Hebrews 11:13-19

Tree of Life Version

¹³These all died in faith without receiving the things promised—but they saw them and welcomed them from afar, and they confessed that they were strangers and sojourners on the earth. ^[a] ¹⁴For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. ¹⁵If indeed they had been thinking about where they had come from, they would have had opportunity to return. ¹⁶But as it is, they yearn for 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.

¹⁷By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac. Yes, he who had received the promises was offering up his one and only son— ¹⁸the one about whom it was said, “Through Isaac offspring shall be named for you.” ^[b] ¹⁹He reasoned that God was able to raise him up even from the dead—and in a sense, he did receive him back from there.

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Footnotes

Hebrews 11:14 cf. Gen. 23:4; 47:9.
Hebrews 11:19 Gen. 21:12(LXX).

Hebrews 11:13-19

New International Version

¹³All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised;^(A) they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance,^(B) admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth.^(C) ¹⁴People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. ¹⁵If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return.^(D) ¹⁶Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one.^(E) Therefore God is not ashamed^(F) to be called their God,^(G) for he has prepared a city^(H) for them.

¹⁷By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice.^(I) He who had embraced the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, ¹⁸even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.”^[a]^(J) ¹⁹Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead,^(K) and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death.