Hebrews 11:17-27
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
17 By faith Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was ready to offer his only son,(A) 18 of whom it was said, “Through Isaac descendants shall bear your name.”(B) 19 [a]He reasoned that God was able to raise even from the dead,(C) and he received Isaac back as a symbol. 20 By faith regarding things still to come Isaac[b] blessed Jacob and Esau.(D) 21 By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph and “bowed in worship, leaning on the top of his staff.”(E) 22 By faith Joseph, near the end of his life, spoke of the Exodus of the Israelites and gave instructions about his bones.(F)
23 (G)By faith Moses was hidden by his parents for three months after his birth, because they saw that he was a beautiful child, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. 24 [c]By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter;(H) 25 he chose to be ill-treated along with the people of God rather than enjoy the fleeting pleasure of sin. 26 He considered the reproach of the Anointed greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the recompense. 27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s fury, for he persevered as if seeing the one who is invisible.(I)
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- 11:19 As a symbol: Isaac’s “return from death” is seen as a symbol of Christ’s resurrection. Others understand the words en parabolē to mean “in figure,” i.e., the word dead is used figuratively of Isaac, since he did not really die. But in the one other place that parabolē occurs in Hebrews, it means symbol (Hb 9:9).
- 11:20–22 Each of these three patriarchs, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph, had faith in the future fulfillment of God’s promise and renewed this faith when near death.
- 11:24–27 The reason given for Moses’ departure from Egypt differs from the account in Ex 2:11–15. The author also gives a christological interpretation of his decision to share the trials of his people.
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