Hebrews 11:16
New International Version
Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

New Living Translation
But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

English Standard Version
But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.

Berean Standard Bible
Instead, they were longing for a better country, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.

Berean Literal Bible
But now they stretch forward to a better one, 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.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.

New American Standard Bible
But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.

NASB 1995
But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.

NASB 1977
But as it is, they desire a better country, that is a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.

Legacy Standard Bible
But now, they aspire to a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He prepared a city for them.

Amplified Bible
But the truth is that they were longing for a better country, that is, a heavenly one. For that reason God is not ashamed [of them or] to be called their God [even to be surnamed their God—the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob]; for He has prepared a city for them.

Christian Standard Bible
But they now desire a better place—a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
But they now desire a better place—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.

American Standard Version
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.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Now it is apparent that they longed for better than that, which is in Heaven; because of this, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a City for them.

Contemporary English Version
But they were looking forward to a better home in heaven. This is why God wasn't ashamed for them to call him their God. He even built a city for them.

Douay-Rheims Bible
But now they desire a better, that is to say, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for he hath prepared for them a city.

English Revised Version
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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Instead, these men were longing for a better country-a heavenly country. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God. He has prepared a city for them.

Good News Translation
Instead, it was a better country they longed for, the heavenly country. And so God is not ashamed for them to call him their God, because he has prepared a city for them.

International Standard Version
Instead, they were longing for a better country, that is, a heavenly one. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, because he has prepared a city for them.

Literal Standard Version
but now they long for better, that is, heavenly, for this reason God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God, for He prepared a city for them.

Majority Standard Bible
Instead, they were longing for a better country, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.

New American Bible
But now they desire a better homeland, a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

NET Bible
But as it is, they aspire to 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.

New Revised Standard Version
But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; indeed, he has prepared a city for them.

New Heart English Bible
Instead, they were longing for 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.

Webster's Bible Translation
But now they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for he hath prepared for them a city.

Weymouth New Testament
but, as it is, we see them eager for a better land, that is to say, a heavenly one. For this reason God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has now prepared a city for them.

World English Bible
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.

Young's Literal Translation
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.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Faith of Abraham and Sarah
15If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16Instead, they were longing for a better country, 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 on the altar. He who had received the promises was ready to offer his one and only son,…

Cross References
Genesis 17:7
I will establish My covenant as an everlasting covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you.

Genesis 26:24
and that night the LORD appeared to him and said, "I am the God of your father Abraham. Do not be afraid, for I am with you. I will bless you and multiply your descendants for the sake of My servant Abraham."

Genesis 28:13
And there at the top the LORD was standing and saying, "I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you now lie.

Exodus 3:6
Then He said, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." At this, Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.

Exodus 3:15
God also told Moses, "Say to the Israelites, 'The LORD, the God of your fathers--the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob--has sent me to you.' This is My name forever, and this is how I am to be remembered in every generation.

Exodus 4:5
"This is so that they may believe that the LORD, the God of their fathers--the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob--has appeared to you."

Mark 8:38
If anyone is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in His Father's glory with the holy angels."


Treasury of Scripture

But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: why God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he has prepared for them a city.

they desire.

Hebrews 11:14
For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.

Hebrews 12:22
But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,

God is.

Hebrews 2:11
For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,

to be.

Genesis 17:7,8
And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee…

Exodus 3:6,15
Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God…

Isaiah 41:8-10
But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend…

for.

Hebrews 11:10
For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

Hebrews 13:14
For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.

Matthew 25:34
Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

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Hebrews 11
1. What faith is.
6. Without faith we cannot please God.
7. The examples of faithfulness in the fathers of old time.














(16) They confess themselves but sojourners (Hebrews 11:13), and thus make it plain that they are still seeking their true home (14); and yet, if. they had sought nothing more than an earthly home, there is one already, which was once theirs, and to which they might return (15); hence it is no earthly but a heavenly-country that they desire. This is the general current of thought in these verses, presenting a very close analogy to the argument of Hebrews 3:7 to Hebrews 4:11; here, as there, words which otherwise might appear to have but an earthly reference are seen to have a higher and a spiritual import. In Hebrews 11:8-9 we have before us only the land of inheritance, but in Hebrews 11:10 the heavenly rest; and in Hebrews 11:13 words which as read in Genesis might seem to refer to a wandering life in the land of Canaan are taken as a confession of sojourning upon earth. It is not necessary to suppose that the desires and yearnings of "the fathers" expressed themselves in the definite forms which later revelation has made familiar; in all that is essential the hope existed, whilst the mode of the fulfilment was unknown. Through faith the patriarchs were willing to connect their whole life and that of their children with waiting at God's bidding for the fulfilment of a promise--wandering and sojourning until God's own time should come when He would grant a home in a country of their own. And yet each of these servants of God recognised that relation to God in which lay the foundation of the promise to him to be personal and abiding. If these two thoughts be united, it will be easy to see how each one for himself would be led to regard the state of wandering in which he spent his life as an emblem of a state of earthly waiting for an enduring home; the sojourning in the land was a constant symbol of the sojourning upon earth. Hence (see the passages quoted in Hebrews 11:13) the same language is used from age to age after Canaan is received as an inheritance. (Comp. Hebrews 4:9; and see Exodus 3:15, and Matthew 22:31-32.) . . .

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
Instead,
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

they were longing for
ὀρέγονται (oregontai)
Verb - Present Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 3713: To stretch forth, mid: To hanker after, long for, be eager for, aspire to.

a better [country],
κρείττονος (kreittonos)
Adjective - Genitive Feminine Singular - Comparative
Strong's 2909: Stronger, more excellent. Comparative of a derivative of kratos; stronger, i.e. better, i.e. Nobler.

a heavenly [one].
ἐπουρανίου (epouraniou)
Adjective - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 2032: From epi and ouranos; above the sky.

Therefore
διὸ (dio)
Conjunction
Strong's 1352: Wherefore, on which account, therefore. From dia and hos; through which thing, i.e. Consequently.

God
Θεὸς (Theos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2316: A deity, especially the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very.

is not ashamed
ἐπαισχύνεται (epaischynetai)
Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1870: To be ashamed, be ashamed of. From epi and aischunomai; to feel shame for something.

to be called
ἐπικαλεῖσθαι (epikaleisthai)
Verb - Present Infinitive Middle or Passive
Strong's 1941: (a) To call (name) by a supplementary (additional, alternative) name, (b) mid: To call upon, appeal to, address.

their
αὐτῶν (autōn)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural
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.

God,
Θεὸς (Theos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2316: A deity, especially the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very.

for
γὰρ (gar)
Conjunction
Strong's 1063: For. A primary particle; properly, assigning a reason.

He has prepared
ἡτοίμασεν (hētoimasen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2090: To make ready, prepare. From hetoimos; to prepare.

a city
πόλιν (polin)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 4172: A city, the inhabitants of a city. Probably from the same as polemos, or perhaps from polus; a town.

for them.
αὐτοῖς (autois)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural
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.


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NT Letters: Hebrews 11:16 But now they desire a better country (Heb. He. Hb)
Hebrews 11:15
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