New Living Translation
Hebrews 11:6
6And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely 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
4It was by faith that Abel brought a more acceptable offering to God than Cain did. Abel’s offering gave evidence that he was a righteous man, and God showed his approval of his gifts. Although Abel is long dead, he still speaks to us by his example of faith. 5It was by faith that Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying—“he disappeared, because God took him.” For before he was taken up, he was known as a person who pleased God. And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. 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. 8It 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.
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 3:12Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God.
- Hebrews 4:2For this good news—that God has prepared this rest—has been announced to us just as it was to them. But it did them no good because they didn’t share the faith of those who listened to God.
- Numbers 14:11And the Lord said to Moses, “How long will these people treat me with contempt? Will they never believe me, even after all the miraculous signs I have done among them?
- Numbers 20:12But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust me enough to demonstrate my holiness to the people of Israel, you will not lead them into the land I am giving them!”
- Psalms 78:22for they did not believe God or trust him to care for them.
- Psalms 106:21They forgot God, their savior, who had done such great things in Egypt—
- Isaiah 7:9Israel is no stronger than its capital, Samaria, and Samaria is no stronger than its king, Pekah son of Remaliah. Unless your faith is firm, I cannot make you stand firm.”
- Mark 16:17These miraculous signs will accompany those who believe: They will cast out demons in my name, and they will speak in new languages.
- John 3:18“There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son.
- John 8:24That is why I said that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I Am who I claim to be, you will die in your sins.”
- 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.
- Revelation 21:8“But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars—their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
- Hebrews 7:25Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf.
- Job 21:14And yet they say to God, ‘Go away. We want no part of you and your ways.
- Psalms 73:28But as for me, how good it is to be near God! I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter, and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do.
- Isaiah 55:3“Come to me with your ears wide open. Listen, and you will find life. I will make an everlasting covenant with you. I will give you all the unfailing love I promised 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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