New International Version
Hebrews 11:8
8By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.
Hebrews 11:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
- English Standard Version (ESV)By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.
- New King James Version (NKJV)By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.
- New Living Translation (NLT)It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going.
Context of Hebrews 11:8
6And 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. 7By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith. By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.
Read all of Hebrews 11Hebrews 11:8 word by word
Πίστει καλούμενος Ἀβραὰμ ὑπήκουσεν ἐξελθεῖν εἰς τόπον ὃν ἤμελλεν λαμβάνειν εἰς κληρονομίαν καὶ ἐξῆλθεν μὴ ἐπιστάμενος ποῦ ἔρχεται.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- By faithπίστιςpistis · faithG4102
- AbrahamἈβραάμAbraam · AbrahamG11
- when he was calledκαλέωkaleō · to call: callG2564
- to go outἐξέρχομαιexerchomai · to go outG1831
- intoεἰςeis · towardG1519
- a placeὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- a placeτόποςtopos · placeG5117
- whichὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- he should afterμέλλωmellō · to ensueG3195
- receiveλαμβάνωlambanō · to takeG2983
- an inheritanceκληρονομίαklēronomia · inheritanceG2817
- obeyedὑπακούωhupakouō · to obeyG5219
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- notμήmē · notG3361
- knowingἐπίσταμαιepistamai · to know/understandG1987
- whitherποῦpou · where?G4226
- he wentἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
Cross-references for Hebrews 11:8
- Genesis 11:31Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, the wife of his son Abram, and together they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan. But when they came to Harran, they settled there.
- Genesis 12:1The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.
- Joshua 24:3But I took your father Abraham from the land beyond the Euphrates and led him throughout Canaan and gave him many descendants. I gave him Isaac,
- Nehemiah 9:7“You are the Lord God, who chose Abram and brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans and named him Abraham.
- Isaiah 41:2“Who has stirred up one from the east, calling him in righteousness to his service? He hands nations over to him and subdues kings before him. He turns them to dust with his sword, to windblown chaff with his bow.
- Isaiah 51:2look to Abraham, your father, and to Sarah, who gave you birth. When I called him he was only one man, and I blessed him and made him many.
- Acts 7:2To this he replied: “Brothers and fathers, listen to me! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Harran.
- Genesis 12:7The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built an altar there to the Lord, who had appeared to him.
- Genesis 13:15All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever.
- Genesis 15:7He also said to him, “I am the Lord, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to take possession of it.”
- Genesis 17:8The whole land of Canaan, where you now reside as a foreigner, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God.”
- Genesis 26:3Stay in this land for a while, and I will be with you and will bless you. For to you and your descendants I will give all these lands and will confirm the oath I swore to your father Abraham.
- Deuteronomy 9:5It is not because of your righteousness or your integrity that you are going in to take possession of their land; but on account of the wickedness of these nations, the Lord your God will drive them out before you, to accomplish what he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
- Psalms 105:9the covenant he made with Abraham, the oath he swore to Isaac.
- Ezekiel 36:24“ ‘For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land.
- Hebrews 11:33who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions,
Commentaries on Hebrews 11:8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8Abraham, when he was called - See on Genesis 12:1-4; (note). Not knowing whither he went - Therefore his obedience was the fullest proof of his faith in God, and his faith was an implicit faith; he obeyed, and went out from his own country, having no prospect of any good or success but what his implicit faith led him to expect from God, as the rewarder of them that diligently seek him. In all the preceding cases, and in all that follow, the apostle keeps…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8By faith Abraham - There is no difficulty in determining that Abraham was influenced by faith in God. The case is even stronger than that of Noah, for it is expressly declared, Genesis 15:6, “And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.” Compare notes, Romans 4:1-5. In the illustrations of the power of faith in this chapter, the apostle appeals to two instances in which it was exhibited by Abraham, “the father of the faithful.”…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. 8Abraham … obeyed: See Genesis 12:1–2. He acted without knowing his destination, trusting in what he could not yet see.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. From the antediluvian saints he passes to the patriarchs of Israel, to whom "the promises" belonged. called--by God (Ge 12:1). The oldest manuscripts and Vulgate read, "He that was called Abraham," his name being changed from Abram to Abraham, on the occasion of God's making with him and his seed a covenant sealed by circumcision, many years after his call out of Ur. "By faith, he who was (afterwards) called Abraham (father of nations, Ge 17:5, in…Read the comment
Topics related to Hebrews 11:8
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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