Hebrews 11:17

Hebrews 11:17 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,
• New International Version (NIV)By 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,
• English Standard Version (ESV)By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son,
• New King James Version (NKJV)By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,

Context of Hebrews 11:17

15If they had longed for the country they came from, they could have gone back. 16But 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. It was by faith that Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice when God was testing him. Abraham, who had received God’s promises, was ready to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, 18even though God had told him, “Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted.” 19Abraham reasoned that if Isaac died, God was able to bring him back to life again. And in a sense, Abraham did receive his son back from the dead.

Hebrews 11:17 word by word

Πίστει προσενήνοχεν Ἀβραὰμ τὸν Ἰσαὰκ πειραζόμενος, καὶ τὸν μονογενῆ προσέφερεν ὁ τὰς ἐπαγγελίας ἀναδεξάμενος,Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• By faithπίστιςpistis · faithG4102
• AbrahamἈβραάμAbraam · AbrahamG11
• when he was triedπειράζωpeirazō · to test/tempt: testG3985
• offered upπροσφέρωprospherō · to bring toG4374
• IsaacἸσαάκIsaak · IsaacG2464
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• he that had receivedἀναδέχομαιanadechomai · to receiveG324
• the promisesὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the promisesἐπαγγελίαepaggelia · promiseG1860
• his only begottenμονογενήςmonogenēs · uniqueG3439

Cross-references for Hebrews 11:17

• Genesis 22:1Some time later, God tested Abraham’s faith. “Abraham!” God called. “Yes,” he replied. “Here I am.”
• James 2:21Don’t you remember that our ancestor Abraham was shown to be right with God by his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?
• Deuteronomy 8:2Remember how the Lord your God led you through the wilderness for these forty years, humbling you and testing you to prove your character, and to find out whether or not you would obey his commands.
• 2 Chronicles 32:31However, when ambassadors arrived from Babylon to ask about the remarkable events that had taken place in the land, God withdrew from Hezekiah in order to test him and to see what was really in his heart.
• Job 1:11But reach out and take away everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face!”
• Job 2:3Then the Lord asked Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless—a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil. And he has maintained his integrity, even though you urged me to harm him without cause.”
• Proverbs 17:3Fire tests the purity of silver and gold, but the Lord tests the heart.
• Daniel 11:35And some of the wise will fall victim to persecution. In this way, they will be refined and cleansed and made pure until the time of the end, for the appointed time is still to come.
• Zechariah 13:9I will bring that group through the fire and make them pure. I will refine them like silver and purify them like gold. They will call on my name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘These are my people,’ and they will say, ‘The Lord is our God.’”
• Malachi 3:2“But who will be able to endure it when he comes? Who will be able to stand and face him when he appears? For he will be like a blazing fire that refines metal, or like a strong soap that bleaches clothes.
• James 1:2Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.
• James 5:11We give great honor to those who endure under suffering. For instance, you know about Job, a man of great endurance. You can see how the Lord was kind to him at the end, for the Lord is full of tenderness and mercy.
• 1 Peter 1:6So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while.
• 1 Peter 4:12Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you.
• Revelation 3:10“Because you have obeyed my command to persevere, I will protect you from the great time of testing that will come upon the whole world to test those who belong to this world.
• Hebrews 7:6But Melchizedek, who was not a descendant of Levi, collected a tenth from Abraham. And Melchizedek placed a blessing upon Abraham, the one who had already received the promises of God.

Commentaries on Hebrews 11:17

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17Abraham, when he was tried - See the history of this whole transaction explained at large in the notes on Genesis 22:1-9. Offered up his only-begotten - Abraham did, in effect, offer up Isaac; he built an altar, bound his son, laid him upon the altar, had ready the incense, took the knife, and would immediately have slain him had he not been prevented by the same authority by which the sacrifice was enjoined. Isaac is here called his only-begotten, as be…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17By faith Abraham - The apostle had stated one strong instance of the faith of Abraham, and he now refers to one still more remarkable - the strongest illustration of faith, undoubtedly, which has ever been evinced in our world. When he was tried - The word used here is rendered “tempted,” in Matthew 4:1, Matthew 4:3; Matthew 16:1; Matthew 19:3; Matthew 22:18, Matthew 22:35, and in twenty-two other places in the New Testament; “prove,” in John 6:6; “hath…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. 17-19ready to offer his one and only son: See Genesis 22:1–18. God did not want Abraham to sacrifice his son. He was testing Abraham's faith, which Abraham showed through his obedience.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1717. offered up--literally, "hath offered up," as if the work and its praise were yet enduring [Alford]. As far as His intention was concerned, he did sacrifice Isaac; and in actual fact "he offered him," as far as the presentation of him on the altar as an offering to God is concerned. tried--Greek, "tempted," as in Ge 22:1. Put to the proof of his faith. Not that God "tempts" to sin, but God "tempts" in the sense of proving or trying (Jas 1:13-15)…Read the comment

Topics related to Hebrews 11:17

• Abraham
• Atonement
• Decision
• Faith
• Heart
• Isaac
• Obedience
• Offerings
• Temptation

In the dictionaries

• Abraham
• Isaac
• Abraham, Abram
• Only Begotten
• Builder
• Conceive
• Confess
• Cruel
• Faith
• Impossible

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