Focused Passage

Hebrews 11:1-7

Faith That Sees the Unseen and Endures for the Promise

Hebrews 11 defines faith as confident trust in God's promised unseen realities and then displays that faith through the lives of those who obeyed, endured, suffered, and died still looking for God's better fulfillment.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

1 Now faith is the assurance of what we hope for and the certainty of what we do not see.

2 This is why the ancients were commended.

3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.

4 By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous when God gave approval to his gifts. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.

5 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he did not see death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.” For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God.

6 And without faith it is impossible to please God. For anyone who approaches Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.

7 By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in godly fear built an ark to save his family. By faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Original words

Now δὲ G1161 Conjunction faith πίστις G4102 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular is Ἔστιν G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular [the] assurance ὑπόστασις G5287 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular of what [we] hope for ἐλπιζομένων G1679 Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Genitive Neuter Plural [and the] certainty ἔλεγχος G1650 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular of what πραγμάτων G4229 Noun - Genitive Neuter Plural vvv οὐ G3756 Adverb we do not see βλεπομένων G991 Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Genitive Neuter Plural
Verse 2

Original words

vvv γὰρ G1063 Conjunction vvv ἐν G1722 Preposition This is why ταύτῃ G3778 Demonstrative Pronoun - Dative Feminine Singular the οἱ G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Plural ancients πρεσβύτεροι G4245 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural were commended ἐμαρτυρήθησαν G3140 Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Plural
Verse 3

Original words

By faith Πίστει G4102 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular we understand that νοοῦμεν G3539 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural the τοὺς G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Plural universe αἰῶνας G165 Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural was formed κατηρτίσθαι G2675 Verb - Perfect Infinitive Middle or Passive at God’s command ῥήματι G4487 Noun - Dative Neuter Singular . . . Θεοῦ G2316 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular so that εἰς G1519 Preposition what τὸ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Singular is seen βλεπόμενον G991 Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Accusative Neuter Singular vvv μὴ G3361 Adverb was not made γεγονέναι G1096 Verb - Perfect Infinitive Active out of ἐκ G1537 Preposition what τὸ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Singular was visible φαινομένων G5316 Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Genitive Neuter Plural
Verse 4

Original words

By faith Πίστει G4102 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular Abel Ἅβελ G6 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular offered προσήνεγκεν G4374 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular - τῷ G3588 Article - Dative Masculine Singular God Θεῷ G2316 Noun - Dative Masculine Singular a better πλείονα G4119 Adjective - Accusative Feminine Singular - Comparative sacrifice θυσίαν G2378 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular than παρὰ G3844 Preposition Cain [did] Κάϊν G2535 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular By δι’ G1223 Preposition [faith] ἧς G3739 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Genitive Feminine Singular he was commended ἐμαρτυρήθη G3140 Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular as εἶναι G1510 Verb - Present Infinitive Active righteous δίκαιος G1342 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular - τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular [when] God Θεοῦ G2316 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular gave approval μαρτυροῦντος G3140 Verb - Present Participle Active - Genitive Masculine Singular to ἐπὶ G1909 Preposition his αὐτοῦ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular - τοῖς G3588 Article - Dative Neuter Plural gifts δώροις G1435 Noun - Dative Neuter Plural And καὶ G2532 Conjunction by δι’ G1223 Preposition [faith] αὐτῆς G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Feminine 3rd Person Singular vvv ἔτι G2089 Adverb he still speaks λαλεῖ G2980 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular [even though] he is dead ἀποθανὼν G599 Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Verse 5

Original words

By faith Πίστει G4102 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular Enoch Ἑνὼχ G1802 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular was taken up μετετέθη G3346 Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular [so that] τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Neuter Singular vvv μὴ G3361 Adverb he did not see ἰδεῖν G3708 Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active death θάνατον G2288 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular - καὶ G2532 Conjunction vvv οὐχ G3756 Adverb He could not be found ηὑρίσκετο G2147 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular because διότι G1360 Conjunction - G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular God Θεός G2316 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular had taken him away μετέθηκεν G3346 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular . . . αὐτὸν G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular For γὰρ G1063 Conjunction before πρὸ G4253 Preposition - τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular he was taken μεταθέσεως G3331 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular he was commended as μεμαρτύρηται G3140 Verb - Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular one who pleased εὐαρεστηκέναι G2100 Verb - Perfect Infinitive Active - τῷ G3588 Article - Dative Masculine Singular God Θεῷ G2316 Noun - Dative Masculine Singular

BSB notes

  • Literally transferred or translated
  • Genesis 5:24 (see also LXX)
Verse 6

Original words

And δὲ G1161 Conjunction without χωρὶς G5565 Preposition faith πίστεως G4102 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular [it is] impossible ἀδύνατον G102 Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular to please [God] εὐαρεστῆσαι G2100 Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active For γὰρ G1063 Conjunction anyone who τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular approaches προσερχόμενον G4334 Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Accusative Masculine Singular - τῷ G3588 Article - Dative Masculine Singular [Him] Θεῷ G2316 Noun - Dative Masculine Singular must δεῖ G1163 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular believe πιστεῦσαι G4100 Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active that ὅτι G3754 Conjunction He exists ἔστιν G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular and [that] καὶ G2532 Conjunction vvv γίνεται G1096 Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular He rewards μισθαποδότης G3406 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular those who τοῖς G3588 Article - Dative Masculine Plural earnestly seek ἐκζητοῦσιν G1567 Verb - Present Participle Active - Dative Masculine Plural Him αὐτὸν G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Verse 7

Original words

By faith Πίστει G4102 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular Noah Νῶε G3575 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular when warned χρηματισθεὶς G5537 Verb - Aorist Participle Passive - Nominative Masculine Singular about περὶ G4012 Preposition things τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Neuter Plural not yet μηδέπω G3369 Adverb seen βλεπομένων G991 Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Genitive Neuter Plural in godly fear εὐλαβηθεὶς G2125 Verb - Aorist Participle Passive - Nominative Masculine Singular built κατεσκεύασεν G2680 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular an ark κιβωτὸν G2787 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular to εἰς G1519 Preposition save σωτηρίαν G4991 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular - τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular his αὐτοῦ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular family οἴκου G3624 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular By δι’ G1223 Preposition [faith] ἧς G3739 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Genitive Feminine Singular he condemned κατέκρινεν G2632 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular the τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular world κόσμον G2889 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction became ἐγένετο G1096 Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular heir κληρονόμος G2818 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular of the τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular righteousness [that] δικαιοσύνης G1343 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular comes by κατὰ G2596 Preposition faith πίστιν G4102 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.