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.
• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

Context of Hebrews 11:16

14People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 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. 17By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had embraced the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, 18even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.”

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 11:14People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own.
• Hebrews 12:22But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly,
• Hebrews 2:11Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters.
• Genesis 17:7I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you.
• Exodus 3:6Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.
• Isaiah 41:8“But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, you descendants of Abraham my 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 22:31But about the resurrection of the dead—have you not read what God said to you,
• Mark 12:26Now about the dead rising—have you not read in the Book of Moses, in the account of the burning bush, how God said to him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’?
• Luke 20:37But in the account of the burning bush, even Moses showed that the dead rise, for he calls the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’
• Acts 7:32‘I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.’ Moses trembled with fear and did not dare to look.
• Hebrews 11:10For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.
• Hebrews 13:14For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come.
• Matthew 25:34“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.
• Luke 12:32“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.
• Philippians 3:20But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,

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