Focused Passage

Hebrews 11:8-16

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

8 By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, without knowing where he was going.

9 By faith he dwelt in the promised land as a stranger in a foreign country. He lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise.

10 For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

11 By faith Sarah, even though she was barren and beyond the proper age, was enabled to conceive a child, because she considered Him faithful who had promised.

12 And so from one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.

13 All these people died in faith, without having received the things they were promised. However, they saw them and welcomed them from afar. And they acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.

14 Now those who say such things show that they are seeking a country of their own.

15 If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return.

16 Instead, they were longing for a better country, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 8

Original words

By faith Πίστει G4102 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular Abraham Ἀβραὰμ G11 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular when called καλούμενος G2564 Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine Singular to go ἐξελθεῖν G1831 Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active to εἰς G1519 Preposition a place τόπον G5117 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular - ὃν G3739 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Masculine Singular he would later ἤμελλεν G3195 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular receive λαμβάνειν G2983 Verb - Present Infinitive Active as εἰς G1519 Preposition [his] inheritance κληρονομίαν G2817 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular obeyed ὑπήκουσεν G5219 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction went ἐξῆλθεν G1831 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular without μὴ G3361 Adverb knowing ἐπιστάμενος G1987 Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine Singular where ποῦ G4226 Adverb he was going ἔρχεται G2064 Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Verse 9

Original words

By faith Πίστει G4102 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular he dwelt παρῴκησεν G3939 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular in εἰς G1519 Preposition the τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular promised ἐπαγγελίας G1860 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular land γῆν G1093 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular as {a stranger} ὡς G5613 Adverb in a foreign [country] ἀλλοτρίαν G245 Adjective - Accusative Feminine Singular He lived κατοικήσας G2730 Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular in ἐν G1722 Preposition tents σκηναῖς G4633 Noun - Dative Feminine Plural as did μετὰ G3326 Preposition Isaac Ἰσαὰκ G2464 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction Jacob Ἰακὼβ G2384 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular who [were] τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Plural heirs with him συνκληρονόμων G4789 Adjective - Genitive Masculine Plural of the τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular - τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular same αὐτῆς G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Feminine 3rd Person Singular promise ἐπαγγελίας G1860 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Verse 10

Original words

For γὰρ G1063 Conjunction he was looking forward to ἐξεδέχετο G1551 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular the τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular city πόλιν G4172 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular with ἔχουσαν G2192 Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Feminine Singular - τοὺς G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Plural foundations θεμελίους G2310 Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural whose ἧς G3739 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Genitive Feminine Singular architect τεχνίτης G5079 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction builder [is] δημιουργὸς G1217 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular - G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular God Θεός G2316 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Verse 11

Original words

By faith Πίστει G4102 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular Sarah Σάρρᾳ G4564 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular even though καὶ G2532 Conjunction she αὐτῇ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Feminine 3rd Person Singular was barren στεῖρα G4723 Adjective - Nominative Feminine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction beyond παρὰ G3844 Preposition the proper καιρὸν G2540 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular age ἡλικίας G2244 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular was enabled ἔλαβεν G2983 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular . . . δύναμιν G1411 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular to εἰς G1519 Preposition conceive καταβολὴν G2602 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular a child σπέρματος G4690 Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular because ἐπεὶ G1893 Conjunction she considered ἡγήσατο G2233 Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular Him τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular faithful πιστὸν G4103 Adjective - Accusative Masculine Singular who had promised ἐπαγγειλάμενον G1861 Verb - Aorist Participle Middle - Accusative Masculine Singular
Verse 12

Original words

And καὶ G2532 Conjunction so διὸ G1352 Conjunction from ἀφ’ G575 Preposition one man ἑνὸς G1520 Adjective - Genitive Masculine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction he ταῦτα G3778 Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Plural as good as dead νενεκρωμένου G3499 Verb - Perfect Participle Middle or Passive - Genitive Masculine Singular came descendants ἐγεννήθησαν G1080 Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Plural as καθὼς G2531 Adverb - τῷ G3588 Article - Dative Neuter Singular numerous πλήθει G4128 Noun - Dative Neuter Singular as the τὰ G3588 Article - Nominative Neuter Plural stars ἄστρα G798 Noun - Nominative Neuter Plural in the τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular sky οὐρανοῦ G3772 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction - G3588 Article - Nominative Feminine Singular as countless ἀναρίθμητος G382 Adjective - Nominative Feminine Singular as ὡς G5613 Adverb the G3588 Article - Nominative Feminine Singular sand ἄμμος G285 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular - G3588 Article - Nominative Feminine Singular on παρὰ G3844 Preposition the τὸ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Singular seashore χεῖλος G5491 Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular . . . τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular . . . θαλάσσης G2281 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Verse 13

Original words

All πάντες G3956 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural these [people] οὗτοι G3778 Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Plural died ἀπέθανον G599 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural in Κατὰ G2596 Preposition faith πίστιν G4102 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular without μὴ G3361 Adverb having received λαμβάνω G2983 Verb - Aorist Participle Middle - Nominative Masculine Plural the things τὰς G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Plural they were promised ἐπαγγελίας G1860 Noun - Accusative Feminine Plural However ἀλλὰ G235 Conjunction they saw [them] ἰδόντες G3708 Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction welcomed ἀσπασάμενοι G782 Verb - Aorist Participle Middle - Nominative Masculine Plural them αὐτὰς G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Feminine 3rd Person Plural from afar πόρρωθεν G4207 Adverb And καὶ G2532 Conjunction they acknowledged ὁμολογήσαντες G3670 Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural that ὅτι G3754 Conjunction they were εἰσιν G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural strangers ξένοι G3581 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction exiles παρεπίδημοί G3927 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural on ἐπὶ G1909 Preposition the τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular earth γῆς G1093 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Verse 14

Original words

Now γὰρ G1063 Conjunction those who οἱ G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Plural say λέγοντες G3004 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural such things τοιαῦτα G5108 Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Plural show ἐμφανίζουσιν G1718 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural that ὅτι G3754 Conjunction they are seeking ἐπιζητοῦσιν G1934 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural a country of their own πατρίδα G3968 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Verse 15

Original words

- καὶ G2532 Conjunction If εἰ G1487 Conjunction - μὲν G3303 Conjunction they had been thinking of ἐμνημόνευον G3421 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural vvv ἐκείνης G1565 Demonstrative Pronoun - Genitive Feminine Singular vvv ἀφ’ G575 Preposition [the country] ἧς G3739 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Genitive Feminine Singular they had left ἐξέβησαν G1545 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural vvv ἂν G302 Particle they would have had εἶχον G2192 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural opportunity καιρὸν G2540 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular to return ἀνακάμψαι G344 Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active
Verse 16

Original words

Instead δὲ G1161 Conjunction . . . νῦν G3568 Adverb they were longing for ὀρέγονται G3713 Verb - Present Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Plural a better [country] κρείττονος G2909 Adjective - Genitive Feminine Singular - Comparative - τοῦτ’ G3778 Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Neuter Singular - ἔστιν G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular a heavenly [one] ἐπουρανίου G2032 Adjective - Genitive Feminine Singular Therefore διὸ G1352 Conjunction - G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular God Θεὸς G2316 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular vvv οὐκ G3756 Adverb is not ashamed ἐπαισχύνεται G1870 Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular - αὐτοὺς G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Plural to be called ἐπικαλεῖσθαι G1941 Verb - Present Infinitive Middle or Passive their αὐτῶν G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural God Θεὸς G2316 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular for γὰρ G1063 Conjunction He has prepared ἡτοίμασεν G2090 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular a city πόλιν G4172 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular for them αὐτοῖς G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 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.