Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;
Parallel translations
- WEB choosing rather to share ill treatment with God’s people, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a time;
- BSB He chose to suffer oppression with God’s people rather than to experience the fleeting enjoyment of sin.
- NKJV choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin,
- NASB choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the temporary pleasures of sin,
- NLT He chose to share the oppression of God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Moses chose to suffer alongside God's people rather than enjoy sin's fleeting pleasures. Faith values lasting fellowship with God above temporary worldly comfort.
Overview
Moses deliberately preferred ill-treatment with the Israelites over the passing pleasures available in Pharaoh's court. The phrase "pleasures of sin for a time" acknowledges sin's real but momentary attraction. His choice teaches that faith weighs eternity against the present and counts suffering with God's people far better, a calculation perfectly embodied in Christ's path to glory through suffering.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 32
- Ps 84:10For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.
- 2 Tim 2:3–10Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
- Job 36:21Take heed, regard not iniquity: for this hast thou chosen rather than affliction.
- 2 Cor 5:17Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
- 1 Pet 4:12–16Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
- Job 20:5That the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment?
- 1 Pet 1:6–7Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
- 2 Th 1:3–6We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth;
- 1 Pet 2:10Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
- Rev 18:7How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.
- Ps 73:18–20Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction.
- Acts 7:24–25And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian:
- Matt 5:10–12Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
- Col 1:24Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:
- Heb 10:32But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions;
- Rom 8:35–39Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
- Jas 5:5Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.
- 2 Tim 1:8Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;
- Acts 20:23–24Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me.
- Isa 47:8–9Therefore hear now this, thou that art given to pleasures, that dwellest carelessly, that sayest in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me; I shall not sit as a widow, neither shall I know the loss of children:
- Jas 1:20For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.
- Luke 16:25But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
- Rom 5:3And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
- 2 Tim 3:11–12Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.
- Ps 47:9The princes of the people are gathered together, even the people of the God of Abraham: for the shields of the earth belong unto God: he is greatly exalted.
- Heb 11:37They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;
- Job 21:11–13They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children dance.
- Isa 21:4My heart panted, fearfulness affrighted me: the night of my pleasure hath he turned into fear unto me.
- Matt 13:21Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.
- Heb 4:9There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
- Rom 8:17–18And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
- Luke 12:19–20And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Hebrews is sustained worship of Christ: better than angels, Moses, and the priests; the great High Priest after Melchizedek who by one sacrifice perfects forever those he saves.
How Hebrews 11:25 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.