Hebrews 11:1-4

People Commended for Their Faith

11:1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for, being convinced of what we do not see. 11:2 For by it the people of old ¹  received God’s commendation. ²  11:3 By faith we understand that the worlds ³  were set in order at God’s command, ⁴  so that the visible has its origin in the invisible. ⁵  11:4 By faith Abel offered God a greater sacrifice than Cain, and through his faith ⁶  he was commended as righteous, because God commended him for his offerings. And through his faith ⁷  he still speaks, though he is dead.

[11:2]  ¹ tn Or “the elders,” “the ancients.”

[11:2]  ² tn Grk “were attested,” “received commendation”; and Heb 11:4-6 shows this to be from God.

[11:3]  ³ tn Grk “ages.” The temporal (ages) came to be used of the spatial (what exists in those time periods). See Heb 1:2 for same usage.

[11:3]  ⁴ tn Grk “by God’s word.”

[11:3]  ⁵ sn The Greek phrasing emphasizes this point by negating the opposite: “so that what is seen did not come into being from things that are visible.”

[11:4]  ⁶ tn Or “through his sacrifice”; Grk “through which.”

[11:4]  ⁷ tn Or “through his sacrifice”; Grk “through it.”