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 being sure of what we hope for, being convinced of what we do not see. 2For by it the people of old received God’s commendation. By faith we understand that the worlds were set in order at God’s command, so that the visible has its origin in the invisible. 4By faith Abel offered God a greater sacrifice than Cain, and through his faith he was commended as righteous, because God commended him for his offerings. And through his faith he still speaks, though he is dead. 5By faith Enoch was taken up so that he did not see death, and he was not to be found because God took him up. For before his removal he had been commended as having pleased 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

Words taken from the KJV.

• Through faithπίστιςpistis · faithG4102
• we understandνοέωnoieō · to understandG3539
• thatκαταρτίζωkatartizō · to completeG2675
• the worldsὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the worldsαἰώνaiōn · an age: ageG165
• by the wordῥῆμαrhēma · declarationG4487
• of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• so thatεἰςeis · towardG1519
• things which are seenβλέπωblepō · to seeG991
• wereγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
• notμήmē · notG3361
• ofἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• things which do appearφαίνωphainō · to shine/appearG5316

Cross-references for Hebrews 11:3

• Hebrews 1:2in these last days he has spoken to us in a son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he created the world.
• Genesis 1:1In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
• Genesis 2:1The heavens and the earth were completed with everything that was in them.
• Psalms 33:6By the Lord’s decree the heavens were made; by a mere word from his mouth all the stars in the sky were created.
• Isaiah 40:26Look up at the sky! Who created all these heavenly lights? He is the one who leads out their ranks; he calls them all by name. Because of his absolute power and awesome strength, not one of them is missing.
• Jeremiah 10:11You people of Israel should tell those nations this: ‘These gods did not make heaven and earth. They will disappear from the earth and from under the heavens.’
• John 1:3All things were created by him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created.
• Acts 14:15“Men, why are you doing these things? We too are men, with human natures just like you! We are proclaiming the good news to you, so that you should turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and everything that is in them.
• Acts 17:24The God who made the world and everything in it, who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by human hands,
• Romans 1:19because what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.
• Romans 4:17(as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”). He is our father in the presence of God whom he believed – the God who makes the dead alive and summons the things that do not yet exist as though they already do.
• 2 Peter 3:5For they deliberately suppress this fact, that by the word of God heavens existed long ago and an earth was formed out of water and by means of water.
• Revelation 4:11“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, since 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