begotten son') an imperfect, 'was offering up'. Monogenes, 'only begotten', is the word John uses of Christ (John 3:16); God said 'thine only son Isaac' (Gen 22:2).

Verse 19

in a figure — Parabole, the usual word for 'parable', rendered 'figure' only here and Heb 9:9. 'Accounting' is logizomai, the verb of 'counted' in Rom 4:3. Abraham's reckoning rests on his word to his young men: 'I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you' (Gen 22:5).

Verse 20

concerning things to come — Mello, 'about to be', is also the verb of v.8, 'which he should after receive'. Isaac blessed Jacob (Gen 27:27–29) and Esau (Gen 27:39–40). When Esau came, 'Isaac trembled very exceedingly', yet said of the blessing given, 'yea, and he shall be blessed' (Gen 27:33).

Verse 22

the departing of the children of Israel — Exodos, the word 'exodus', used also of Christ's 'decease' (Luke 9:31) and Peter's (2 Pet 1:15). Joseph's words are in Gen 50:25: 'God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence'. Moses took them (Ex 13:19), and they were buried at Shechem (Josh 24:32).

Verse 23

a proper child — Asteios, fair or comely, found only here and Acts 7:20 ('exceeding fair'). The three months are in Ex 2:2, and the 'king's commandment' (diatagma, found only here) is Pharaoh's order of Ex 1:22. 'Not afraid' is the verb of 'not fearing' in v.27.

Verse 26

the reproach of Christ — Oneidismos, reproach: 'the footsteps of thine anointed' were reproached (Ps 89:51), and Christ bore 'the reproaches of them that reproached thee' (Rom 15:3); Heb 13:13 calls it 'his reproach'. Misthapodosia, 'recompence of reward', is found only in Hebrews (2:2; 10:35; 11:26). 'Had respect' (apoblepo) is to look away from everything else.

Verse 27

as seeing him who is invisible — Aoratos is the word Paul uses of God as 'the King eternal, immortal, invisible' (1 Tim 1:17), here set against 'the king' of Egypt. 'Endured' (kartereo) occurs only here. 'Not fearing' is the verb of 'not afraid' in v.23.

Verse 31

Rahab perished not with them that believed not — Sunapollumi, 'perish with', is found only here. 'Believed not' is apeitheo, to disobey, as in 1 Pet 3:20 ('which sometime were disobedient'). Her confession is in Josh 2:11, 'the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath'. James 2:25 and Matt 1:5 ('Rachab') also name her.

Verse 32

Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae — These are Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, deliverers from the days when 'the LORD raised up judges' (Judg 2:16); Barak's story begins at Judg 4:6, Samson's ends at Judg 16:30. The order is not that of the book. 'Would fail' (epileipo) is found only here. Acts 3:24 names 'all the prophets from Samuel'.

Verse 35

a better resurrection — Anastasis is used twice: 'raised to life again' of the child given back to his mother (1 Kings 17:23) and the Shunammite's son (2 Kings 4:36–37), and 'a better resurrection' of those who refused release. 'Deliverance' is apolutrosis, 'redemption' everywhere else (Rom 3:24; Eph 1:7). 'Tortured' (tumpanizo) is found only here.

Verse 37

they were stoned, they were sawn asunder — A stoning 'in the court of the house of the LORD' was done 'at the commandment of the king' (2 Chr 24:21); Urijah was slain 'with the sword' (Jer 26:23). Christ says, 'thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee' (Matt 23:37). Prizo, 'sawn asunder', occurs only here.

Verse 38

of whom the world was not worthy — Axios, worthy. The caves are found in the record: Obadiah hid a hundred prophets 'by fifty in a cave' (1 Kings 18:4), David 'escaped to the cave Adullam' (1 Sam 22:1), and Elijah lodged in a cave (1 Kings 19:9). 'Wandered' is planao; 'deserts' is eremia.

Verse 39

received not the promise — 'Having obtained a good report' is martureo, as in vv.2, 4 and 5. 'Received' is komizo, the verb of Heb 10:36, 'ye might receive the promise'. The promise made 'unto the fathers' God 'hath fulfilled… unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again' (Acts 13:32–33).

Verse 40

some better thing for us — Problepo, 'provided' or foreseen, occurs only here. Teleioo, 'made perfect', is the verb of 'he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified' (Heb 10:14) and of 'the spirits of just men made perfect' (Heb 12:23). 'Without us' joins them to the believers who follow, set beside 'so great a cloud of witnesses' (Heb 12:1).