Hebrews 11:1

Hebrews 11:1 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
• New International Version (NIV)Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Context of Hebrews 11:1

Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see. 2Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation. 3By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.

Hebrews 11:1 word by word

Ἔστιν δὲ πίστις ἐλπιζομένων ὑπόστασις, πραγμάτων ἔλεγχος οὐ βλεπομένων.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Nowδέde · thenG1161
• faithπίστιςpistis · faithG4102
• isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• the substanceὑπόστασιςhupostasis · confidence/essenceG5287
• of things hoped forἐλπίζωelpizō · to hope/expectG1679
• the evidenceἔλεγχοςelegchos · rebukeG1650
• of thingsπρᾶγμαpragma · thingG4229
• notοὐou · noG3756
• seenβλέπωblepō · to seeG991

Cross-references for Hebrews 11:1

• Hebrews 11:13All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth.
• Hebrews 10:22let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.
• Acts 20:21I have had one message for Jews and Greeks alike—the necessity of repenting from sin and turning to God, and of having faith in our Lord Jesus.
• 1 Corinthians 13:13Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.
• Galatians 5:6For when we place our faith in Christ Jesus, there is no benefit in being circumcised or being uncircumcised. What is important is faith expressing itself in love.
• 1 Peter 1:7These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.
• 2 Peter 1:1This letter is from Simon Peter, a slave and apostle of Jesus Christ. I am writing to you who share the same precious faith we have. This faith was given to you because of the justice and fairness of Jesus Christ, our God and Savior.
• Psalms 27:13Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness while I am here in the land of the living.
• Psalms 42:11Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again— my Savior and my God!
• Hebrews 2:3So what makes us think we can escape if we ignore this great salvation that was first announced by the Lord Jesus himself and then delivered to us by those who heard him speak?
• Hebrews 3:14For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ.
• 2 Corinthians 9:4We would be embarrassed—not to mention your own embarrassment—if some Macedonian believers came with me and found that you weren’t ready after all I had told them!
• 2 Corinthians 11:17Such boasting is not from the Lord, but I am acting like a fool.
• Hebrews 6:12Then you will not become spiritually dull and indifferent. Instead, you will follow the example of those who are going to inherit God’s promises because of their faith and endurance.
• Hebrews 11:7It was by faith that Noah built a large boat to save his family from the flood. He obeyed God, who warned him about things that had never happened before. By his faith Noah condemned the rest of the world, and he received the righteousness that comes by faith.
• Romans 8:24We were given this hope when we were saved. (If we already have something, we don’t need to hope for it.

Commentaries on Hebrews 11:1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Faith is the substance of things hoped for - ̔· Faith is the Subsistence of things hoped for; · The Demonstration of things not seen. The word ̔, which we translate substance, signifies subsistence, that which becomes a foundation for another thing to stand on. And signifies such a conviction as is produced in the mind by the demonstration of a problem, after which demonstration no doubt can remain, because we see from it that the thing is; that it cannot…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1Now faith is the substance of things hoped for - On the general nature of faith, see the notes on Mark 16:16. The margin here is, “ground or confidence.” There is scarcely any verse of the New Testament more important than this, for it states what is the nature of all true faith, and is the only definition of it which is attempted in the Scriptures. Eternal life depends on the existence and exercise of faith Mark 16:16, and hence, the importance of an…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1The nature and power of faith described. (1-3) It is set forth by instances from Abel to Noah. (4-7) By Abraham and his descendants. (8-19) By Jacob, Joseph, Moses, the Israelites, and Rahab. (20-31) By other Old Testament believers. (32-38) The better state of believers under the gospel. (39-40) Verses 1-3 Faith always has been the mark of God's servants, from the beginning of the world. Where the principle is planted by the regenerating Spirit of God…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1Before sharing examples, the author explains faith: It means acting on what God has shown about his will and character. Our faith is based on the reality that God keeps his promises.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-40Examples from the Old Covenant for Our Perseverance in Faith. 1. Description of the great things which faith (in its widest sense: not here restricted to faith in the Gospel sense) does for us. Not a full definition of faith in its whole nature, but a description of its great characteristics in relation to the subject of Paul's exhortation here, namely, to perseverance. substance, &c.--It substantiates promises of God which we hope for, as future in…Read the comment

Topics related to Hebrews 11:1

• Faith
• Hope

In the dictionaries

• Builder
• Conceive
• Confess
• Cruel
• Faith
• Impossible
• Proper
• Rewarder
• Trial
• Wander

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