Hebrews 11:8

New Living Translation

It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed and set out for a place that he was going to receive as an inheritance. He went out, even though he did not know where he was going.

King James Version (1611)
By faith Abraham when he was called to goe out into a place which hee should after receiue for an inheritance, obeyed, and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

King James Version
By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

English Standard Version
By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.

New American Standard Bible
By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he left, not knowing where he was going.

New Century Version
It was by faith Abraham obeyed God's call to go to another place God promised to give him. He left his own country, not knowing where he was to go.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going.

Legacy Standard Bible
By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going.

Berean Standard Bible
By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, without knowing where he was going.

Contemporary English Version
Abraham had faith and obeyed God. He was told to go to the land that God had said would be his, and he left for a country he had never seen.

Complete Jewish Bible
By trusting , Avraham obeyed, after being called to go out to a place which God would give him as a possession; indeed, he went out without knowing where he was going.

Darby Translation
By faith Abraham, being called, obeyed to go out into the place which he was to receive for an inheritance, and went out, not knowing where he was going.

Easy-to-Read Version
God called Abraham to travel to another place that he promised to give him. Abraham did not know where that other place was. But he obeyed God and started traveling because he had faith.

Geneva Bible (1587)
By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed God, to goe out into a place, which hee should afterward receiue for inheritance, and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

George Lamsa Translation
By faith Abraham, when he was called to depart for the land which he was to receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing where he was going.

Good News Translation
It was faith that made Abraham obey when God called him to go out to a country which God had promised to give him. He left his own country without knowing where he was going.

Lexham English Bible
By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed to go out to a place that he was going to receive for an inheritance, and he went out, not knowing where he was going.

Literal Translation
Having been called out by faith, Abraham obeyed to go forth to a place which he was going to receive for an inheritance; and he went out not understanding where he went.

Amplified Bible
By faith Abraham, when he was called [by God], obeyed by going to a place which he was to receive as an inheritance; and he went, not knowing where he was going.

American Standard Version
By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed to go out unto a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

Bible in Basic English
By faith Abraham did as God said when he was ordered to go out into a place which was to be given to him as a heritage, and went out without knowledge of where he was going.

Hebrew Names Version
By faith, Avraham, when he was called, obeyed to go out to the place which he was to receive for an inheritance. He went out, not knowing where he went.

International Standard Version
By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.Genesis 12:1,4; Acts 7:2-4;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
By faith Abraham, when he was called, heard that he was to go forth to a place which he should receive for an inheritance; and he went out, while he knew not whither he was going.

Murdock Translation
By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed, and departed to the place which he was to receive for an inheritance: and he departed, while he knew not whither he was going.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
By fayth Abraham when he was called, obeyed, to go out into a place whiche he shoulde afterwarde receaue to inheritaunce: and he went out, not knowyng whyther he shoulde go.

English Revised Version
By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed to go out unto a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

World English Bible
By faith, Abraham, when he was called, obeyed to go out to the place which he was to receive for an inheritance. He went out, not knowing where he went.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
By faith Abraham, being called to go out into the place which he was to receive for an inheritance, obeyed and went out, not knowing whither he went.

Weymouth's New Testament
Through faith Abraham, upon being called to leave home and go into a land which he was soon to receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing where he was going to.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
By feith he that is clepid Abraham, obeiede to go out in to a place, whiche he schulde take in to eritage; and he wente out, not witinge whidur he schulde go.

Update Bible Version
By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed to go out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he went.

Webster's Bible Translation
By faith Abraham, when he was called to remove into a place which he should afterwards receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out not knowing whither he was going.

New English Translation
By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place he would later receive as an inheritance, and he went out without understanding where he was going.

New King James Version
Genesis 15:1-6; 21:1-7">[xr] By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.

New Life Bible
Because Abraham had faith, he obeyed God when God called him to leave his home. He was to go to another country that God promised to give him. He left his home without knowing where he was going.

New Revised Standard
By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to set out for a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; and he set out, not knowing where he was going.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
By faith, being called, Abraham obeyed - to come forth into a place he was destined to receive for an inheritance; and he came forth, not well knowing whither he was coming.

Douay-Rheims Bible
By faith he that is called Abraham obeyed to go out into a place which he was to receive for an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing whither he went.

Revised Standard Version
By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place which he was to receive as an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was to go.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
By fayth Abraha whe he was called obeyed to goo out into a place which he shuld afterwarde receave to inheritaunce and he wet out not knowynge whether he shuld goo.

Young's Literal Translation
By faith Abraham, being called, did obey, to go forth to the place that he was about to receive for an inheritance, and he went forth, not knowing whither he doth go;

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
By faith Abraham (wha he was called) obeyed, to go out in to the place, which he shulde afterwarde receaue to inheritaunce: and he wente out, not knowynge whither he shulde go.

Mace New Testament (1729)
'Twas by faith that he who was named Abraham, showed his obedience in travelling to a foreign country, which he was afterwards to inherit; and began his journey without knowing where he was going.

THE MESSAGE
By 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.

Simplified Cowboy Version
It was by a heapin' of faith that Abraham saddled up and rode off to new country like God told him to. God said there was a great inheritance waitin' on him. He rode off without a clue as to where he was going.

Contextual Overview

⁴ It was by faith that Abel brought a more acceptable offering to God than Cain did. Abel's offering gave evidence that he was a righteous man, and God showed his approval of his gifts. Although Abel is long dead, he still speaks to us by his example of faith. ⁵ It was by faith that Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying—"he disappeared, because God took him." For before he was taken up, he was known as a person who pleased God. ⁶ And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. ⁷ It was by faith that Noah built a large boat to save his family from the flood. He obeyed God, who warned him about things that had never happened before. By his faith Noah condemned the rest of the world, and he received the righteousness that comes by faith. ⁸ It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going. ⁹ And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith—for he was like a foreigner, living in tents. And so did Isaac and Jacob, who inherited the same promise. ¹⁰ Abraham was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God. ¹¹ It was by faith that even Sarah was able to have a child, though she was barren and was too old. She believed that God would keep his promise. ¹² And so a whole nation came from this one man who was as good as dead—a nation with so many people that, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore, there is no way to count them. ¹³ All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Abraham: Genesis 11:31, Genesis 12:1-4, Joshua 24:3, Nehemiah 9:7, Nehemiah 9:8, Isaiah 41:2, Isaiah 51:2, Acts 7:2-4

which: Genesis 12:7, Genesis 13:15-17, Genesis 15:7, Genesis 15:8, Genesis 17:8, Genesis 26:3, Deuteronomy 9:5, Psalms 105:9-11, Ezekiel 36:24

obeyed: Hebrews 11:33, Hebrews 5:9, Genesis 22:18, Genesis 15:5, Matthew 7:24, Matthew 7:25, Romans 1:5, Romans 6:17, Romans 10:16, 2 Corinthians 10:5, James 2:14-16, 1 Peter 1:22, 1 Peter 3:1, 1 Peter 4:17

Reciprocal: Genesis 6:22 - General Genesis 12:4 - departed out Genesis 12:5 - and into Genesis 15:6 - he believed Genesis 15:13 - thy Genesis 20:13 - God Genesis 22:3 - General Genesis 26:5 - General Exodus 10:26 - and we Exodus 19:5 - if ye Numbers 9:5 - according Numbers 10:30 - General Joshua 6:12 - the priests Ruth 2:11 - and how 2 Samuel 24:19 - as the Lord 1 Kings 17:15 - did according 2 Kings 4:5 - she went 2 Kings 5:14 - according to Job 36:11 - If Job 42:9 - did Psalms 22:4 - General Psalms 56:8 - tellest Jeremiah 13:5 - as Matthew 1:24 - did Matthew 2:21 - General Mark 11:4 - and found Luke 22:13 - General John 2:5 - Whatsoever John 13:17 - happy Acts 6:7 - obedient Acts 7:3 - Get Acts 8:27 - he arose Acts 12:9 - he went Acts 16:6 - forbidden Romans 2:8 - and do not Romans 15:18 - to make Galatians 3:1 - ye Galatians 5:6 - faith Galatians 5:7 - obey 1 Thessalonians 1:3 - your 2 Thessalonians 1:8 - and that Hebrews 6:12 - faith

Cross-References

Genesis 10:25
Eber had two sons. The first was named Peleg (which means "division"), for during his lifetime the people of the world were divided into different language groups. His brother's name was Joktan.

Genesis 10:32
These are the clans that descended from Noah's sons, arranged by nation according to their lines of descent. All the nations of the earth descended from these clans after the great flood.

Genesis 11:4
Then they said, "Come, let's build a great city for ourselves with a tower that reaches into the sky. This will make us famous and keep us from being scattered all over the world."

Genesis 11:9
That is why the city was called Babel, because that is where the Lord confused the people with different languages. In this way he scattered them all over the world.

Genesis 49:7
A curse on their anger, for it is fierce; a curse on their wrath, for it is cruel. I will scatter them among the descendants of Jacob; I will disperse them throughout Israel.

Deuteronomy 32:8
When the Most High assigned lands to the nations, when he divided up the human race, he established the boundaries of the peoples according to the number in his heavenly court.

Luke 1:51
His mighty arm has done tremendous things! He has scattered the proud and haughty ones.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

By faith, Abraham, when he was called,.... The Alexandrian copy and the Vulgate Latin version read, "by faith he who was called Abraham"; but this call is not to be understood of his name; for though his first name Abram might be given him, in the faith of his being a great man, and his second name Abraham, when he himself was a believer; yet this change was made some years after the call referred to; which is that in Genesis 12:1 when he was called out of his own country, kindred, and father's house; which was an emblem of the call of God's people out from among the men of the world, and from their friends, relations, and acquaintance, and even out of themselves; and as Abraham was called from "Ur" of the Chaldees, so they from darkness, bondage, idolatry, and communion with wicked men; that, as he, they might not perish with idolaters, being chosen vessels, and for whom God has peculiar blessings in store: and so the grace of God is seen in calling them, without any respect to their deserts, as in calling Abraham: and the care and goodness of God may be observed, in raising up fit instruments to propagate his cause and interest. Now Abraham, being called

to go out into a place; from Ur of the Chaldees, to the land of Canna;

which he should afterwards receive for an inheritance; not in his own person, but in his seed and posterity, unless after the resurrection, in the New Jerusalem church state, and which inheritance was typical of heaven;

obeyed the divine call; and which was a fruit and evidence of his faith, and may he called the obedience of faith:

and he went out, not knowing whither he went: for though he went forth to go into the land of Canaan, and into the land of Canaan he came, Genesis 12:5, yet, when God called him to go forth, and he prepared to obey his call, he knew not what land he was to go into; for it is only said, Genesis 12:1,

unto a land that I will show thee: upon which words a Jewish commentator r has this note;

"he (God) did not immediately make known the land unto him, that so it might be lovely in his eyes;''

and it is, elsewhere, said by the Jews s, that Abraham

"came from Aspamia (i.e. Mesopotamia), and its companions,

ולא היה יודע היכן, "and he knew not where" he was, as a man that is in the dark;''

all which agrees with our apostle: and, from hence, it may be observed, that God sometimes leads his people in ways they have not known, though they are known to him, and are always right; and that it is the property of faith to follow God, when it cannot see its way; and a great mercy it is to have God for a guide. This also shows, that Abraham's faith agrees with the apostle's definition of it, Hebrews 11:1.

r Jarchi in Gen. xii. 1. s Bereshit Rabba, sect. 60. fol. 52. 3.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

By faith Abraham - There is no difficulty in determining that Abraham was influenced by faith in God. The case is even stronger than that of Noah, for it is expressly declared, Genesis 15:6, “And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.” Compare notes, Romans 4:1-5. In the illustrations of the power of faith in this chapter, the apostle appeals to two instances in which it was exhibited by Abraham, “the father of the faithful.” Each of these required confidence in God of extraordinary strength, and each of them demanded a special and honorable mention. The first was that when he left his own country to go to a distant land of strangers (Genesis 15:8-10); the other when he showed his readiness to sacrifice his own son in obedience to the will of God, Hebrews 11:17-19.

When he was called - Genesis 12:1, “Now the Lord had said unto Abraham, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will show thee.”

Into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed - To Palestine, or the land of Canaan, though that was not indicated at the time.

And he went out, not knowing whither he went - Genesis 12:4. Abraham at that time took with him Sarai, and Lot the son of his brother, and “the souls that they had gotten in Haran.” Terah, the father of Abraham, started on the journey with them, but died in Haran; Genesis 11:31-32. The original call was made to Abraham, Genesis 12:1; Acts 7:2-3, but he appears to have induced his father and his nephew to accompany him. At this time he had no children Genesis 11:30, though it seems probable that Lot had; Genesis 12:5. Some, however, understand the expression in Genesis 12:5, “and the souls they had gotten in Haran,” as referring to the servants or domestics that they had in various ways procured, and to the fact that Abraham and Lot gradually drew around them a train of dependents and followers who were disposed to unite with them, and accompany them wherever they went. The Chaldee Paraphrast; understands it of the proselytes which Abraham had made there - “All the souls which he had subdued unto the law.” When it is said that Abraham “went out, not knowing whither he went,” it must be understood as meaning that he was ignorant to what country he would in fact be led. If it be supposed that he had some general intimation of the nature of that country, arid of the direction in which it was situated, yet it must be remembered that the knowledge of geography was then exceedingly imperfect; that this was a distant country; that it lay beyond a pathless desert, and that probably no traveler had ever come from that land to apprize him what it was. All this serves to show what was the strength of the faith of Abraham.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Hebrews 11:8. Abraham, when he was called — See on Genesis 12:1-4.

Not knowing whither he went. — Therefore his obedience was the fullest proof of his faith in God, and his faith was an implicit faith; he obeyed, and went out from his own country, having no prospect of any good or success but what his implicit faith led him to expect from God, as the rewarder of them that diligently seek him. In all the preceding cases, and in all that follow, the apostle keeps this maxim fully in view.