Hebrews 11:11
New International Version
And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise.

New Living Translation
It was by faith that even Sarah was able to have a child, though she was barren and was too old. She believed that God would keep his promise.

English Standard Version
By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised.

Berean Standard Bible
By faith Sarah, even though she was barren and beyond the proper age, was enabled to conceive a child, because she considered Him faithful who had promised.

Berean Literal Bible
By faith also Sarah, herself barren, received power for the conception of seed, even beyond the opportune age, since she considered the One having promised faithful.

King James Bible
Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.

New King James Version
By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised.

New American Standard Bible
By faith even Sarah herself received ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him faithful who had promised.

NASB 1995
By faith even Sarah herself received ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him faithful who had promised.

NASB 1977
By faith even Sarah herself received ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him faithful who had promised;

Legacy Standard Bible
By faith even Sarah herself received ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she regarded Him faithful who had promised.

Amplified Bible
By faith even Sarah herself received the ability to conceive [a child], even [when she was long] past the normal age for it, because she considered Him who had given her the promise to be reliable and true [to His word].

Christian Standard Bible
By faith even Sarah herself, when she was unable to have children, received power to conceive offspring, even though she was past the age, since she considered that the one who had promised was faithful.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
By faith even Sarah herself, when she was unable to have children, received power to conceive offspring, even though she was past the age, since she considered that the One who had promised was faithful.

American Standard Version
By faith even Sarah herself received power to conceive seed when she was past age, since she counted him faithful who had promised:

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
By faith also Sarah, who was sterile, received power to conceive seed, and she who was not in the time of her years gave birth, for she was sure that he who promised her was faithful.

Contemporary English Version
Even when Sarah was too old to have children, she had faith that God would do what he had promised, and she had a son.

Douay-Rheims Bible
By faith also Sara herself, being barren, received strength to conceive seed, even past the time of age; because she believed that he was faithful who had promised,

English Revised Version
By faith even Sarah herself received power to conceive seed when she was past age, since she counted him faithful who had promised:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Faith enabled Abraham to become a father, even though he was old and Sarah had never been able to have children. Abraham trusted that God would keep his promise.

Good News Translation
It was faith that made Abraham able to become a father, even though he was too old and Sarah herself could not have children. He trusted God to keep his promise.

International Standard Version
By faith Sarah, even though she was old and barren, received the strength to conceive, because she was convinced that the one who had made the promise was faithful.

Literal Standard Version
And by faith Sarah, herself barren, received power to conceive seed even after the time of life, seeing she judged Him who promised faithful;

Majority Standard Bible
By faith Sarah, even though she was beyond the proper age, received power and was enabled to conceive a child, because she considered Him faithful who had promised.

New American Bible
By faith he received power to generate, even though he was past the normal age—and Sarah herself was sterile—for he thought that the one who had made the promise was trustworthy.

NET Bible
By faith, even though Sarah herself was barren and he was too old, he received the ability to procreate, because he regarded the one who had given the promise to be trustworthy.

New Revised Standard Version
By faith he received power of procreation, even though he was too old—and Sarah herself was barren—because he considered him faithful who had promised.

New Heart English Bible
By faith, even barren Sarah herself received power to conceive when she was past age, and gave birth, since she considered him faithful who had promised.

Webster's Bible Translation
Through faith also Sarah herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.

Weymouth New Testament
Through faith even Sarah herself received strength to become a mother--although she was past the time of life for this--because she judged Him faithful who had given the promise.

World English Bible
By faith even Sarah herself received power to conceive, and she bore a child when she was past age, since she counted him faithful who had promised.

Young's Literal Translation
By faith also Sarah herself did receive power to conceive seed, and she bare after the time of life, seeing she did judge Him faithful who did promise;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Faith of Abraham and Sarah
10For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 11By faith Sarah, even though she was barren and beyond the proper age, was enabled to conceive a child, because she considered Him faithful who had promised. 12And so from one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.…

Cross References
Genesis 17:19
But God replied, "Your wife Sarah will indeed bear you a son, and you are to name him Isaac. I will establish My covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.

Genesis 18:11
And Abraham and Sarah were already old and well along in years; Sarah had passed the age of childbearing.

Genesis 21:2
So Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised.

Romans 9:8
So it is not the children of the flesh who are God's children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as offspring.

Galatians 4:23
His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born through the promise.

Hebrews 10:23
Let us hold resolutely to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful.


Treasury of Scripture

Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.

Sara.

Genesis 17:17-19
Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear? …

Genesis 18:11-14
Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women…

Genesis 21:1,2
And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as he had spoken…

because.

Hebrews 10:23
Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)

Romans 4:20,21
He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; …

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Abraham Age Although Bare Barren Birth Bore Child Conceive Conception Considered Counted Delivered Enabled Faith Faithful Herself Judged Life Mother Past Power Promise Promised Proper Received Sara Sarah Seasonable Seed Strength Time
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Abraham Age Although Bare Barren Birth Bore Child Conceive Conception Considered Counted Delivered Enabled Faith Faithful Herself Judged Life Mother Past Power Promise Promised Proper Received Sara Sarah Seasonable Seed Strength Time
Hebrews 11
1. What faith is.
6. Without faith we cannot please God.
7. The examples of faithfulness in the fathers of old time.














(11) Through faith also Sara herself.--Rather, By faith Sarah herself also, or, even Sarah herself. This emphatic introduction of the name of Sarah may point to the unbelief which for a brief while she displayed (Genesis 18:12); but the words may simply mean, "Sarah also, on her part"--the joint recipient with Abraham of the divine promise, a promise in which it might at first seem that she had no part. (Comp. Genesis 16:1-2.) The words "was delivered of a child" are absent from the best authorities; so that we must read, "even when she was past age." With the last words of the verse compare Hebrews 10:23.

Verses 11, 12. - By faith also Sarah herself received strength to conceive seed, even when she was past age (ἕτεκεν, as in the Textus Receptus, after καὶ παρὰ καιρὸν ἡλικίας, may be rejected, being, perhaps, an interpolation suggested by καὶ), because she judged him faithful who had promised. Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea-shore innumerable. The vitality of Abraham's faith is represented as evinced by its surviving and triumphing over a succession of trials, over apparent impossibilities. One such peculiar trial was the long delay of the birth of a legitimate heir through whom the promise of an innumerable seed might be fulfilled, and this till it seemed out of the question in the natural course of things. Yet "he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief... being fully persuaded that what he had promised he was able to perform" (see Romans 4:17-23, which is a fuller statement of the idea of this verse, including the use of the words νενεκρώμενον and νέκρωσις to express effeteness, and ἐδυναμώθη, corresponding to δύναμον ἔλαβε here. This is a further instance of Pauline thought in this Epistle - ideas already enlarged on by St. Paul being taken for granted as understood.) In Romans Abraham's faith in this regard is treated as typifying Christian faith in the resurrection from the dead (ver. 24), as is also, in the chapter before us (ver. 19), his faith displayed on the occasion of the offering of Isaac. For to us also our inability to conceive the mode of accomplishment of what well-grounded faith assures us of is no just cause for staggering. "How are the dead raised up? and with what kind of body do they come?" was asked by the Corinthian doubters. St. Paul directs them, in reply, to faith in "the power of God" (cf. Mark 12:24) to accomplish his purposes and fulfill his promises in ways unknown to us, transcending, though analogous to, the mysterious processes of nature that we see before our eyes. For "with God all things are possible." Sarah is here joined with Abraham, as also "receiving power" by faith, i.e. her own faith, as the structure of ver. 11 seems evidently to imply. But how is this consistent with the account of her in Genesis, where she is nowhere held up as an example of faith; nay, is censured for incredulity (Genesis 18:12-16) with respect to the promise cf. offspring? The answer may be that her temporary unbelief is concluded to have been succeeded by faith, as proved by the result, viz. that she "received power." And, indeed, her laughter recorded in Genesis 18, does not seem intended to imply any permanent "heart of unbelief;" for even Abraham had laughed as she did when the same announcement had been previously made to him (Genesis 17:17), and the "laughter" associated with her memory has quite a different meaning given it when that of temporary incredulity was changed into that of joy on the birth of the promised son, who was consequently called Isaac (equivalent to "laughter"). It is, however, Abraham himself who is put prominently before us as the great example of faith; Sarah is only introduced by his side (with the words καὶ αὐτὴ) as sharing it and cooperating to the result. To him singly the writer returns in ver. 12, Διὸ καὶ ἀφ ἑνὸς, etc.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
By faith
Πίστει (Pistei)
Noun - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 4102: Faith, belief, trust, confidence; fidelity, faithfulness.

Sarah,
Σάρρᾳ (Sarra)
Noun - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 4564: Sarah, wife of Abraham. Of Hebrew origin; Sarra, the wife of Abraham.

even though
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

she
αὐτῇ (autē)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Feminine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

was barren
στεῖρα (steira)
Adjective - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 4723: Barren. A contraction from stereos; 'sterile'.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

beyond
παρὰ (para)
Preposition
Strong's 3844: Gen: from; dat: beside, in the presence of; acc: alongside of.

the opportune
καιρὸν (kairon)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2540: Fitting season, season, opportunity, occasion, time. Of uncertain affinity; an occasion, i.e. Set or proper time.

age,
ἡλικίας (hēlikias)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 2244: Age, term of life; full age, maturity; stature. From the same as helikos; maturity.

was enabled
ἔλαβεν (elaben)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2983: (a) I receive, get, (b) I take, lay hold of.

to
εἰς (eis)
Preposition
Strong's 1519: A primary preposition; to or into, of place, time, or purpose; also in adverbial phrases.

conceive
καταβολὴν (katabolēn)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 2602: From kataballo; a deposition, i.e. Founding; figuratively, conception.

a child,
σπέρματος (spermatos)
Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular
Strong's 4690: From speiro; something sown, i.e. Seed; by implication, offspring; specially, a remnant.

because
ἐπεὶ (epei)
Conjunction
Strong's 1893: Of time: when, after; of cause: since, because; otherwise: else. From epi and ei; thereupon, i.e. Since.

she considered
ἡγήσατο (hēgēsato)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2233: (a) To lead, (b) To think, be of opinion, suppose, consider.

Him
τὸν (ton)
Article - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

faithful
πιστὸν (piston)
Adjective - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 4103: Trustworthy, faithful, believing. From peitho; objectively, trustworthy; subjectively, trustful.

who had promised.
ἐπαγγειλάμενον (epangeilamenon)
Verb - Aorist Participle Middle - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 1861: From epi and the base of aggelos; to announce upon, i.e. to engage to do something, to assert something respecting oneself.


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NT Letters: Hebrews 11:11 By faith even Sarah herself received power (Heb. He. Hb)
Hebrews 11:10
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