Hebrews 11:9-16

11:9 By faith he lived as a foreigner¹ in the promised land as though it were a foreign country, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, who were fellow heirs² of the same promise. 11:10 For he was looking forward to the city with firm foundations,³ whose architect and builder is God. 11:11 By faith, even though Sarah herself was barren and he was too old,⁴ he received the ability to procreate,⁵ because he regarded the one who had given the promise to be trustworthy. 11:12 So in fact children⁶ were fathered by one man – and this one as good as dead – like the number of stars in the sky and like the innumerable grains of sand⁷ on the seashore.⁸ 11:13 These all died in faith without receiving the things promised,⁹ but they saw them in the distance and welcomed them and acknowledged that they were strangers and foreigners¹⁰ on the earth. 11:14 For those who speak in such a way make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 11:15 In fact, if they had been thinking of the land that they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 11:16 But as it is,¹¹ they aspire to a better land, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

¹tn Or “settled as a resident alien.”

²tn Or “heirs with him.”

³tn Grk “that has foundations.”

⁴tn Grk “past the time of maturity.”

⁵tn Grk “power to deposit seed.” Though it is not as likely, some construe this phrase to mean “power to conceive seed,” making the whole verse about Sarah: “by faith, even though Sarah herself was barren and too old, she received ability to conceive, because she regarded the one who had given the promise to be trustworthy.”

⁶tn Grk “these”; in the translation the referent (children) has been specified for clarity.

⁷tn Grk a collective “the sand.”

⁸sn An allusion to Gen 22:17 (which itself goes back to Gen 15:5).

⁹tn Grk “the promises,” referring to the things God promised, not to the pledges themselves.

¹⁰tn Or “sojourners.”

¹¹tn Grk “now.”