By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance,(A) obeyed and went,(B) even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised land(C) like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents,(D) as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise.(E) 10 For he was looking forward to the city(F) with foundations,(G) whose architect and builder is God.(H) 11 And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age,(I) was enabled to bear children(J) because she[a] considered him faithful(K) who had made the promise. 12 And so from this one man, and he as good as dead,(L) came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.(M)

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Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 11:11 Or By faith Abraham, even though he was too old to have children—and Sarah herself was not able to conceive—was enabled to become a father because he

By faith (A)Abraham, when he was called, obeyed [a]by going out to a place which he was to (B)receive for an inheritance; and he left, not knowing where he was going. By faith he lived as a stranger in (C)the land of promise, as in a foreign land, (D)living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, (E)fellow heirs of the same promise; 10 for he was looking for (F)the city which has (G)foundations, (H)whose architect and builder is God. 11 By faith even (I)Sarah herself received [b]ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him (J)faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore even from one man, and (K)one who was as good as dead [c]at that, there were born descendants who were (L)just as the stars of heaven in number, and as the innumerable grains of sand along the seashore.

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Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 11:8 Lit to go out
  2. Hebrews 11:11 Lit power for the laying down of seed
  3. Hebrews 11:12 Lit in these things

Faithful Abraham(A)

By faith (B)Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, (C)dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, (D)the heirs with him of the same promise; 10 for he waited for (E)the city which has foundations, (F)whose builder and maker is God.

11 By faith (G)Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and (H)she[a] bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him (I)faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore from one man, and him as good as (J)dead, were born as many as the (K)stars of the sky in multitude—innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.

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Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 11:11 NU omits she bore a child

8-10 By an act of faith, Abraham said yes to God’s call to travel to an unknown place that would become his home. When he left he had no idea where he was going. By an act of faith he lived in the country promised him, lived as a stranger camping in tents. Isaac and Jacob did the same, living under the same promise. Abraham did it by keeping his eye on an unseen city with real, eternal foundations—the City designed and built by God.

11-12 By faith, barren Sarah was able to become pregnant, old woman as she was at the time, because she believed the One who made a promise would do what he said. That’s how it happened that from one man’s dead and shriveled loins there are now people numbering into the millions.

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