Hebrews · Bible in Basic English
Hebrews 11 Bible in Basic English
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, and the sign that the things not seen are true.
1 Ἔστι δὲ πίστις ἐλπιζομένων ὑπόστασις, πραγμάτων ἔλεγχος οὐ βλεπομένων.
2 For by it our fathers had God's approval.
2 ἐν ταύτῃ γὰρ ἐμαρτυρήθησαν οἱ πρεσβύτεροι.
3 By faith it is clear to us that the order of events was fixed by the word of God, so that what is seen has not been made from things which only seem to be.
3 Πίστει νοοῦμεν κατηρτίσθαι τοὺς αἰῶνας ῥήματι Θεοῦ, εἰς τὸ μὴ ἐκ φαινομένων τὰ βλεπόμενα γεγονέναι.
4 By faith Abel made a better offering to God than Cain, and he had witness through it of his righteousness, God giving his approval of his offering: and his voice still comes to us through it though he is dead.
4 Πίστει πλείονα θυσίαν Ἄβελ παρὰ Κάϊν προσήνεγκε τῷ Θεῷ, δι᾽ ἧς ἐμαρτυρήθη εἶναι δίκαιος, μαρτυροῦντος ἐπὶ τοῖς δώροις αὐτοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ δι᾽ αὐτῆς ἀποθανὼν ἔτι λαλεῖται.
5 By faith Enoch was taken up to heaven so that he did not see death; he was seen no longer, for God took him away: for before he was taken, witness had been given that he was well-pleasing to God:
5 Πίστει Ἐνὼχ μετετέθη τοῦ μὴ ἰδεῖν θάνατον, καὶ οὐχ εὑρίσκετο, διότι μετέθηκεν αὐτὸν ὁ Θεός· πρὸ γὰρ τῆς μεταθέσεως αὐτοῦ μεμαρτύρηται εὐηρεστηκέναι τῷ Θεῷ·
6 And without faith it is not possible to be well-pleasing to him, for it is necessary for anyone who comes to God to have the belief that God is, and that he is a rewarder of all those who make a serious search for him.
6 χωρὶς δὲ πίστεως ἀδύνατον εὐαρεστῆσαι· πιστεῦσαι γὰρ δεῖ τὸν προσερχόμενον τῷ Θεῷ ὅτι ἔστι καὶ τοῖς ἐκζητοῦσιν αὐτὸν μισθαποδότης γίνεται.
7 By faith Noah, being moved by the fear of God, made ready an ark for the salvation of his family, because God had given him news of things which were not seen at the time; and through it the world was judged by him, and he got for his heritage the righteousness which is by faith.
7 Πίστει χρηματισθεὶς Νῶε περὶ τῶν μηδέπω βλεπομένων, εὐλαβηθεὶς κατεσκεύασε κιβωτὸν εἰς σωτηρίαν τοῦ οἴκου αὐτοῦ, δι᾽ ἧς κατέκρινε τὸν κόσμον, καὶ τῆς κατὰ πίστιν δικαιοσύνης ἐγένετο κληρονόμος.
8 By faith Abraham did as God said when he was ordered to go out into a place which was to be given to him as a heritage, and went out without knowledge of where he was going.
8 Πίστει καλούμενος Ἀβραὰμ ὑπήκουσεν ἐξελθεῖν εἰς τὸν τόπον ὃν ἔμελλε λαμβάνειν εἰς κληρονομίαν, καὶ ἐξῆλθε μὴ ἐπιστάμενος ποῦ ἔρχεται.
9 By faith he was a wanderer in the land of the agreement, as in a strange land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, who had a part with him in the same heritage:
9 Πίστει παρῴκησεν εἰς τὴν γῆν τῆς ἐπαγγελίας ὡς ἀλλοτρίαν, ἐν σκηναῖς κατοικήσας μετὰ Ἰσαὰκ καὶ Ἰακὼβ τῶν συγκληρονόμων τῆς ἐπαγγελίας τῆς αὐτῆς·
10 For he was looking for the strong town, whose builder and maker is God.
10 ἐξεδέχετο γὰρ τὴν τοὺς θεμελίους ἔχουσαν πόλιν, ἧς τεχνίτης καὶ δημιουργὸς ὁ Θεός.
11 And by faith Sarah herself had power to give birth, when she was very old, because she had faith in him who gave his word;
11 Πίστει καὶ αὐτὴ Σάρρα δύναμιν εἰς καταβολὴν σπέρματος ἔλαβε καὶ παρὰ καιρὸν ἡλικίας ἔτεκεν, ἐπεὶ πιστὸν ἡγήσατο τὸν ἐπαγγειλάμενον.
12 So that from one man, who was near to death, came children in number as the stars in heaven, or as the sand by the seaside, which may not be numbered.
12 διὸ καὶ ἀφ᾽ ἑνὸς ἐγεννήθησαν, καὶ ταῦτα νενεκρωμένου, καθὼς τὰ ἄστρα τοῦ οὐρανοῦ τῷ πλήθει καὶ ὡς ἡ ἄμμος ἡ παρὰ τὸ χεῖλος τῆς θαλάσσης ἡ ἀναρίθμητος.
13 All these came to their end in faith, not having had the heritage; but having seen it with delight far away, they gave witness that they were wanderers and not of the earth.
13 Κατὰ πίστιν ἀπέθανον οὗτοι πάντες, μὴ λαβόντες τὰς ἐπαγγελίας, ἀλλὰ πόρρωθεν αὐτὰς ἰδόντες καὶ ἀσπασάμενοι, καὶ ὁμολογήσαντες ὅτι ξένοι καὶ παρεπίδημοί εἰσιν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς.
14 For those who say such things make it clear that they are searching for a country for themselves.
14 οἱ γὰρ τοιαῦτα λέγοντες ἐμφανίζουσιν ὅτι πατρίδα ἐπιζητοῦσι.
15 And truly if they had kept in mind the country from which they went out, they would have had chances of turning back.
15 καὶ εἰ μὲν ἐκείνης ἐμνημόνευον, ἀφ᾽ ἧς ἐξῆλθον, εἶχον ἂν καιρὸν ἀνακάμψαι·
16 But now their desire is for a better country, that is to say, for one in heaven; and so it is no shame to God to be named their God; for he has made ready a town for them.
16 νῦν δὲ κρείττονος ὀρέγονται, τοῦτ᾽ ἔστιν ἐπουρανίου. διὸ οὐκ ἐπαισχύνεται αὐτοὺς ὁ Θεὸς Θεὸς ἐπικαλεῖσθαι αὐτῶν· ἡτοίμασε γὰρ αὐτοῖς πόλιν.
17 By faith Abraham made an offering of Isaac, when he was tested: and he with whom the agreement had been made gave up as an offering the only son of his body,
17 Πίστει προσενήνοχεν Ἀβραὰμ τὸν Ἰσαὰκ πειραζόμενος, καὶ τὸν μονογενῆ προσέφερεν ὁ τὰς ἐπαγγελίας ἀναδεξάμενος,
18 Of whom it had been said, From Isaac will your seed take their name:
18 πρὸς ὃν ἐλαλήθη ὅτι ἐν Ἰσαὰκ κληθήσεταί σοι σπέρμα,
19 Judging that God was able to give life even to the dead; and because of this he did get him back as if from death.
19 λογισάμενος ὅτι καὶ ἐκ νεκρῶν ἐγείρειν δυνατὸς ὁ Θεός· ὅθεν αὐτὸν καὶ ἐν παραβολῇ ἐκομίσατο.
20 By faith Isaac, blessing Jacob and Esau, gave news of things to come.
20 Πίστει περὶ μελλόντων εὐλόγησεν Ἰσαὰκ τὸν Ἰακὼβ καὶ τὸν Ἠσαῦ.
21◆ By faith Jacob gave a blessing to the two sons of Joseph, when he was near to death; and gave God worship, supported by his stick.
21 Πίστει Ἰακὼβ ἀποθνήσκων ἕκαστον τῶν υἱῶν Ἰωσὴφ εὐλόγησε, καὶ προσεκύνησεν ἐπὶ τὸ ἄκρον τῆς ῥάβδου αὐτοῦ.
22 By faith Joseph, when his end was near, said that the children of Israel would go out of Egypt; and gave orders about his bones.
22 Πίστει Ἰωσὴφ τελευτῶν περὶ τῆς ἐξόδου τῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραὴλ ἐμνημόνευσε καὶ περὶ τῶν ὀστέων αὐτοῦ ἐνετείλατο.
23 By faith Moses was kept secretly by his father and mother for three months after his birth, because they saw that he was a fair child; and they had no fear of the king's orders.
23 Πίστει Μωϋσῆς γεννηθεὶς ἐκρύβη τρίμηνον ὑπὸ τῶν πατέρων αὐτοῦ, διότι εἶδον ἀστεῖον τὸ παιδίον, καὶ οὐκ ἐφοβήθησαν τὸ διάταγμα τοῦ βασιλέως.
24 By faith Moses, when he became a man, had no desire to be named the son of Pharaoh's daughter;
24 Πίστει Μωϋσῆς μέγας γενόμενος ἠρνήσατο λέγεσθαι υἱὸς θυγατρὸς Φαραώ,
25 Feeling that it was better to undergo pain with the people of God, than for a short time to have a taste of the pleasures of sin;
25 μᾶλλον ἑλόμενος συγκακουχεῖσθαι τῷ λαῷ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἢ πρόσκαιρον ἔχειν ἁμαρτίας ἀπόλαυσιν,
26 Judging a part in the shame of Christ to be better than all the wealth of Egypt; for he was looking forward to his reward.
26 μείζονα πλοῦτον ἡγησάμενος τῶν Αἰγύπτου θησαυρῶν τὸν ὀνειδισμὸν τοῦ Χριστοῦ· ἀπέβλεπε γὰρ εἰς τὴν μισθαποδοσίαν.
27 By faith he went out of Egypt, not being turned from his purpose by fear of the wrath of the king; for he kept on his way, as seeing him who is unseen.
27 Πίστει κατέλιπεν Αἴγυπτον μὴ φοβηθεὶς τὸν θυμὸν τοῦ βασιλέως· τὸν γὰρ ἀόρατον ὡς ὁρῶν ἐκαρτέρησε.
28 By faith he kept the Passover, and put the sign of the blood on the houses, so that the angel of destruction might not put their oldest sons to death.
28 Πίστει πεποίηκε τὸ πάσχα καὶ τὴν πρόσχυσιν τοῦ αἵματος, ἵνα μὴ ὁ ὀλοθρεύων τὰ πρωτότοκα θίγῃ αὐτῶν.
29 By faith they went through the Red Sea as if it had been dry land, though the Egyptians were overcome by the water when they made an attempt to do the same.
29 Πίστει διέβησαν τὴν Ἐρυθρὰν θάλασσαν ὡς διὰ ξηρᾶς, ἧς πεῖραν λαβόντες οἱ Αἰγύπτιοι κατεπόθησαν.
30 By faith the walls of Jericho came down, after they had been circled for seven days.
30 Πίστει τὰ τείχη Ἱεριχὼ ἔπεσε κυκλωθέντα ἐπὶ ἑπτὰ ἡμέρας.
31 By faith Rahab, the loose woman, was not put to death with those who had gone against God's orders, because she had taken into her house in peace those sent to see the land.
31 Πίστει Ῥαὰβ ἡ πόρνη οὐ συναπώλετο τοῖς ἀπειθήσασι, δεξαμένη τοὺς κατασκόπους μετ᾽ εἰρήνης.
32 What more am I to say? For there would not be time to give the stories of Gideon, Barak, Samson, and Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets:
32 Καὶ τί ἔτι λέγω; ἐπιλείψει γάρ με διηγούμενον ὁ χρόνος περὶ Γεδεών, Βαράκ τε καὶ Σαμψὼν καὶ Ἰεφθάε, Δαυΐδ τε καὶ Σαμουὴλ καὶ τῶν προφητῶν,
33 Who through faith overcame kingdoms, did righteousness, got their reward, kept the mouths of lions shut,
33 οἳ διὰ πίστεως κατηγωνίσαντο βασιλείας, εἰργάσαντο δικαιοσύνην, ἐπέτυχον ἐπαγγελιῶν, ἔφραξαν στόματα λεόντων,
34 Put out the power of fire, got safely away from the edge of the sword, were made strong when they had been feeble, became full of power in war, and put to flight the armies of the nations.
34 ἔσβεσαν δύναμιν πυρός, ἔφυγον στόματα μαχαίρας, ἐνεδυναμώθησαν ἀπὸ ἀσθενείας, ἐγενήθησαν ἰσχυροὶ ἐν πολέμῳ, παρεμβολὰς ἔκλιναν ἀλλοτρίων·
35 Women had their dead given back to them living; others let themselves be cruelly attacked, having no desire to go free, so that they might have a better life to come;
35 ἔλαβον γυναῖκες ἐξ ἀναστάσεως τοὺς νεκροὺς αὐτῶν· ἄλλοι δὲ ἐτυμπανίσθησαν, οὐ προσδεξάμενοι τὴν ἀπολύτρωσιν, ἵνα κρείττονος ἀναστάσεως τύχωσιν·
36 And others were tested by being laughed at or by blows, and even with chains and prisons:
36 ἕτεροι δὲ ἐμπαιγμῶν καὶ μαστίγων πεῖραν ἔλαβον, ἔτι δὲ δεσμῶν καὶ φυλακῆς·
37 They were stoned, they were cut up with knives, they were tested, they were put to death with the sword, they went about in sheepskins and in goatskins; being poor and in pain and cruelly attacked,
37 ἐλιθάσθησαν, ἐπρίσθησαν, ἐπειράσθησαν, ἐν φόνῳ μαχαίρας ἀπέθανον, περιῆλθον ἐν μηλωταῖς, ἐν αἰγείοις δέρμασιν, ὑστερούμενοι, θλιβόμενοι, κακουχούμενοι,
38 Wandering in waste places and in mountains and in holes in the rocks; for whom the world was not good enough.
38 ὧν οὐκ ἦν ἄξιος ὁ κόσμος, ἐν ἐρημίαις πλανώμενοι καὶ ὄρεσι καὶ σπηλαίοις καὶ ταῖς ὀπαῖς τῆς γῆς.
39 And not one of these got the good things of the agreement, though they all had a good record through faith,
39 Καὶ οὗτοι πάντες μαρτυρηθέντες διὰ τῆς πίστεως οὐκ ἐκομίσαντο τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν,
40 Because God had kept some better thing for us, so that it was not possible for them to become complete without us.
40 τοῦ Θεοῦ περὶ ἡμῶν κρεῖττόν τι προβλεψαμένου, ἵνα μὴ χωρὶς ἡμῶν τελειωθῶσι.
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Abel
A shepherd whose faithful offering pleased God, murdered by his own brother.
Cited in the guide: Genesis 4; Hebrews 11:4
Enoch
He walked with God, and was not, for God took him — he did not die.
Cited in the guide: Genesis 5:21–24; Hebrews 11:5
Rahab
The woman of Jericho who hid the spies and became mother of Boaz.
Cited in the guide: Joshua 2, 6; Matthew 1:5; Hebrews 11:31
Cross references (40)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 2 Corinthians 5:7; 2 Corinthians 4:18; Romans 8:24–25; Hebrews 11:7; Hebrews 10:22
- 2 Hebrews 11:39; Hebrews 11:4
- 3 Psalm 33:6; 2 Peter 3:5; John 1:3; Romans 4:17; Acts 17:24
- 4 Genesis 4:3–5; 1 John 3:11–12; Hebrews 12:24; Proverbs 15:8; Genesis 4:10
- 5 Genesis 5:21–24; Jude 14; Hebrews 11:6; 2 Kings 2:11; Revelation 11:9–12
- 6 Proverbs 8:17; Jeremiah 29:13–14; Matthew 6:33; 1 Chronicles 28:9; Psalm 105:3–4
- 7 Genesis 6:13–7:1; 1 Peter 3:20; Ezekiel 14:14; Luke 17:26; Romans 4:13
- 8 Genesis 12:1–4; Acts 7:2–4; Matthew 7:24–25; Genesis 15:7–8; Genesis 22:18
- 9 Genesis 12:8; Genesis 13:18; Genesis 13:3; Acts 7:5–6; Hebrews 6:17
- 10 Hebrews 13:14; Philippians 3:20; 2 Corinthians 5:1; Hebrews 12:22; John 14:2
- 11 Hebrews 10:23; Romans 4:20–21; Genesis 18:11–14; Genesis 21:1–2; Luke 1:36
- 12 Genesis 22:17; Genesis 32:12; Hosea 1:10; Genesis 15:5; Jeremiah 33:22
- 13 Genesis 23:4; Psalm 39:12; Hebrews 11:27; Romans 8:24; Hebrews 11:39
- 14 2 Corinthians 4:18–5:7; Romans 8:23–25; Hebrews 13:14; Hebrews 11:16; Philippians 1:23
- 15 Genesis 24:6–8; Genesis 12:10
- 16 Hebrews 13:14; Philippians 3:20; Hebrews 11:10; Matthew 25:34; John 14:2
- 17 Genesis 22:16; James 2:21–24; Genesis 22:1–12; James 5:11; 1 Peter 1:6–7
- 18 Genesis 21:12; Romans 9:7; Genesis 17:19
- 19 Romans 4:17–21; Matthew 9:28; Ephesians 3:20; Genesis 22:13; Genesis 22:4–5
- 20 Genesis 27:27–40; Genesis 28:2–3
- 21 Genesis 47:31–48:1; Genesis 48:5–22
- 22 Exodus 13:19; Genesis 50:24–25; Joshua 24:32; Acts 7:16
- 23 Exodus 1:22; Exodus 1:16; Hebrews 13:6; Exodus 2:2–10; Matthew 10:28
- 24 Exodus 2:10–11; Acts 7:21–24
- 25 Psalm 84:10; 2 Timothy 2:3–10; Job 36:21; 1 Peter 4:12–16; 2 Corinthians 5:17
- 26 Hebrews 10:35; Hebrews 11:6; 1 Peter 4:14; Matthew 5:12; 2 Corinthians 6:10
- 27 2 Corinthians 4:18; Hebrews 11:13; Exodus 2:14–15; Hebrews 11:1; Exodus 4:19
- 28 Exodus 12:21–30; Hebrews 9:19; 1 Peter 1:2; Hebrews 12:24; Exodus 12:3–14
- 29 Exodus 14:13–15:21; Psalm 106:9–11; Psalm 78:13; Habakkuk 3:8–10; Isaiah 63:11–16
- 30 Joshua 6:3–20; 2 Corinthians 10:4–5
- 31 James 2:25; Joshua 6:22–25; Matthew 1:5; Joshua 2:1–24; Matthew 1:1
- 32 1 Samuel 16:1; 1 Samuel 1:20; 1 Samuel 16:13; Judges 13:1–16; Judges 11:1–12
- 33 Hebrews 6:12–15; Psalm 144:1–2; 2 Timothy 4:17; Hebrews 10:36; Hebrews 11:4–8
- 34 1 Samuel 17:51–52; 2 Kings 6:16–18; Psalm 144:10; Judges 15:8; 2 Chronicles 32:20–22
- 35 2 Kings 4:27–37; 1 Kings 17:22–24; Philippians 3:11; Acts 9:41; 1 Corinthians 15:54
- 36 Jeremiah 20:2; Genesis 39:20; Jeremiah 37:15–21; 2 Chronicles 30:10; 2 Chronicles 16:10
- 37 2 Chronicles 24:21; Jeremiah 26:23; 1 Kings 19:10; 1 Kings 21:13–15; 2 Kings 1:8
- 38 1 Kings 18:4; 1 Samuel 22:1; 1 Kings 19:9; Isaiah 57:1; 1 Samuel 24:1–3
- 39 Luke 10:23–24; Hebrews 11:13; Hebrews 11:2; 1 Peter 1:12
- 40 Revelation 6:11; Hebrews 8:6; Hebrews 10:11–14; Hebrews 5:9; Hebrews 7:19
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
Why does my Bible say something different?
- Hebrews 11:21 and Genesis 47:31: Jacob’s staff or Jacob’s bed?
In the Hebrew text of Genesis 47:31 Israel bows “upon the bed’s head.” In the Septuagint he bows “on the top of his staff,” and Hebrews 11:21 quotes the Greek. The Hebrew consonants can be read either way; only the later vowel marks decide. The Orthodox Church reads “staff,” and St John of Damascus used the verse in defending the veneration of holy things.
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
Faith needs a generous and vigorous soul, and one rising above all things of sense, and passing beyond the weakness of human reasonings. For it is not possible to become a believer, otherwise than by raising one's self above the common customs [of the world].
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 14 (1889)
Let us take (for instance) Enoch, who, being found righteous in obedience, was translated, and death was never known to happen to him. Noah, being found faithful, preached regeneration to the world through his ministry; and the Lord saved by him the animals which, with one accord, entered into the ark.
… those places and times--being itself the while the same always and everywhere, not one thing in one place, and another in another; according to which Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and Moses, and David, and all those commended by the mouth of God were righteous, but were judged unrighteous by foolish men, judging out of man's judgment, and gauging by …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)
… how he saith, "They that say these things, show plainly that they seek a country; and truly if they had been mindful of that from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned: but now they desire another, a better country." And again, "These all died in faith, not having obtained the promises, but having seen …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
The lesson also which was read to-day invites you to the true faith, by setting before you the way in which you also must please God: for it affirms that without faith it is impossible to please Him.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)