Hebrews 11 5

Hebrews 11:5 kjv

By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.

Hebrews 11:5 nkjv

By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, "and was not found, because God had taken him"; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God.

Hebrews 11:5 niv

By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: "He could not be found, because God had taken him away." For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God.

Hebrews 11:5 esv

By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God.

Hebrews 11:5 nlt

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.

Hebrews 11 verses

Hebrews 11 5 Meaning

Enoch, through his active trust and belief in God, was supernaturally removed from the earth without experiencing physical death. His disappearance was directly orchestrated by God as a divine act. This extraordinary event was a direct consequence and testimony that his life had been one of deep communion and obedience, truly pleasing to God, thereby demonstrating a profound spiritual walk rewarded by translation.

Hebrews 11 5 Context

Hebrews 11 is famously known as the "Hall of Faith," a theological treatise illustrating and defining faith through a chronological succession of Old Testament figures. This chapter aims to encourage first-century Hebrew believers who were contemplating apostasy or facing persecution to persevere in their faith in Christ. After establishing the definition of faith and illustrating it through the act of creation (v. 3) and Abel's sacrifice (v. 4), Enoch's account provides a distinct and potent example of a living faith. His unique translation without death, mentioned sparsely in Gen 5:21-24, becomes a powerful testament to faith's reward: divine approval and preservation. The author highlights that Enoch's faith did not culminate in martyrdom or a land promise, but in a direct, supernatural deliverance from death and translation into God's presence, serving as a beacon of ultimate divine faithfulness to those who please Him.

Hebrews 11 5 Word analysis

• By faith (πίστει - pistei): The dative case here indicates the means or instrument. Enoch's extraordinary departure from earthly life was not by natural means or divine caprice, but explicitly through his faith. It underscores that faith is the channel through which divine power is manifested in the lives of believers, establishing the causal link.
• Enoch (Ἑνώχ - Henōch): An antediluvian patriarch, known primarily from Genesis 5:21-24. His significance lies in his unique destiny among all humanity, experiencing a translation directly by God rather than death, making him an unprecedented case for faith's ultimate reward.
• was taken up (μετετέθη - metetetēthē): This is from the verb metatithēmi (μετατίθημι), meaning "to transfer," "to change the position of," or "to remove." The passive voice strongly emphasizes that the action was performed on Enoch by another party, namely God. This word distinctly describes a miraculous transference or removal, emphasizing that it was not a natural demise but a supernatural act.
• so that he should not see death (τοῦ μὴ ἰδεῖν θάνατον - tou mē idein thanaton): "To see death" is a common Hebrew idiom meaning "to experience death" or "to die." The phrase emphasizes an exemption from the universal human decree (Gen 3:19, Heb 9:27). Enoch uniquely bypassed the normal course of mortality through divine intervention, highlighting an extraordinary divine favor for his faithful walk.
• and he was not found (οὐχ ηὑρίσκετο - ouch heurisketo): This directly reflects Genesis 5:24, where it says, "and he was not." The phrase signifies his complete disappearance from earthly sight and confirms that repeated efforts to find him were unsuccessful. It underscores the mysterious and final nature of his departure, eliminating any suggestion of human disappearance.
• because God had taken him (ὁ γὰρ μετέθηκεν αὐτὸν ὁ θεός - ho gar metetēken auton ho theos): This explicitly attributes Enoch's translation to God's direct, sovereign action. It leaves no room for doubt regarding the cause of his disappearance, reinforcing the supernatural and divine nature of the event. It reaffirms God's agency in his being "not found."
• For before he was taken (πρὸ γὰρ τῆς μεταθέσεως αὐτοῦ - pro gar tēs metathesēōs autou): The term metathesēōs (μεταθέσεως) is the noun form of metatithēmi (translation/transference). This phrase stresses the chronological sequence, emphasizing that Enoch's pleasing of God preceded his translation. It highlights the principle of divine reward following a life lived in faith.
• he had a testimony (μεμαρτύρηται - memarturētai): A perfect passive participle, indicating that a firm and enduring testimony or witness was established concerning Enoch. This was a continuous, settled, or attested fact about his life. It implies public knowledge or divine record.
• that he pleased God (εὐηρεστηκέναι τῷ Θεῷ - euarestēkenai tō Theō): From euarestos (εὐάρεστος), meaning "well-pleasing." This phrase captures the essence of his relationship with God, confirming that his life, his "walk with God" (Gen 5:24), was genuinely delightful and agreeable to the Divine. The perfect infinitive underscores a past state of continuous pleasing. This is key to understanding why God chose to translate him.

Words-group analysis:

• "By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death": This phrase directly links the means (faith) to an unprecedented, miraculous outcome (translation without death). It highlights that faith empowers believers to transcend even the natural limits of human existence through God's power. It also portrays Enoch as a unique prophetic type, foreshadowing future translations of believers.
• "and he was not found, because God had taken him": These clauses resolve any mystery about Enoch's disappearance. It confirms his removal was not accidental or humanly orchestrated, but a deliberate and effective divine act. The cause and effect are clearly delineated: God's sovereign act led to Enoch's unfindable status.
• "For before he was taken he had a testimony that he pleased God": This crucial phrase provides the divine rationale for Enoch's extraordinary translation. It establishes the foundational principle that God rewards a life characterized by genuine faith and devotion that results in His pleasure. Enoch's translation was not arbitrary, but a direct consequence and public affirmation of his walk with God.

Hebrews 11 5 Bonus section

The author of Hebrews uses the Septuagint (LXX) version of Genesis 5:24, which translates "Enoch walked with God" as "Enoch was pleasing to God" (εὐηρέστησεν τῷ θεῷ). This choice is critical because it directly connects his faithful walk to God's pleasure, setting the stage for the definitive statement in Hebrews 11:6: "And without faith it is impossible to please him." Enoch's life is presented as the perfect real-world demonstration of this theological truth. Furthermore, Enoch's translation before the flood provides a precedent of God's physical preservation of His faithful people from impending judgment, much like Noah. This offers hope and encouragement to the New Testament readers facing their own pressures, implicitly suggesting God's ability to supernaturally preserve or rescue His people from future trials. He represents a type of believers who will experience transformation without death (like in the anticipated rapture), a testament to God's victory over the grave.

Hebrews 11 5 Commentary

Hebrews 11:5 presents Enoch as an unparalleled testament to faith's profound rewards. His "walking with God," as stated in Genesis, is here interpreted as "pleasing God," underscoring that a life of consistent communion, trust, and obedience delights the Creator. It teaches that while faith does not guarantee an escape from all earthly challenges, it guarantees divine favor and God's active involvement. Enoch's unique translation, bypassing the universal curse of death, serves as a powerful symbol of God's sovereignty over life and death and His extraordinary commendation for unwavering faith. It provides a timeless lesson that pleasing God through faith is not merely a virtuous act, but a life-transforming and destiny-altering path, demonstrating God's ultimate care for His faithful ones, and a foretaste of future resurrection and transformation.