Hebrews 11:17

Hebrews 11:17 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,
• New International Version (NIV)By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had embraced the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son,
• English Standard Version (ESV)By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son,
• New King James Version (NKJV)By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,

Context of Hebrews 11:17

15They were not thinking about the country that they had left. They could have gone back there if they really wanted to. 16No, they wanted very much to go to a better place, in heaven. For that reason, God is not ashamed for them to call him their God. He has already prepared a city for them to live in. Here is another example of Abraham's faith. God wanted to see whether Abraham really trusted him. Because Abraham believed God, he offered his son, Isaac, as a sacrifice. God had promised Abraham that he would have many grandchildren. But Abraham was still ready to offer his only son as a sacrifice. 18God had said to Abraham, ‘It is through Isaac that your family will continue.’ 19But Abraham was sure that, if Isaac died, God could raise Isaac to life again. We could even say that is a picture of what really happened. It was like Abraham did receive Isaac back from death.

Hebrews 11:17 word by word

Πίστει προσενήνοχεν Ἀβραὰμ τὸν Ἰσαὰκ πειραζόμενος, καὶ τὸν μονογενῆ προσέφερεν ὁ τὰς ἐπαγγελίας ἀναδεξάμενος,Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• By faithπίστιςpistis · faithG4102
• AbrahamἈβραάμAbraam · AbrahamG11
• when he was triedπειράζωpeirazō · to test/tempt: testG3985
• offered upπροσφέρωprospherō · to bring toG4374
• IsaacἸσαάκIsaak · IsaacG2464
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• he that had receivedἀναδέχομαιanadechomai · to receiveG324
• the promisesὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the promisesἐπαγγελίαepaggelia · promiseG1860
• his only begottenμονογενήςmonogenēs · uniqueG3439

Cross-references for Hebrews 11:17

• Genesis 22:1Some time later, God wanted to see if Abraham really trusted him. God said to him, ‘Abraham!’ Abraham replied, ‘Here I am.’
• James 2:21Think about our ancestor Abraham. He offered his son Isaac on the altar as a gift to God. Because he did that good thing, God accepted him as right with himself.
• Deuteronomy 8:2Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way across the desert. He took care of you for 40 years. He caused many troubles to come and to test you. He did that to see if you would trust him. He wanted to know whether you would continue to obey his commands.
• 2 Chronicles 32:31After that, the rulers of Babylon sent some officers to visit Hezekiah. They wanted to ask him about the miracle that had happened in Judah. God let Hezekiah decide what to tell them. He wanted to test Hezekiah, to see if he would be faithful.
• Job 1:11You should take away from him all the things that he has. Then he will certainly curse you very strongly.’
• Job 2:3Then the Lord said to Satan, ‘You have seen Job, who is my servant. What do you think about him? There is no one on earth who is like him. He is a good and honest man. He is afraid to make me angry. He refuses to do evil things. Because of what you said, I allowed you to attack him. But he did not deserve that. He has continued to do what is right.’
• Proverbs 17:3You need a hot fire to make silver and gold become pure. It is the Lord who does that for people, to show what they are really like.
• Daniel 11:35Some of the wise leaders will suffer. As a result, God will make them clean and pure. This will continue until the time for the end. God has decided when that time will come.
• Zechariah 13:9I will bring these people through fire. As men clean silver in the fire, so I will clean them. As men test gold in the fire, so I will test them. They will speak my name and I will answer them. I will say, “They are my people.” They will say, “The Lord is our God.” ’
• Malachi 3:2‘But when he comes, he will be like a hot fire that makes metal pure. He will be like strong soap that makes clothes completely clean. Nobody will be able to stand in front of him when he appears. On that day, nobody will remain the same.
• James 1:2My Christian friends, remember to be happy, even when many kinds of trouble happen to you. Troubles can help you.
• James 5:11We know that God blessed people who were like that. They continued to trust God when trouble happened to them. You have heard about Job. He waited patiently for God to help him in his troubles. You know how the Lord helped him in the end. Because of that, we see that the Lord God is very kind and he helps us.
• 1 Peter 1:6All this causes you to be very happy, even when you have troubles. For a short time now, different kinds of troubles may make you sad.
• 1 Peter 4:12My friends, I know that people are causing you to have bad trouble. It is like a fire that is burning you. Do not be surprised about that. These things are happening to you, to show whether you really trust God. Do not think that something strange is happening to you.
• Revelation 3:10I have told you to be patient in this difficult time. You have obeyed what I told you. Because of that, I will keep you safe from the time of great trouble that will come. This trouble will come to everyone who lives in the world. It will show me what each person is really like.
• Hebrews 7:6As for Melchizedek, he did not come from Levi's family. But he still received a tenth part of what Abraham had. He also asked God to bless Abraham. But Abraham was the one who had already received God's promises.

Commentaries on Hebrews 11:17

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17Abraham, when he was tried - See the history of this whole transaction explained at large in the notes on Genesis 22:1-9. Offered up his only-begotten - Abraham did, in effect, offer up Isaac; he built an altar, bound his son, laid him upon the altar, had ready the incense, took the knife, and would immediately have slain him had he not been prevented by the same authority by which the sacrifice was enjoined. Isaac is here called his only-begotten, as be…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17By faith Abraham - The apostle had stated one strong instance of the faith of Abraham, and he now refers to one still more remarkable - the strongest illustration of faith, undoubtedly, which has ever been evinced in our world. When he was tried - The word used here is rendered “tempted,” in Matthew 4:1, Matthew 4:3; Matthew 16:1; Matthew 19:3; Matthew 22:18, Matthew 22:35, and in twenty-two other places in the New Testament; “prove,” in John 6:6; “hath…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-19Verses 8-19 We are often called to leave worldly connexions, interests, and comforts. If heirs of Abraham's faith, we shall obey and go forth, though not knowing what may befall us; and we shall be found in the way of duty, looking for the performance of God's promises. The trial of Abraham's faith was, that he simply and fully obeyed the call of God. Sarah received the promise as the promise of God; being convinced of that, she truly judged that he both…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 17-19ready to offer his one and only son: See Genesis 22:1–18. God did not want Abraham to sacrifice his son. He was testing Abraham's faith, which Abraham showed through his obedience.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1717. offered up--literally, "hath offered up," as if the work and its praise were yet enduring [Alford]. As far as His intention was concerned, he did sacrifice Isaac; and in actual fact "he offered him," as far as the presentation of him on the altar as an offering to God is concerned. tried--Greek, "tempted," as in Ge 22:1. Put to the proof of his faith. Not that God "tempts" to sin, but God "tempts" in the sense of proving or trying (Jas 1:13-15)…Read the comment

Topics related to Hebrews 11:17

• Abraham
• Atonement
• Decision
• Faith
• Heart
• Isaac
• Obedience
• Offerings
• Temptation

In the dictionaries

• Abraham
• Isaac
• Abraham, Abram
• Only Begotten
• Builder
• Conceive
• Confess
• Cruel
• Faith
• Impossible

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