Focused Passage

Hebrews 11:30-40

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

30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days.

31 By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies in peace, did not perish with those who were disobedient.

32 And what more shall I say? Time will not allow me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets,

33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions,

34 quenched the raging fire, and escaped the edge of the sword; who gained strength from weakness, became mighty in battle, and put foreign armies to flight.

35 Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused their release, so that they might gain a better resurrection.

36 Still others endured mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment.

37 They were stoned, they were sawed in two, they were put to death by the sword. They went around in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, oppressed, and mistreated.

38 The world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and hid in caves and holes in the ground.

39 These were all commended for their faith, yet they did not receive what was promised.

40 God had planned something better for us, so that together with us they would be made perfect.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 30

Original words

By faith Πίστει G4102 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular the τὰ G3588 Article - Nominative Neuter Plural walls τείχη G5038 Noun - Nominative Neuter Plural of Jericho Ἰεριχὼ G2410 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular fell ἔπεσαν G4098 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural after [the people] had marched around them κυκλωθέντα G2944 Verb - Aorist Participle Passive - Nominative Neuter Plural for ἐπὶ G1909 Preposition seven ἑπτὰ G2033 Adjective - Accusative Feminine Plural days ἡμέρας G2250 Noun - Accusative Feminine Plural
Verse 31

Original words

By faith Πίστει G4102 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular the G3588 Article - Nominative Feminine Singular prostitute πόρνη G4204 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular Rahab Ῥαὰβ G4460 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular because she welcomed δεξαμένη G1209 Verb - Aorist Participle Middle - Nominative Feminine Singular the τοὺς G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Plural spies κατασκόπους G2685 Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural in μετ’ G3326 Preposition peace εἰρήνης G1515 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular vvv οὐ G3756 Adverb did not perish with συναπώλετο G4881 Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular those who τοῖς G3588 Article - Dative Masculine Plural were disobedient ἀπειθήσασιν G544 Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Dative Masculine Plural
Verse 32

Original words

And Καὶ G2532 Conjunction what τί G5101 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular more ἔτι G2089 Adverb shall I say λέγω G3004 Verb - Present Subjunctive Active - 1st Person Singular - γὰρ G1063 Conjunction - G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular Time χρόνος G5550 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular will not allow ἐπιλείψει G1952 Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular me με G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person Singular to tell διηγούμενον G1334 Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Accusative Masculine Singular of περὶ G4012 Preposition Gideon Γεδεών G1066 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular Barak Βαράκ G913 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular Samson Σαμψών G4546 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular Jephthah Ἰεφθάε G2422 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular - τε G5037 Conjunction David Δαυίδ G1138 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular - καὶ G2532 Conjunction Samuel Σαμουὴλ G4545 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction the τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Plural prophets προφητῶν G4396 Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural
Verse 33

Original words

who οἳ G3739 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Plural through διὰ G1223 Preposition faith πίστεως G4102 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular conquered κατηγωνίσαντο G2610 Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Plural kingdoms βασιλείας G932 Noun - Accusative Feminine Plural administered εἰργάσαντο* G2038 Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Plural justice δικαιοσύνην G1343 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular [and] gained ἐπέτυχον G2013 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural what was promised ἐπαγγελιῶν G1860 Noun - Genitive Feminine Plural [who] shut ἔφραξαν G5420 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural [the] mouths στόματα G4750 Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural of lions λεόντων G3023 Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural
Verse 34

Original words

quenched ἔσβεσαν G4570 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural [the] raging δύναμιν G1411 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular fire πυρός G4442 Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular [and] escaped ἔφυγον G5343 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural [the] edge στόματα G4750 Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural of [the] sword μαχαίρης G3162 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular [who] gained strength ἐδυναμώθησαν G1412 Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Plural from ἀπὸ G575 Preposition weakness ἀσθενείας G769 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular became ἐγενήθησαν G1096 Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Plural mighty ἰσχυροὶ G2478 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural in ἐν G1722 Preposition battle πολέμῳ G4171 Noun - Dative Masculine Singular [and] put ἔκλιναν G2827 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural foreign ἀλλοτρίων G245 Adjective - Genitive Masculine Plural armies {to flight} παρεμβολὰς G3925 Noun - Accusative Feminine Plural
Verse 35

Original words

Women γυναῖκες G1135 Noun - Nominative Feminine Plural received back Ἔλαβον G2983 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural their αὐτῶν G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Feminine 3rd Person Plural - τοὺς G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Plural dead νεκροὺς G3498 Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural vvv ἐξ G1537 Preposition raised to life again ἀναστάσεως G386 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular - δὲ G1161 Conjunction Others ἄλλοι G243 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural were tortured ἐτυμπανίσθησαν G5178 Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Plural vvv οὐ G3756 Adverb [and] refused προσδεξάμενοι G4327 Verb - Aorist Participle Middle - Nominative Masculine Plural [their] τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular release ἀπολύτρωσιν G629 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular so that ἵνα G2443 Conjunction they might gain τύχωσιν G5177 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Plural a better κρείττονος G2909 Adjective - Genitive Feminine Singular - Comparative resurrection ἀναστάσεως G386 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Verse 36

Original words

[Still] δὲ G1161 Conjunction others ἕτεροι G2087 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural endured ἔλαβον G2983 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural . . . πεῖραν G3984 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular mocking ἐμπαιγμῶν G1701 Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction flogging μαστίγων G3148 Noun - Genitive Feminine Plural and δὲ G1161 Conjunction even ἔτι G2089 Adverb chains δεσμῶν G1199 Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction imprisonment φυλακῆς G5438 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Verse 37

Original words

They were stoned Ἐλιθάσθησαν G3034 Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Plural they were sawed in two ἐπρίσθησαν G4249 Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Plural they were put to death ἀπέθανον G599 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural by ἐν G1722 Preposition - φόνῳ G5408 Noun - Dative Masculine Singular [the] sword μαχαίρης G3162 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular They went around περιῆλθον G4022 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural in ἐν G1722 Preposition sheepskins μηλωταῖς G3374 Noun - Dative Feminine Plural [and] ἐν G1722 Preposition goatskins αἰγείοις G122 Adjective - Dative Neuter Plural . . . δέρμασιν G1192 Noun - Dative Neuter Plural destitute ὑστερούμενοι G5302 Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine Plural oppressed θλιβόμενοι G2346 Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine Plural [and] mistreated κακουχούμενοι G2558 Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine Plural

BSB notes

  • NE, WH, BYZ, and TR include they were put to the test,
Verse 38

Original words

The G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular world κόσμος G2889 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular was ἦν G1510 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular not οὐκ G3756 Adverb worthy ἄξιος G514 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular of [them] ὧν G3739 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Genitive Masculine Plural They wandered πλανώμενοι G4105 Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine Plural in ἐπὶ G1909 Preposition deserts ἐρημίαις G2047 Noun - Dative Feminine Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction mountains ὄρεσιν G3735 Noun - Dative Neuter Plural and [ hid in ] καὶ G2532 Conjunction caves σπηλαίοις G4693 Noun - Dative Neuter Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction - ταῖς G3588 Article - Dative Feminine Plural holes ὀπαῖς G3692 Noun - Dative Feminine Plural in the τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular ground γῆς G1093 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Verse 39

Original words

- Καὶ G2532 Conjunction These οὗτοι G3778 Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Plural {were} all πάντες G3956 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural commended μαρτυρηθέντες G3140 Verb - Aorist Participle Passive - Nominative Masculine Plural for διὰ G1223 Preposition [their] τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular faith πίστεως G4102 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular vvv οὐκ G3756 Adverb [yet] they did not receive ἐκομίσαντο G2865 Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Plural what [was] τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular promised ἐπαγγελίαν G1860 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Verse 40

Original words

- τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular God Θεοῦ G2316 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular had planned προβλεψαμένου G4265 Verb - Aorist Participle Middle - Genitive Masculine Singular something τι G5100 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular better κρεῖττόν G2909 Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular - Comparative for περὶ G4012 Preposition us ἡμῶν G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Plural so that ἵνα G2443 Conjunction vvv μὴ G3361 Adverb together with χωρὶς G5565 Preposition us ἡμῶν G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Plural they would be made perfect τελειωθῶσιν G5048 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Passive - 3rd Person Plural

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.