God’s Word Translation
Hebrews 11:6
6No one can please God without faith. Whoever goes to God must believe that God 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
4Faith led Abel to offer God a better sacrifice than Cain’s sacrifice. Through his faith Abel received God’s approval, since God accepted his sacrifices. Through his faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead. 5Faith enabled Enoch to be taken instead of dying. No one could find him, because God had taken him. Scripture states that before Enoch was taken, God was pleased with him. No one can please God without faith. Whoever goes to God must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who seek him. 7Faith led Noah to listen when God warned him about the things in the future that he could not see. He obeyed God and built a ship to save his family. Through faith Noah condemned the world and received God’s approval that comes through faith. 8Faith led Abraham to obey when God called him to go to a place that he would receive as an inheritance. Abraham left his own country without 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 3:12Be careful, brothers and sisters, that none of you ever develop a wicked, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.
- Hebrews 4:2We have heard the same Good News that your ancestors heard. But the message didn’t help those who heard it in the past because they didn’t believe.
- Numbers 14:11The Lord said to Moses, “How long will these people treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse to trust me in spite of all the miraculous signs I have done among them?
- Numbers 20:12But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “You didn’t trust me! You didn’t show the Israelites how holy I am! So you will not bring this congregation into the land I’m giving them.”
- Psalms 78:22because they did not believe God or trust him to save them.
- Psalms 106:21They forgot God, their savior, the one who did spectacular things in Egypt,
- Isaiah 7:9The capital of Ephraim is Samaria, and the leader of Samaria is Remaliah’s son. If you don’t remain faithful, you won’t remain standing.”
- Mark 16:17“These are the miraculous signs that will accompany believers: They will use the power and authority of my name to force demons out of people. They will speak new languages.
- John 3:18Those who believe in him won’t be condemned. But those who don’t believe are already condemned because they don’t believe in God’s only Son.
- John 8:24For this reason I told you that you’ll die because of your sins. If you don’t believe that I am the one, you’ll die because of your sins.”
- Galatians 5:6As far as our relationship to Christ Jesus is concerned, it doesn’t matter whether we are circumcised or not. But what matters is a faith that expresses itself through love.
- Revelation 21:8But cowardly, unfaithful, and detestable people, murderers, sexual sinners, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars will find themselves in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
- Hebrews 7:25That is why he is always able to save those who come to God through him. He can do this because he always lives and intercedes for them.
- Job 21:14But they say to God, ‘Leave us alone. We don’t want to know your ways.
- Psalms 73:28Being united with God is my highest good. I have made the Almighty Lord my refuge so that I may report everything that he has done.
- Isaiah 55:3Open your ears, and come to me! Listen so that you may live! I will make an everlasting promise to you— the blessings I promised to 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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