English Standard Version
Hebrews 11:6
6And 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.
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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.
Context of Hebrews 11:6
4By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. 5By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. 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. 7By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. 8By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing 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 3:12Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God.
- Hebrews 4:2For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened.
- Numbers 14:11And the Lord said to Moses, "How long will this people despise me? And how long will they not believe in me, in spite of all the signs that I have done among them?
- Numbers 20:12And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not believe in me, to uphold me as holy in the eyes of the people of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them."
- Psalms 78:22because they did not believe in God and did not trust his saving power.
- Psalms 106:21They forgot God, their Savior, who had done great things in Egypt,
- Isaiah 7:9And the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is the son of Remaliah. If you are not firm in faith, you will not be firm at all.'"
- Mark 16:17And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues;
- John 3:18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
- John 8:24I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins."
- Galatians 5:6For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.
- Revelation 21:8But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death."
- Hebrews 7:25Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.
- Job 21:14They say to God, 'Depart from us! We do not desire the knowledge of your ways.
- Psalms 73:28But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.
- Isaiah 55:3Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for 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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