Hebrews 11:16 kjv
But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
Hebrews 11:16 nkjv
But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.
Hebrews 11:16 niv
Instead, they were longing for a better country?a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.
Hebrews 11:16 esv
But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.
Hebrews 11:16 nlt
But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.
Hebrews 11 16 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 12:1 | The Lord had said to Abram, "Go from your country... to the land I will show you." | Call to depart for a promised land. |
| Gen 17:7 | "I will establish my covenant... to be God to you and to your descendants after you." | God's covenantal identification. |
| Exod 3:6 | He said, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." | God proudly declares His relation to patriarchs. |
| Psa 39:12 | Hear my prayer, O Lord... For I am a sojourner with you, a resident alien, as were all my ancestors. | Acknowledging pilgrim status on earth. |
| 1 Chr 29:15 | For we are strangers and sojourners before You, as all our fathers were... | Echoes the transient nature of earthly life. |
| Heb 11:13 | All these people died in faith, without receiving the things promised, but having seen them... as foreigners | The preceding context of pilgrim identity. |
| Mt 22:32 | "I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.' He is not God of the dead, but of the living." | Jesus affirming God's continued covenant with patriarchs, implies their living reality. |
| Mk 12:26 | As for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses... 'I am the God of Abraham...'? | Jesus emphasizing patriarchs' ongoing life with God. |
| Lk 20:38 | For he is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for all live to him. | Further emphasis on God's enduring relationship with them. |
| Phil 3:20 | But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. | Believers' true homeland is heaven. |
| Heb 12:22 | But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem... | The "heavenly city" is Mount Zion/Jerusalem. |
| Heb 13:14 | For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. | Affirmation of seeking a future, lasting city. |
| Rev 21:2 | And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God... | The ultimate manifestation of the prepared city. |
| Rev 3:12 | I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God... and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem. | The promise of residing in God's new city. |
| Gen 2:8 | And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man... | Original dwelling prepared by God for humanity. |
| Is 60:14 | They shall call you The City of the Lord, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel. | Prophetic anticipation of Jerusalem's future glory. |
| Jer 31:33 | "But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel... I will be their God..." | God identifying with His people through new covenant. |
| John 14:2-3 | In my Father's house are many rooms... I go to prepare a place for you... I will come again and take you... | Jesus preparing a heavenly dwelling for believers. |
| Acts 7:5 | Yet he gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot's length... | Stephen's sermon notes Abraham received no earthly inheritance but a promise. |
| Eph 2:19 | So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members... | Believers now citizens of God's household. |
| Col 3:1-2 | If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated... | Spiritual focus on heavenly realities. |
Hebrews 11 verses
Hebrews 11 16 Meaning
Hebrews 11:16 declares that the patriarchs, by their faith, yearned for a superior, heavenly homeland. Because of this spiritual longing and steadfast expectation, God Himself is not ashamed to be identified as their God. Indeed, in anticipation of their faithfulness, He has prepared a divine, eternal city for them. This verse affirms that the true object of their faith was not an earthly inheritance but a celestial, divinely ordained reality.
Hebrews 11 16 Context
Hebrews Chapter 11, often called the "Hall of Faith," extols individuals from Old Testament history who exemplified faith. The immediate context of verse 16 is the discussion of Abraham and Sarah (verses 8-15). They are presented as pioneers of faith who, in response to God's call, lived as sojourners in a land promised to them but never fully possessed in their lifetime. Verse 13 explicitly states they "died in faith, without having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth." Verse 14-15 further explains that by seeking a homeland, they demonstrated a yearning for a better, truly abiding country, not the one they had left, nor merely the one in which they resided temporarily. Verse 16 serves as a climactic explanation for why God considers their faith so highly – their profound and ultimate desire was for a heavenly, rather than earthly, reward, thus legitimizing God's identification with them and His preparation of their eternal dwelling. This entire passage underlines the eschatological hope inherent in true biblical faith, directing believers towards an unseen, future, spiritual inheritance.
Hebrews 11 16 Word analysis
- ἀλλὰ (alla): "But." Introduces a strong contrast to the previous verse, emphasizing that their longing was not for an earthly homeland but something fundamentally different and superior.
- κρείττονος (kreittonos): "Better" or "superior." In the Septuagint and New Testament, this term often indicates a qualitative, spiritual, or ethical superiority rather than mere comparison. Here, it denotes a homeland of higher quality and ultimate significance.
- οὐρανίου (ouraniou): "Heavenly." Signifies its divine origin, nature, and location. It is fundamentally spiritual, belonging to God's realm, not part of the temporary earthly order.
- ὀρέγονται (oregontai): "Are longing for," "stretch forward to," "desire earnestly." Present tense, continuous action, highlighting an enduring, deep-seated desire and active pursuit of this heavenly home by faith.
- Διὸ (Dio): "Therefore" or "For this reason." A crucial transitional particle establishing a causal link between their noble longing (v. 13-15) and God's action. Because they longed for a heavenly home, God responds.
- οὐκ ἐπαισχύνεται (ouk epaischynetai): "Is not ashamed." This is a powerful double negative, asserting a strong positive affirmation. It conveys divine pride or honor. God is not only unashamed but takes delight and validates their identity as His people because their ultimate loyalty is fixed on His celestial dwelling place.
- Θεὸς αὐτῶν (Theos autōn): "Their God." A foundational covenantal declaration, indicating a unique, intimate, and exclusive relationship between God and His faithful. This title implies protection, provision, and ultimate faithfulness on God's part. It connects back to the very essence of the Abrahamic covenant.
- ἡτοίμασεν (hetoimasen): "He has prepared." A verb in the aorist tense, suggesting a completed action with lasting results. God’s preparation of the city is a certain, definite, and pre-ordained act, demonstrating His forethought, power, and commitment to His people.
- πόλιν (polin): "City." Symbolizes stability, community, order, security, and permanence, in contrast to the transient tents of the patriarchs (Heb 11:9). It points to an ultimate, abiding dwelling place that is the antithesis of earthly pilgrimage.
Words-group analysis:
- "a better, that is, a heavenly country": This phrase clarifies that the "better" country is specifically "heavenly," moving the patriarchs' aspiration beyond any geographical or earthly kingdom to a spiritual and divine reality. It differentiates their desire from a simple desire to return to their original home or establish an earthly empire, emphasizing their focus on an eternal inheritance.
- "Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God": This highlights a reciprocal relationship. Because the patriarchs set their ultimate hope and identity on a heavenly realm prepared by God, demonstrating genuine, transformative faith, God reciprocates by acknowledging and honoring His relationship with them publicly and without reservation. This phrase underscores God's deep commitment to those whose faith is authentically directed toward Him and His ultimate purposes.
- "for he has prepared for them a city": This phrase confirms God's divine provision as the ultimate response to faithful longing. The "city" is the concrete fulfillment of the "heavenly country." It signifies a secure, permanent, and perfectly ordered dwelling, underscoring that God's promises are not abstract but culminate in tangible, albeit spiritual, reality. It reveals God's gracious foresight and power in making ready a place for His chosen ones.
Hebrews 11 16 Bonus section
The concept of God "not being ashamed" to be called "their God" is rooted deeply in the Abrahamic covenant and its implications for God's very name and character. For God to be ashamed would imply a failure or regret on His part regarding His choice of people, which is unthinkable. Instead, His unashamed declaration signifies His full ownership and pride in His covenant relationship with these faithful individuals. It illustrates God's unreserved approval and identification with those who embody His purposes through faith, serving as an encouragement that He will never abandon or deny those who genuinely seek His kingdom as their ultimate home. This truth affirms that our destiny and identity are intrinsically linked to our faith-filled pursuit of the unseen, eternal realities of God's prepared city.
Hebrews 11 16 Commentary
Hebrews 11:16 profoundly unveils the essence of biblical faith and God's character. The verse reveals that the patriarchs' faith was not tied to immediate gratification or earthly possessions, but was forward-looking, fixed on a spiritual, ultimate reality—a "heavenly country." This demonstrates that true faith transforms one's ultimate ambition from the terrestrial to the celestial, from the temporary to the eternal. This profound desire for a transcendent dwelling place, characterized by "better" and "heavenly" qualities, is what made God "not ashamed to be called their God." This powerful phrase indicates God's honor, affirmation, and delight in their profound trust. It is a divine endorsement of those whose loyalty and longing are fundamentally for His kingdom, not merely for earthly security or prosperity. God, in His sovereignty and grace, actively "prepared for them a city"—a sure, established, and eternal dwelling. This "city" (the New Jerusalem of Revelation 21-22, the heavenly Jerusalem of Heb 12:22) is not merely symbolic but represents a literal, albeit divinely ordered, place of ultimate rest and fellowship with God, demonstrating that God is utterly faithful to the longings of His people. The verse is a powerful assurance that God honors and fulfills the faith that looks beyond the present world to the unseen, eternal promises.