Hebrews 11
Hebrews Chapter 11, Explained
Hebrews 11 is the Bible's great gallery of faith. It opens by defining faith as the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen, a confident trust in God's promises even when we cannot yet see them. Then it walks through the story of God's people, one name at a time.
By faith Abel worshiped, Noah built, Abraham obeyed and journeyed to a land he did not know, Moses chose to suffer with God's people rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin, and many others endured hardship, trusting God's word. None of them received the full promise in their lifetime, because God had planned something better, that they would be made complete together with us.
Key verses from Hebrews 11
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
Hebrews 11:1
“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.”
Hebrews 11:6
The main point
Hebrews 11 is about a long line of ordinary people who trusted God's promises before they could see them.
How Hebrews 11 points to Jesus
All this faith was reaching toward Jesus, in whom every promise is kept. The next chapter names Him the author and finisher of our faith, the one these faithful ones were ultimately looking for and the one we now trust.
Want to sit with this chapter for yourself? Open The Living Bread to read Hebrews 11 in full, ask any question about it, and pray with others, free.
Read Hebrews 11 with its meaning · The book of Hebrews: summary · All chapter guides