Hebrews 11:16

Hebrews 11:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
• New International Version (NIV)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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.
• New King James Version (NKJV)But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.

Context of Hebrews 11:16

14Those who say such things make it clear that they are looking for their own country. 15If they had been thinking about the country that they had left, they could have found a way to go back. Instead, these men were longing for a better country—a heavenly country. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God. He has prepared a city for them. 17When God tested Abraham, faith led him to offer his son Isaac. Abraham, the one who received the promises from God, was willing to offer his only son as a sacrifice. 18God had said to him, “Through Isaac your descendants will carry on your name.”

Hebrews 11:16 word by word

νῦν δὲ κρείττονος ὀρέγονται, τοῦτ᾽ ἔστιν ἐπουρανίου· διὸ οὐκ ἐπαισχύνεται αὐτοὺς ὁ θεὸς θεὸς ἐπικαλεῖσθαι αὐτῶν· ἡτοίμασεν γὰρ αὐτοῖς πόλιν.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Butδέde · thenG1161
• nowνυνίnuni · nowG3570
• they desireὀρέγωoregomai · to aspireG3713
• a betterκρείττωνkreittōn · strongerG2909
• thatοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• an heavenlyἐπουράνιοςepouranios · heavenlyG2032
• whereforeδιόdio · thereforeG1352
• Godὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• isἐπαισχύνομαιepaischunomai · be ashamed ofG1870
• notοὐou · noG3756
• ·αὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• to be calledἐπικαλέωepikaleomai · to call (on)/nameG1941
• forγάρgar · forG1063
• he hath preparedἑτοιμάζωhetoimazō · to make readyG2090
• a cityπόλιςpolis · cityG4172

Cross-references for Hebrews 11:16

• Hebrews 11:14Those who say such things make it clear that they are looking for their own country.
• Hebrews 12:22Instead, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, to the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to tens of thousands of angels joyfully gathered together
• Hebrews 2:11Jesus, who makes people holy, and all those who are made holy have the same Father. That is why Jesus isn’t ashamed to call them brothers and sisters.
• Genesis 17:7I will make my promise to you and your descendants for generations to come as an everlasting promise. I will be your God and the God of your descendants.
• Exodus 3:6I am the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” Moses hid his face because he was afraid to look at God.
• Isaiah 41:8“But you are my servant Israel, Jacob, whom I have chosen, the descendant of Abraham, my dear friend.
• Jeremiah 31:1“At that time,” declares the Lord, “I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they will be my people.”
• Matthew 22:31Haven’t you read what God told you about the dead coming back to life? He said,
• Mark 12:26Haven’t you read in the book of Moses that the dead come back to life? It’s in the passage about the bush, where God said, ‘I am the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.’
• Luke 20:37“Even Moses showed in the passage about the bush that the dead come back to life. He says that the Lord is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
• Acts 7:32‘I am the God of your ancestors—the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.’ Moses began to tremble and didn’t dare to look at the bush.
• Hebrews 11:10Abraham was waiting for the city that God had designed and built, the city with permanent foundations.
• Hebrews 13:14We don’t have a permanent city here on earth, but we are looking for the city that we will have in the future.
• Matthew 25:34“Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, my Father has blessed you! Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world.
• Luke 12:32Don’t be afraid, little flock. Your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom.
• Philippians 3:20We, however, are citizens of heaven. We look forward to the Lord Jesus Christ coming from heaven as our Savior.

Commentaries on Hebrews 11:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16But now they desire a better - They all expected spiritual blessings, and a heavenly inheritance; they sought God as their portion, and in such a way and on such principles that he is not ashamed to be called their God; and he shows his affection for them by preparing for them a city, to wit, heaven, as themselves would seek no city on earth; which is certainly what the apostle has here in view. And from this it is evident that the patriarchs had a proper…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly - That is, at the time referred to when they confessed that they were strangers and sojourners, they showed that they sought a better country than the one which they had left. They lived as if they had no expectation of a permanent residence on earth, and were looking to another world. The argument of the apostle here appears to be based upon what is apparent from the whole history, that they had…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. 14-16Abraham's family clearly did not want to return to their homeland. If they did, they could have gone back. Their faith showed they longed for a better place. They hoped in God, who rewarded their faith by preparing a heavenly city for them.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 13-1613-16. Summary of the characteristic excellencies of the patriarchs' faith died in faith--died as believers, waiting for, not actually seeing as yet their good things promised to them. They were true to this principle of faith even unto, and especially in, their dying hour (compare He 11:20). These all--beginning with "Abraham" (He 11:8), to whom the promises were made (Ga 3:16), and who is alluded to in the end of He 11:13 and in He 11:15 [Bengel and…Read the comment

Topics related to Hebrews 11:16

• Cities
• Faith
• God Continued...
• Heaven
• Immortality
• Obedience
• Righteous
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• God
• Builder
• Conceive
• Confess
• Cruel
• Faith
• Heaven
• Immortality
• Impossible
• Proper

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