Hebrews 11:3

Hebrews 11:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
• New International Version (NIV)By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.
• English Standard Version (ESV)By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.
• New King James Version (NKJV)By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.

Context of Hebrews 11:3

1Now faith is the certainty of things hoped for, a proof of things not seen. 2For by it the people of old gained approval. By faith we understand that the world has been created by the word of God so that what is seen has not been made out of things that are visible. 4By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he was attested to be righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks. 5By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see death; and he was not found because God took him up; for before he was taken up, he was attested to have been pleasing to God.

Hebrews 11:3 word by word

Πίστει νοοῦμεν κατηρτίσθαι τοὺς αἰῶνας ῥήματι θεοῦ εἰς τὸ μὴ ἐκ φαινομένων τὸ βλεπόμενον γεγονέναι.¶Read the interlinear

• By faithπίστιςpistis · faithG4102
• we understandνοέωnoieō · to understandG3539
• worldαἰώνaiōn · an age: ageG165
• has been createdκαταρτίζωkatartizō · to completeG2675
• by the wordῥῆμαrhēma · declarationG4487
• of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• soεἰςeis · towardG1519
• what is seenβλέπωblepō · to seeG991
• has not been madeγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
• out of things that are visibleφαίνωphainō · to shine/appearG5316

Cross-references for Hebrews 11:3

• Hebrews 1:2in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom He also made the world.
• Genesis 1:1In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
• Genesis 2:1And so the heavens and the earth were completed, and all their heavenly lights.
• Psalms 33:6By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, And by the breath of His mouth all their lights.
• Isaiah 40:26Raise your eyes on high And see who has created these stars, The One who brings out their multitude by number, He calls them all by name; Because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power, Not one of them is missing.
• Jeremiah 10:11This is what you shall say to them: “The gods that did not make the heavens and the earth will perish from the earth and from under these heavens.”
• John 1:3All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him not even one thing came into being that has come into being.
• Acts 14:15and saying, “Men, why are you doing these things? We are also men, of the same nature as you, preaching the gospel to you, to turn from these useless things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything that is in them.
• Acts 17:24The God who made the world and everything that is in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made by hands;
• Romans 1:19because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.
• Romans 4:17(as it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed, that is, God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that do not exist.
• 2 Peter 3:5For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water,
• Revelation 4:11“Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.”

Commentaries on Hebrews 11:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3Through faith we understand - By worlds, , we are to understand the material fabric of the universe; for can have no reference here to age or any measurement of time, for he speaks of the things which are Seen; not being made out of the things which do Appear; this therefore must refer to the material creation: and as the word is used in the plural number, it may comprehend, not only the earth and visible heavens, but the whole planetary system; the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed - The first instance of the strength of faith which the apostle refers to is that by which we give credence to the declarations in the Scriptures about the work of creation; Genesis 1:1. This is selected first, evidently because it is the first thing that occurs in the Bible, or is the first thing there narrated in relation to which there is the exercise of faith. He points to no particular instance…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3The belief that God created the entire universe is fundamental to Jewish and Christian theology (see Genesis 1:1–3). God made everything we see today. A faithful life believes that, like creation, God's promises are real and will become reality, even if they are not visible now.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. we understand--We perceive with our spiritual intelligence the fact of the world's creation by God, though we see neither Him nor the act of creation as described in Ge 1:1-31. The natural world could not, without revelation, teach us this truth, though it confirms the truth when apprehended by faith (Ro 1:20). Adam is passed over in silence here as to his faith, perhaps as being the first who fell and brought sin on us all; though it does not follow…Read the comment

Topics related to Hebrews 11:3

• Faith
• God
• Word of God

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Word of God
• Builder
• Conceive
• Confess
• Cruel
• Faith
• 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