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He valued disgrace for Christ above the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to his reward.
Hebrews 11:26 · Berean Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB accounting the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he looked to the reward.
  • KJV Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.
  • NKJV esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward.
  • NASB considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward.
  • NLT He thought it was better to suffer for the sake of Christ than to own the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to his great reward.

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 regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as greater wealth than all Egypt's treasures, because he looked ahead to the reward. Faith treasures Christ above the riches of this world.

Overview

Remarkably, the author describes Moses' suffering as bearing "the reproach of Christ," linking Old Testament faith to the coming Messiah. Moses esteemed such reproach more valuable than Egypt's treasures because his eyes were fixed on the eternal reward. This sets the pattern for believers, who count any loss worthwhile for the surpassing worth of Christ (Philippians 3:8).

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 28

  • Heb 10:35So do not throw away your confidence; it holds a great reward.
  • Heb 11:6And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who approaches Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.
  • Matt 5:12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you.
  • 1 Pet 4:14If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.
  • Ps 89:50–51Remember, O Lord, the reproach of Your servants, which I bear in my heart from so many people—
  • Heb 2:2For if the message spoken by angels was binding, and every transgression and disobedience received its just punishment,
  • 2 Cor 6:10sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.
  • Luke 14:14and you will be blessed. Since they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
  • 2 Cor 12:10That is why, for the sake of Christ, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
  • Rev 3:18I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, white garments so that you may be clothed and your shameful nakedness not exposed, and salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see.
  • Eph 3:8Though I am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,
  • Jer 9:23–24This is what the LORD says: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, nor the strong man in his strength, nor the wealthy man in his riches.
  • Ps 37:16Better is the little of the righteous than the abundance of many who are wicked.
  • 1 Pet 1:11trying to determine the time and setting to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow.
  • Heb 10:33Sometimes you were publicly exposed to ridicule and persecution; at other times you were partners with those who were so treated.
  • Ps 69:7For I have endured scorn for Your sake, and shame has covered my face.
  • Matt 10:41Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward.
  • Prov 23:18For surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off.
  • Heb 13:13Therefore let us go to Him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace He bore.
  • Matt 6:1“Be careful not to perform your righteous acts before men to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
  • Ruth 2:12May the LORD repay your work, and may you receive a rich reward from the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have taken refuge.”
  • Phil 3:7But whatever was gain to me I count as loss for the sake of Christ.
  • Isa 51:7Listen to Me, you who know what is right, you people with My law in your hearts: Do not fear the scorn of men; do not be broken by their insults.
  • Ps 69:20Insults have broken my heart, and I am in despair. I looked for sympathy, but there was none, for comforters, but I found no one.
  • Eph 1:18I ask that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know the hope of His calling, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints,
  • Prov 11:18The wicked man earns an empty wage, but he who sows righteousness reaps a true reward.
  • Acts 5:41The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.
  • Rev 2:9I know your affliction and your poverty—though you are rich! And I am aware of the slander of those who falsely claim to be Jews, but are in fact a synagogue of Satan.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (8)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Hebrews videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Hebrews 11:26YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on HebrewsMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    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 11:26 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.