Passage

Hebrews 11.17

Book: Hebrews · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT

Immediate context (±2 verses)

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;

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

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,

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

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,

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

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,

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)

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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.

G3439 - monogenes, monogenes, Strong's G3439
G4102 - pistis, pistis, Strong's G4102

Quoted in

Arguments and defeaters:

Concepts:

Lexicon:

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 (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
WEB (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
KJV (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
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 for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.