Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
Parallel translations
- WEB By faith, we understand that the universe has been framed by the word of God, so that what is seen has not been made out of things which are visible.
- BSB By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.
- NKJV By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.
- NASB By faith we understand that the world has been created by the word of God so that what is seen has not been made out of things that are visible.
- NLT By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.
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
By faith we grasp that God created the universe by his word, calling the visible world into being from nothing. Creation itself is an article of faith, not something we observe.
Overview
The chapter's first example of faith is the believer's own confession about origins: God spoke and the cosmos came to be (Genesis 1). "What is seen" did not arise from pre-existing visible material but from God's powerful word. This grounds faith in the Creator who is sovereign over all, and the same word by which God made the world is the word incarnate in Christ, through whom all things were made (John 1:3).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Ps 33:6By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.
- John 1:3All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
- 2 Pet 3:5For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:
- Rom 4:17(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.
- Acts 17:24God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;
- Rev 4:11Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
- Heb 1:2Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
- Rom 1:19–21Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
- Jer 10:11Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth, and from under these heavens.
- Gen 1:1In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
- Isa 40:26Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth.
- Acts 14:15And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein:
- Jer 10:16The portion of Jacob is not like them: for he is the former of all things; and Israel is the rod of his inheritance: The LORD of hosts is his name.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 11:3 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.