Hebrews 11 - New King James Version (NKJV)

By Faith We Understand

11 Now faith is the ^[a]substance of things hoped for, the ^[b]evidence ^(A)of things not seen. ² For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.

³ By faith we understand that ^(B)the ^[c]worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.

Faith at the Dawn of History^(C)

⁴ By faith ^(D)Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still ^(E)speaks.

⁵ By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, ^(F)“and was not found, because God had taken him”; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. ⁶ But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

⁷ By faith ^(G)Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, ^(H)prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of ^(I)the righteousness which is according to faith.

Faithful Abraham^(J)

⁸ By faith ^(K)Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. ⁹ By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, ^(L)dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, ^(M)the heirs with him of the same promise; ¹⁰ for he waited for ^(N)the city which has foundations, ^(O)whose builder and maker is God.

¹¹ By faith ^(P)Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and ^(Q)she^[d] bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him ^(R)faithful who had promised. ¹² Therefore from one man, and him as good as ^(S)dead, were born as many as the ^(T)stars of the sky in multitude—innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.

The Heavenly Hope

¹³ These all died in faith, ^(U)not having received the ^(V)promises, but ^(W)having seen them afar off ^[e]were assured of them, embraced them and ^(X)confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. ¹⁴ For those who say such things ^(Y)declare plainly that they seek a homeland. ¹⁵ And truly if they had called to mind ^(Z)that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. ¹⁶ But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed ^(AA)to be called their God, for He has ^(AB)prepared a city for them.

The Faith of the Patriarchs^(AC)

¹⁷ By faith Abraham, ^(AD)when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, ^{18 [f]}of whom it was said, ^(AE)“In Isaac your seed shall be called,” ¹⁹ concluding that God ^(AF)was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.

²⁰ By faith ^(AG)Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.

²¹ By faith Jacob, when he was dying, ^(AH)blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.

²² By faith ^(AI)Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones.

The Faith of Moses^(AJ)

²³ By faith ^(AK)Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s ^(AL)command.

²⁴ By faith ^(AM)Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, ²⁵ choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the ^[g]passing pleasures of sin, ²⁶ esteeming ^(AN)the ^[h]reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures ^[i]in Egypt; for he looked to the ^(AO)reward.

²⁷ By faith ^(AP)he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. ²⁸ By faith ^(AQ)he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them.

²⁹ By faith ^(AR)they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned.

By Faith They Overcame

³⁰ By faith ^(AS)the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days. ³¹ By faith ^(AT)the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who ^[j]did not believe, when ^(AU)she had received the spies with peace.

³² And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of ^(AV)Gideon and ^(AW)Barak and ^(AX)Samson and ^(AY)Jephthah, also of ^(AZ)David and ^(BA)Samuel and the prophets: ³³ who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, ^(BB)stopped the mouths of lions, ^{34 (BC)}quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. ^{35 (BD)}Women received their dead raised to life again.

Others were ^(BE)tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. ³⁶ Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and ^(BF)of chains and imprisonment. ^{37 (BG)}They were stoned, they were sawn in two, ^[k]were tempted, were slain with the sword. ^(BH)They wandered about ^(BI)in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented— ³⁸ of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, ^(BJ)in dens and caves of the earth.

³⁹ And all these, ^(BK)having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, ⁴⁰ God having provided something better for us, that they should not be ^(BL)made perfect apart from us.

Footnotes

1. Hebrews 11:1 realization
2. Hebrews 11:1 Or confidence
3. Hebrews 11:3 Or ages, Gr. aiones, aeons
4. Hebrews 11:11 NU omits she bore a child
5. Hebrews 11:13 NU, M omit were assured of them
6. Hebrews 11:18 to
7. Hebrews 11:25 temporary
8. Hebrews 11:26 reviling because of
9. Hebrews 11:26 NU, M of
10. Hebrews 11:31 were disobedient
11. Hebrews 11:37 NU omits were tempted

Cross references

1. Hebrews 11:1 : Rom. 8:24; [2 Cor. 4:18; 5:7]; Heb. 11:7, 27
2. Hebrews 11:3 : Gen. 1:1; Ps. 33:6; [John 1:3]; 2 Pet. 3:5
3. Hebrews 11:4 : Gen. 4:1–16; 5:18–24; 6:5—8:22
4. Hebrews 11:4 : Gen. 4:3–5; Matt. 23:35; 1 John 3:12
5. Hebrews 11:4 : Gen. 4:8–10; Heb. 12:24
6. Hebrews 11:5 : Gen. 5:21–24
7. Hebrews 11:7 : Gen. 6:13–22
8. Hebrews 11:7 : 1 Pet. 3:20
9. Hebrews 11:7 : Rom. 3:22
10. Hebrews 11:8 : Gen. 15:1–6; 21:1–7
11. Hebrews 11:8 : Gen. 12:1–4; Acts 7:2–4
12. Hebrews 11:9 : Gen. 12:8; 13:3, 18; 18:1, 9
13. Hebrews 11:9 : Heb. 6:17
14. Hebrews 11:10 : [Heb. 12:22; 13:14]
15. Hebrews 11:10 : [Rev. 21:10]
16. Hebrews 11:11 : Gen. 17:19; 18:11–14; 21:1, 2
17. Hebrews 11:11 : Luke 1:36
18. Hebrews 11:11 : Heb. 10:23
19. Hebrews 11:12 : Rom. 4:19
20. Hebrews 11:12 : Gen. 15:5; 22:17; 32:12
21. Hebrews 11:13 : Heb. 11:39
22. Hebrews 11:13 : Gen. 12:7
23. Hebrews 11:13 : John 8:56; Heb. 11:27
24. Hebrews 11:13 : Gen. 23:4; 47:9; 1 Chr. 29:15; Ps. 39:12; Eph. 2:19; 1 Pet. 1:17; 2:11
25. Hebrews 11:14 : Heb. 13:14
26. Hebrews 11:15 : Gen. 11:31
27. Hebrews 11:16 : Gen. 26:24; 28:13; Ex. 3:6, 15; 4:5
28. Hebrews 11:16 : [John 14:2]; Heb. 11:10; [Rev. 21:2]
29. Hebrews 11:17 : Gen. 22:1–14; 48:8–16; 50:22–25
30. Hebrews 11:17 : Gen. 22:1–14; James 2:21
31. Hebrews 11:18 : Gen. 21:12; Rom. 9:7
32. Hebrews 11:19 : Rom. 4:17
33. Hebrews 11:20 : Gen. 27:26–40
34. Hebrews 11:21 : Gen. 48:1, 5, 16, 20
35. Hebrews 11:22 : Gen. 50:24, 25; Ex. 13:19
36. Hebrews 11:23 : Ex. 2:1–10; 12:31–51
37. Hebrews 11:23 : Ex. 2:1–3
38. Hebrews 11:23 : Ex. 1:16, 22
39. Hebrews 11:24 : Ex. 2:11–15
40. Hebrews 11:26 : Heb. 13:13
41. Hebrews 11:26 : Rom. 8:18; 2 Cor. 4:17
42. Hebrews 11:27 : Ex. 10:28
43. Hebrews 11:28 : Ex. 12:21
44. Hebrews 11:29 : Ex. 14:22–29; Jude 5
45. Hebrews 11:30 : Josh. 6:20
46. Hebrews 11:31 : Josh. 2:9; 6:23; James 2:25
47. Hebrews 11:31 : Josh. 2:1
48. Hebrews 11:32 : Judg. 6:11; 7:1–25
49. Hebrews 11:32 : Judg. 4:6–24
50. Hebrews 11:32 : Judg. 13:24—16:31
51. Hebrews 11:32 : Judg. 11:1–29; 12:1–7
52. Hebrews 11:32 : 1 Sam. 16; 17
53. Hebrews 11:32 : 1 Sam. 7:9–14
54. Hebrews 11:33 : Judg. 14:6; 1 Sam. 17:34; Dan. 6:22
55. Hebrews 11:34 : Dan. 3:23–28
56. Hebrews 11:35 : 1 Kin. 17:22; 2 Kin. 4:35–37
57. Hebrews 11:35 : Acts 22:25
58. Hebrews 11:36 : Gen. 39:20; 1 Kin. 22:27; 2 Chr. 18:26; Jer. 20:2; 37:15
59. Hebrews 11:37 : 1 Kin. 21:13; 2 Chr. 24:21; Acts 7:58
60. Hebrews 11:37 : 2 Kin. 1:8; Matt. 3:4
61. Hebrews 11:37 : 1 Kin. 19:13, 19; 2 Kin. 2:8, 13; Zech. 13:4
62. Hebrews 11:38 : 1 Kin. 18:4, 13; 19:9
63. Hebrews 11:39 : Heb. 11:2, 13
64. Hebrews 11:40 : Heb. 5:9