New English Translation
Hebrews 11:6
6Now without faith it is impossible to please him, for the one who approaches 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.
- 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
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. Now without faith it is impossible to please him, for the one who approaches God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. 7By faith Noah, when he was warned about things not yet seen, with reverent regard constructed an ark for the deliverance of his family. Through faith 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 he would later receive as an inheritance, and he went out without understanding 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 3:12See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has an evil, unbelieving heart that forsakes the living God.
- Hebrews 4:2For we had good news proclaimed to us just as they did. But the message they heard did them no good, since they did not join in with those who heard it in faith.
- Numbers 14:11The Lord said to Moses, “How long will this people despise me, and how long will they not believe in me, in spite of the signs that I have done among them?
- Numbers 20:12Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust me enough to show me as holy before the Israelites, therefore you will not bring this community into the land I have given them.”
- Psalms 78:22because they did not have faith in God, and did not trust his ability to deliver them.
- Psalms 106:21They rejected the God who delivered them, the one who performed great deeds in Egypt,
- Isaiah 7:9Ephraim’s leader is Samaria, and Samaria’s leader is the son of Remaliah. If your faith does not remain firm, then you will not remain secure.”
- Mark 16:17These signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new languages;
- John 3:18The one who believes in him is not condemned. The one who does not believe has been condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God.
- John 8:24Thus I told you that you will 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 carries any weight – the only thing that matters is faith working through love.
- Revelation 21:8But to the cowards, unbelievers, detestable persons, murderers, the sexually immoral, and those who practice magic spells, idol worshipers, and all those who lie, their place will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. That is the second death.”
- Hebrews 7:25So he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.
- Job 21:14So they say to God, ‘Turn away from us! We do not want to know your ways.
- Psalms 73:28But as for me, God’s presence is all I need. I have made the sovereign Lord my shelter, as I declare all the things you have done.
- Isaiah 55:3Pay attention and come to me! Listen, so you can live! Then I will make an unconditional covenantal promise to you, just like the reliable covenantal promises I made 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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