Christian Standard Bible
Hebrews 11:6
6Now without faith it is impossible to please God, since the one who draws near to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
Hebrews 11:6 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
- New International Version (NIV)And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
- New King James Version (NKJV)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.
Context of Hebrews 11:6
4By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was approved as a righteous man, because God approved his gifts, and even though he is dead, he still speaks through his faith. 5By faith Enoch was taken away, and so he did not experience death. He was not to be found because God took him away. For before he was taken away, he was approved as one who pleased God. Now without faith it is impossible to please God, since the one who draws near to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. 7By faith Noah, after he was warned about what was not yet seen and motivated by godly fear, built an ark to deliver his family. By faith he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. 8By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed and set out for a place that he was going to receive as an inheritance. He went out, even though he did not know where he was going.
Read all of Hebrews 11Hebrews 11:6 word by word
χωρὶς δὲ πίστεως ἀδύνατον εὐαρεστῆσαι· πιστεῦσαι γὰρ δεῖ τὸν προσερχόμενον τῷ θεῷ ὅτι ἔστιν καὶ τοῖς ἐκζητοῦσιν αὐτὸν μισθαποδότης γίνεται.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Butδέde · thenG1161
- withoutχωρίςchōris · withoutG5565
- faithπίστιςpistis · faithG4102
- impossibleἀδύνατοςadunatos · unableG102
- to pleaseεὐαρεστέωeuaresteō · to pleaseG2100
- forγάρgar · forG1063
- he that comethὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- he that comethπροσέρχομαιproserchomai · to come near/agreeG4334
- to Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- mustδεῖdei · be necessaryG1163
- believeπιστεύωpisteuō · to trust (in)G4100
- thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
- he isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- he isγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
- a rewarderμισθαποδότηςmisthapodotēs · rewarderG3406
- of them that diligently seekἐκζητέωekzēteō · to seek outG1567
- himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
Cross-references for Hebrews 11:6
- Hebrews 3:12Watch out, brothers and sisters, so that there won’t be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.
- Hebrews 4:2For we also have received the good news just as they did. But the message they heard did not benefit them, since they were not united with those who heard it in faith.
- Numbers 14:11The Lord said to Moses, “How long will these people despise me? How long will they not trust in me despite all the signs I have performed among them?
- Numbers 20:12But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust me to demonstrate my holiness in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this assembly into the land I have given them.”
- Psalms 78:22because they did not believe God or rely on his salvation.
- Psalms 106:21They forgot God their Savior, who did great things in Egypt,
- Isaiah 7:9the chief city of Ephraim is Samaria, and the chief of Samaria is the son of Remaliah. If you do not stand firm in your faith, then you will not stand at all.
- Mark 16:17And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues;
- John 3:18Anyone who believes in him is not condemned, but anyone who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God.
- John 8:24Therefore I told you that you will die in your sins. For if you do not believe that I am he, you will die in your sins.”
- Galatians 5:6For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision accomplishes anything; what matters is faith working through love.
- Revelation 21:8But the cowards, faithless, detestable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars — their share will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”
- Hebrews 7:25Therefore, he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, since he always lives to intercede for them.
- Job 21:14Yet they say to God, “Leave us alone! We don’t want to know your ways.
- Psalms 73:28But as for me, God’s presence is my good. I have made the Lord God my refuge, so I can tell about all you do.
- Isaiah 55:3Pay attention and come to me; listen, so that you will live. I will make a permanent covenant with you on the basis of the faithful kindnesses of David.
Commentaries on Hebrews 11:6
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6He that cometh to God - The man who professes that it is his duty to worship God, must, if he act rationally, do it on the conviction that there is such a Being infinite, eternal, unoriginated, and self-existent; the cause of all other being; on whom all being depends; and by whose energy, bounty, and providence, all other beings exist, live, and are supplied with the means of continued existence and life. He must believe, also, that he rewards them that…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6But without faith it is impossible to please him - Without “confidence” in God - in his fidelity, his truth, his wisdom, his promises. And this is as true in other things as in religion. It is impossible for a child to please his father unless he has confidence in him. It is impossible for a wife to please her husband, or a husband a wife, unless they have confidence in each other. If there is distrust and jealousy on either part, there is discord and…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 4-7Verses 4-7 Here follow some illustrious examples of faith from the Old Testament. Abel brought a sacrifice of atonement from the firstlings of the flock, acknowledging himself a sinner who deserved to die, and only hoping for mercy through the great Sacrifice. Cain's proud rage and enmity against the accepted worshipper of God, led to the awful effects the same principles have produced in every age; the cruel persecution, and even murder of believers. By…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 6without faith it is impossible to please God: The author refers to Hebrews 10:38, which quotes Habakkuk 2:4. Faith must include believing that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. When life is difficult, listeners are encouraged to trust God and expect him to fulfill his promises.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 66. without--Greek, "apart from faith": if one be destitute of faith (compare Ro 14:23). to please--Translate, as Alford does, the Greek aorist, "It is impossible to please God at all" (Ro 8:8). Natural amiabilities and "works done before the grace of Christ are not pleasant to God, forasmuch as they spring not of faith in Jesus Christ; yea, rather, for that they are not done as God hath willed them to be done, we doubt not but they have the nature of sin"…Read the comment
Topics related to Hebrews 11:6
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Hebrews 11
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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