Hebrews 11:17

THE MESSAGE

By faith, Abraham, at the time of testing, offered Isaac back to God. Acting in faith, he was as ready to return the promised son, his only son, as he had been to receive him—and this after he had already been told, "Your descendants shall come from Isaac." Abraham figured that if God wanted to, he could raise the dead. In a sense, that's what happened when he received Isaac back, alive from off the altar.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac. He received the promises and yet he was offering his one and only son,

King James Version (1611)
By faith Abraham when he was tried, offered vp Isaac: and he that had receiued the promises, offered vp his onely begotten sonne,

King James Version
By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,

English Standard Version
By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son,

New American Standard Bible
By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and the one who had received the promises was offering up his only son;

New Century Version
It was by faith that Abraham, when God tested him, offered his son Isaac as a sacrifice. God made the promises to Abraham, but Abraham was ready to offer his own son as a sacrifice.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son;

Legacy Standard Bible
By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was offering up his only son,

Berean Standard Bible
By 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,

Contemporary English Version
Abraham had been promised that Isaac, his only son, would continue his family. But when Abraham was tested, he had faith and was willing to sacrifice Isaac,

Complete Jewish Bible
By trusting , Avraham, when he was put to the test, offered up Yitz'chak as a sacrifice. Yes, he offered up his only son, he who had received the promises,

Darby Translation
By faith Abraham, [when] tried, offered up Isaac, and he who had received to himself the promises offered up his only begotten [son],

Easy-to-Read Version
God tested Abraham's faith. God told him to offer Isaac as a sacrifice. Abraham obeyed because he had faith. He already had the promises from God. And God had already said to him, "It is through Isaac that your descendants will come." But Abraham was ready to offer his only son. He did this because he had faith.

Geneva Bible (1587)
By faith Abraham offered vp Isaac, when he was tryed, and he that had receiued the promises, offered his onely begotten sonne.

George Lamsa Translation
By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac: he lifted upon the altar his only begotten son, even that very one who had been received in the promise.

Good News Translation
It was faith that made Abraham offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice when God put Abraham to the test. Abraham was the one to whom God had made the promise, yet he was ready to offer his only son as a sacrifice.

Lexham English Bible
By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered Isaac, and the one who received the promises was ready to offer his one and only son,

Literal Translation
By faith, being tested, Abraham offered up Isaac; and he receiving the promises was offering up the only begotten,

Amplified Bible
By faith Abraham, when he was tested [that is, as the testing of his faith was still in progress], offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises [of God] was ready to sacrifice his only son [of promise];

American Standard Version
By faith Abraham, being tried, offered up Isaac: yea, he that had gladly received the promises was offering up his only begotten son;

Bible in Basic English
By faith Abraham made an offering of Isaac, when he was tested: and he with whom the agreement had been made gave up as an offering the only son of his body,

Hebrew Names Version
By faith, Avraham, being tested, offered up Yitzchak. Yes, he who had gladly received the promises was offering up his one and only son;

International Standard Version
By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered Isaac. The man who had received the promises was about to offer his unique son,unique one">[fn]Genesis 22:1,9; James 2:21;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
By faith Abraham offered Ishok in his temptation and his only-born he lifted upon the altar, even him whom he had received by the promise:

Murdock Translation
By faith Abraham, in his trial, offered up Isaac; and he laid on the altar his only son, whom he had received by promise.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
By fayth Abraham offered by Isaac when he was proued: and he that had receaued the promises, offered vp his only begotten sonne:

English Revised Version
By faith Abraham, being tried, offered up Isaac: yea, he that had gladly received the promises was offering up his only begotten son;

World English Bible
By faith, Abraham, being tested, offered up Isaac. Yes, he who had gladly received the promises was offering up his one and only son;

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
By faith Abraham, being tried, offered up Isaac, and he that had received the promises, offered up his only begotten son:

Weymouth's New Testament
Through faith Abraham, as soon as God put him to the test, offered up Isaac. Yes, he who had joyfully welcomed the promises was on the point of sacrificing his only son

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Bi feith Abraham offride Ysaac, whanne he was temptid; and he offride the oon bigetun, whych had takun the biheestis;

Update Bible Version
By faith Abraham, being tried, offered up Isaac: yes, he that had gladly received the promises was offering up his only begotten [son];

Webster's Bible Translation
By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only-begotten [son],

New English Translation
By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac. He had received the promises, yet he was ready to offer up his only son.

New King James Version
Genesis 22:1-14; 48:8-16; 50:22-25">[xr] By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,

New Living Translation
It was by faith that Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice when God was testing him. Abraham, who had received God's promises, was ready to sacrifice his only son, Isaac,

New Life Bible
Because Abraham had faith, when he was tested, he gave his son Isaac as a gift on the altar in worship. God had made a promise to Abraham that He would give him a son. And yet Abraham was willing to give his only son as a gift on the altar in worship.

New Revised Standard
By faith Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac. He who had received the promises was ready to offer up his only son,

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
By faith, Abraham, when tested, offered up Isaac, and, the only-begotten, would he have offered up, who the promises had accepted, -

Douay-Rheims Bible
By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,

Revised Standard Version
By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was ready to offer up his only son,

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
In fayth Abraham offered vp Isaac whe he was tempted and he offered him beinge his only begotten sonne which had receaved the promyses

Young's Literal Translation
By faith Abraham hath offered up Isaac, being tried, and the only begotten he did offer up who did receive the promises,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
By faith Abraha offered vp Isaac, wha he was tempted, and gaue ouer his onely begotten sonne, in whom he had receaued the promyses,

Mace New Testament (1729)
'Twas by faith that Abraham, when put to the trial, offered up Isaac: HE offered up his darling son, to whose posterity the promises were to be made good:

Simplified Cowboy Version
It was a whole heapin' of faith that allowed Abe to offer up his only boy Isaac as a sacrifice. God wasn't really going to let him do it. With great promises come great tests.

Contextual Overview

⁴ By an act of faith, Abel brought a better sacrifice to God than Cain. It was what he believed, not what he brought, that made the difference. That's what God noticed and approved as righteous. After all these centuries, that belief continues to catch our notice. ⁵By an act of faith, Enoch skipped death completely. "They looked all over and couldn't find him because God had taken him." We know on the basis of reliable testimony that before he was taken "he pleased God." It's impossible to please God apart from faith. And why? Because anyone who wants to approach God must believe both that he exists and that he cares enough to respond to those who seek him. ⁷ By faith, Noah built a ship in the middle of dry land. He was warned about something he couldn't see, and acted on what he was told. The result? His family was saved. His act of faith drew a sharp line between the evil of the unbelieving world and the rightness of the believing world. As a result, Noah became intimate with God. ⁸By an act of faith, Abraham said yes to God's call to travel to an unknown place that would become his home. When he left he had no idea where he was going. By an act of faith he lived in the country promised him, lived as a stranger camping in tents. Isaac and Jacob did the same, living under the same promise. Abraham did it by keeping his eye on an unseen city with real, eternal foundations—the City designed and built by God. ¹¹By faith, barren Sarah was able to become pregnant, old woman as she was at the time, because she believed the One who made a promise would do what he said. That's how it happened that from one man's dead and shriveled loins there are now people numbering into the millions. ¹³Each one of these people of faith died not yet having in hand what was promised, but still believing. How did they do it? They saw it way off in the distance, waved their greeting, and accepted the fact that they were transients in this world. People who live this way make it plain that they are looking for their true home. If they were homesick for the old country, they could have gone back any time they wanted. But they were after a far better country than that—heaven country. You can see why God is so proud of them, and has a City waiting for them. ¹⁷By faith, Abraham, at the time of testing, offered Isaac back to God. Acting in faith, he was as ready to return the promised son, his only son, as he had been to receive him—and this after he had already been told, "Your descendants shall come from Isaac." Abraham figured that if God wanted to, he could raise the dead. In a sense, that's what happened when he received Isaac back, alive from off the altar. ²⁰ By an act of faith, Isaac reached into the future as he blessed Jacob and Esau. ²¹ By an act of faith, Jacob on his deathbed blessed each of Joseph's sons in turn, blessing them with God's blessing, not his own—as he bowed worshipfully upon his staff. ²² By an act of faith, Joseph, while dying, prophesied the exodus of Israel, and made arrangements for his own burial.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

faith: Genesis 22:1-12, James 2:21-24

when: Deuteronomy 8:2, 2 Chronicles 32:31, Job 1:11, Job 1:12, Job 2:3-6, Proverbs 17:3, Daniel 11:35, Zechariah 13:9, Malachi 3:2, Malachi 3:3, James 1:2-4, James 5:11, 1 Peter 1:6, 1 Peter 1:7, 1 Peter 4:12, Revelation 3:10

received: Hebrews 7:6

offered: 2 Corinthians 8:12

only: Genesis 22:2, Genesis 22:16, John 3:16

Reciprocal: Genesis 22:3 - General Genesis 22:10 - General 1 Kings 17:13 - make me thereof 1 Kings 17:15 - did according Nehemiah 9:8 - foundest Job 23:10 - he hath Jeremiah 13:5 - as Matthew 1:2 - Abraham Mark 11:23 - and shall John 11:22 - that Romans 3:25 - remission Romans 9:9 - Sarah Galatians 3:17 - the covenant Galatians 5:6 - faith 1 Thessalonians 1:3 - your Hebrews 6:12 - inherit Hebrews 11:33 - wrought James 1:12 - when James 2:14 - though James 2:22 - faith

Gill's Notes on the Bible

By faith Abraham, when he was tried, .... Or tempted; that is, by God, Genesis 22:1. This temptation or trial respects the command given by God to Abraham, to offer up his son Isaac; which lays no foundation for a charge against God, either of sin or cruelty; for God's will is the rule of justice and goodness, and whatever he requires is just and good; and though his creatures are bound by the laws he prescribes them, he himself is not: besides, he is the Lord of life, the giver and preserver of it; and he has a right to dispose of it, and to take it away, when, and by what means, and instruments, he thinks fit; to which may be added, that the secret will of God was not that Isaac should die, but a command was given to Abraham to offer him up, for the trial of his faith and love; this was a temptation of probation, not of seduction, or to sin, as are the temptations of Satan; for God tempts no man with sin. The Jews speak x of ten temptations, with which Abraham was tried, and in all which he stood; and say, that this of the binding of Isaac was the tenth and last.

Offered up Isaac; he showed great readiness to do it; as soon as he had the command given him, he travelled three days' journey in order to it; took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it on his son; took fire, and a knife in his hand, with the one to burn the wood, with the other to slay his son; he built an altar, laid the wood in order on it; and bound his son, and laid him on that; and took the knife, and stretched forth his hand to slay him, and fully intended to do it, had he not been prevented: and all this he did by faith; he believed the equity, justice, and wisdom of the divine command; he was fully assured of the truth and faithfulness of God in his promises, however contrary this might seem thereunto; and he was strongly persuaded of the power of accomplishing them in some way or another. This was great faith, and it was greatly tried, as follows:

and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son; he had a promise made him that he should have a son, and that a numerous issue should spring from him, which should inherit the land of Canaan; yea, that the Messiah himself should be of his seed: and he had received these promises; given credit to them, and firmly believed them, and fully expected the performance of them; as he had reason to do, since the first was fulfilled, the son was born; and yet now he is called to offer him up, on whom his expectation was placed; everything was trying; it was an human creature he was called to offer, whose blood is not to be shed by man; a child of his own, a part of himself; a son, an own son; an only begotten son; a son whom he loved; an Isaac, a son of joy; a son of promise; and his heir, the son of his old age, and who was now a grown up person. The Jews are divided about the age of Isaac at his binding: Josephus y says he was twenty five years of age; others say twenty six z; some say a thirty six: but the more prevailing opinion is b, that he was thirty seven years of age; only Aben c Ezra makes him to be about thirteen; rejecting the more commonly received account, as well as that he was but five years old, that being an age unfit to carry wood. Some Christian writers have thought he might be about three and thirty years of age, the age of Christ when he suffered, of whom he was a type.

x Targum in Cant. vii. 8. Pirke Eliezer, c. 26. & c. 31. Maimon. Jarchi & Bartenora in Misn. Abot, c. 5. sect. 3. y Antiqu. l. 1. c. 13. sect. 2. z Tzemach David, par. 1. fol. 6. 1. a Targum Jon. in Gen. xxii. 1. b Zohar in Gen. fol. 68. 2. & 74. 4. & 76. 2. Targ. Hieros. in Ex. xii. 42. Pirke Eliezer, c. 31, Juchasin, fol. 9. 1. Prefat. Echa Rabbati, fol. 40. 2. Seder Olam Rabba, c. 1. p. 3. Shalshelet Hakabala, fol. 3. 1. c In Gen. xxii. 4.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

By faith Abraham - The apostle had stated one strong instance of the faith of Abraham, and he now refers to one still more remarkable - the strongest illustration of faith, undoubtedly, which has ever been evinced in our world.

When he was tried - The word used here is rendered “tempted,” in Matthew 4:1, Matthew 4:3; Matthew 16:1; Matthew 19:3; Matthew 22:18, Matthew 22:35, and in twenty-two other places in the New Testament; “prove,” in John 6:6; “hath gone about,” in Acts 24:6; “examine,” 2 Corinthians 13:5; and “tried,” in Revelation 2:2, Revelation 2:10; Revelation 3:10. It does not mean here, as it often does, to place inducements before one to lead him to do wrong, but to subject his faith to a “trial” in order to test its genuineness and strength. The meaning here is, that Abraham was placed in circumstances which showed what was the real strength of his confidence in God.

Offered up Isaac - That is, he showed that he was ready and willing to make the sacrifice, and would have done it if he had not been restrained by the voice of the angel; Genesis 22:11-12. So far as the intention of Abraham was concerned, the deed was done, for he had made every preparation for the offering, and was actually about to take the life of his son.

And he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son - The promises particularly of a numerous posterity. The fulfillment of those promises depended on him whom he was now about to offer as a sacrifice. If Abraham had been surrounded with children, or if no special promise of a numerous posterity had been made to him, this act would not have been so remarkable. It would in any case have been a strong act of faith; it “was especially” strong in his ease from the circumstances that he had an only son, and that the fulfillment of the promise depended on his life.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 17. Abraham, when he was tried — See the history of this whole transaction explained at large in the notes on Genesis 22:1-9.

Offered up his only-begotten — Abraham did, in effect, offer up Isaac; he built an altar, bound his son, laid him upon the altar, had ready the incense, took the knife, and would immediately have slain him had he not been prevented by the same authority by which the sacrifice was enjoined. Isaac is here called his only-begotten, as be was the only son he had by his legitimate wife, who was heir to his property, and heir of the promises of God. The man who proved faithful in such a trial, deserved to have his faith and obedience recorded throughout the world.