# Hebrews 11.17 **Book:** [Hebrews](/codex/hebrews/) · NASB95 ## Immediate context (±2 verses) **ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/)) > 15. And if indeed they had been mindful of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16. But now they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God; for he hath prepared for them a city. > > **17. By faith Abraham, being tried, offered up Isaac: yea, he that had gladly received the promises was offering up his only begotten son;** > > 18. even he to whom it was said, In Isaac shall thy seed be called: 19. accounting that God is able to raise up, even from the dead; from whence he did also in a figure receive him back. (Hebrews 11:15-19, ASV) **WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/)) > 15. If indeed they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had enough time to return. 16. But now they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. > > **17. By faith, Abraham, being tested, offered up Isaac. Yes, he who had gladly received the promises was offering up his one and only son,** > > 18. to whom it was said, “your offspring will be accounted as from Isaac”; 19. concluding that God is able to raise up even from the dead. Figuratively speaking, he also did receive him back from the dead. (Hebrews 11:15-19, WEB) **KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/)) > 15. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. 16. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city. > > **17. By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,** > > 18. Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: of: or, to 19. Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure. (Hebrews 11:15-19, KJV) **YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/)) > 15. and if, indeed, they had been mindful of that from which they came forth, they might have had an opportunity to return, 16. but now they long for a better, that is, an heavenly, wherefore God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God, for He did prepare for them a city. > > **17. By faith Abraham hath offered up Isaac, being tried, and the only begotten he did offer up who did receive the promises,** > > 18. of whom it was said, 'In Isaac shall a seed be called to thee;' 19. reckoning that even out of the dead God is able to raise up, whence also in a figure he did receive [him]. (Hebrews 11:15-19, YLT) ## Setting - **Speaker:** _TBD_ - **Audience:** _TBD_ - **Location:** _TBD_ - **Time period:** _TBD_ ## Theological reading _Patristic / early-church-father exegesis, to be added._ ## Key words _Theologically-loaded Greek or Hebrew words in this verse may have entries in the lexicon. Curated to roughly 100 contested terms across the corpus, not every word; see Lexicon Roadmap._ - _TBD_ - _TBD_ - _TBD_ - _TBD_ ## Quoted in **Arguments and defeaters:** - [Faith is Belief Without Evidence Objection Defeater](/codex/faith-is-belief-without-evidence-objection-defeater/), via [Hebrews 11.3-39](/codex/hebrews-11-3-39/) - [Jesus is Not a Human Sacrifice (Defeater)](/codex/jesus-is-not-a-human-sacrifice-defeater/), via [Hebrews 11.17-19](/codex/hebrews-11-17-19/) **Concepts:** - [Akedah](/codex/genesis-22/), via [Hebrews 11.17-19](/codex/hebrews-11-17-19/) - [Human Sacrifice in the Old Testament](/codex/human-sacrifice-in-the-old-testament/), via [Hebrews 11.17-19](/codex/hebrews-11-17-19/) **Lexicon:** - [G3439 - monogenes](/codex/g3439-monogenes/) - [G4102 - pistis](/codex/g4102-pistis/), via [Hebrews 11.3-40](/codex/hebrews-11-3-40/) - [H3173 - yachid](/codex/h3173-yachid/) --- _Scripture quotations taken from the **New American Standard Bible®** (NASB), Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by **The Lockman Foundation**. Used by permission. All rights reserved. [www.lockman.org](https://www.lockman.org)_ ## Why these four translations ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance. The four: - **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition. - **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English. - **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base. - **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff. See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.