Lectionary Calendar
Friday, July 18th, 2025
the Week of Proper 10 / Ordinary 15
Attention!
Tired of seeing ads while studying? Now you can enjoy an "Ads Free" version of the site for as little as 10¢ a day and support a great cause!
Click here to learn more!

Read the Bible

Bible in Basic English

Hebrews 11:14

For those who say such things make it clear that they are searching for a country for themselves.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Backsliders;   Faith;   Immortality;   Obedience;   Scofield Reference Index - Separation;   Thompson Chain Reference - Ancient Heroes;   Battle of Life;   Faith;   Faith-Unbelief;   Heroes, Ancient;   Pilgrims, Characteristics of;   Reputation;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Self-Denial;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Faith;   Soul;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Abraham;   City;   Foreigner;   Inheritance;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Abraham;   Foreigner;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Self-Denial;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Heaven;   Immortality;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Cain (1);   Citizenship;   Hobab;   Pentateuch;   Resurrection;   Wilderness of the Wanderings;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Heavenly City, the;   Hebrews;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Ethics;   Faith;   Hebrews, Epistle to;   Hope;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Stranger;   Will;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Cherubim;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Jephthah;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Country;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Country;   Eschatology of the Old Testament (with Apocryphal and Apocalyptic Writings);  

Devotionals:

- Chip Shots from the Ruff of Life - Devotion for July 3;   Daily Light on the Daily Path - Devotion for July 30;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Now those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a homeland.
King James Version (1611)
For they that say such things, declare plainly that they seeke a countrey.
King James Version
For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.
English Standard Version
For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland.
New American Standard Bible
For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own.
New Century Version
When people say such things, they show they are looking for a country that will be their own.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own.
Legacy Standard Bible
For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own.
Berean Standard Bible
Now those who say such things show that they are seeking a country of their own.
Contemporary English Version
When people talk this way, it is clear that they are looking for a place to call their own.
Complete Jewish Bible
For people who speak this way make it clear that they are looking for a fatherland.
Darby Translation
For they who say such things shew clearly that they seek [their] country.
Easy-to-Read Version
When people accept something like that, they show they are waiting for a country that will be their own.
Geneva Bible (1587)
For they yt say such things, declare plainely, that they seeke a countrey.
George Lamsa Translation
For they who speak so, declare plainly that they seek a country for themselves.
Good News Translation
Those who say such things make it clear that they are looking for a country of their own.
Lexham English Bible
For those who say such things make clear that they are seeking a homeland.
Literal Translation
For those saying such things make clear that they seek a fatherland.
Amplified Bible
Now those who say such things make it clear that they are looking for a country of their own.
American Standard Version
For they that say such things make it manifest that they are seeking after a country of their own.
Hebrew Names Version
For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking after a country of their own.
International Standard Version
For people who say such things make it clear that they are looking for a country of their own.Hebrews 13:14;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
For they who these things say, make manifest that their city they are seeking.
Murdock Translation
Now they who say thus, show that they seek a city.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
For they that saye suche thynges, declare that they seke a countrey.
English Revised Version
For they that say such things make it manifest that they are seeking after a country of their own.
World English Bible
For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking after a country of their own.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
For they who speak thus, shew plainly, that they seek their own country.
Weymouth's New Testament
for men who acknowledge this make it manifest that they are seeking elsewhere a country of their own.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And thei that sayn these thingis, signifien that thei sechen a cuntre.
Update Bible Version
For those that say such things make it manifest that they are seeking after a country of their own.
Webster's Bible Translation
For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.
New English Translation
For those who speak in such a way make it clear that they are seeking a homeland.
New King James Version
For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland.
New Living Translation
Obviously people who say such things are looking forward to a country they can call their own.
New Life Bible
People who say these things show they are looking for a country of their own.
New Revised Standard
for people who speak in this way make it clear that they are seeking a homeland.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
For, they who such things as these are saying, make it clear that, of a paternal home they are in quest;
Douay-Rheims Bible
For they that say these things do signify that they seek a country.
Revised Standard Version
For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
They that saye soche thinges declare that they seke a coutre.
Young's Literal Translation
for those saying such things make manifest that they seek a country;
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
For they that saye soch thinges, declare, that they seke a naturall countre.
Mace New Testament (1729)
for they. that make such a declaration, show plainly that they seek some other country.
Simplified Cowboy Version
It's obvious these day hands were looking forward to a ranch they could call their own.

Contextual Overview

4 By faith Abel made a better offering to God than Cain, and he had witness through it of his righteousness, God giving his approval of his offering: and his voice still comes to us through it though he is dead. 5 By faith Enoch was taken up to heaven so that he did not see death; he was seen no longer, for God took him away: for before he was taken, witness had been given that he was well-pleasing to God: 6 And without faith it is not possible to be well-pleasing to him, for it is necessary for anyone who comes to God to have the belief that God is, and that he is a rewarder of all those who make a serious search for him. 7 By faith Noah, being moved by the fear of God, made ready an ark for the salvation of his family, because God had given him news of things which were not seen at the time; and through it the world was judged by him, and he got for his heritage the righteousness which is by faith. 8 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. 9 By faith he was a wanderer in the land of the agreement, as in a strange land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, who had a part with him in the same heritage: 10 For he was looking for the strong town, whose builder and maker is God. 11 And by faith Sarah herself had power to give birth, when she was very old, because she had faith in him who gave his word; 12 So that from one man, who was near to death, came children in number as the stars in heaven, or as the sand by the seaside, which may not be numbered. 13 All these came to their end in faith, not having had the heritage; but having seen it with delight far away, they gave witness that they were wanderers and not of the earth.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

they seek: Hebrews 11:16, Hebrews 13:14, Romans 8:23-25, 2 Corinthians 4:18, 2 Corinthians 5:1-7, Philippians 1:23

Reciprocal: Genesis 12:9 - going on still Exodus 2:22 - for he said John 14:2 - my Romans 3:25 - remission Revelation 5:9 - and hast

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For they that say such things,.... That they are strangers and pilgrims on earth:

declare plainly that they seek a country; heaven, so called, for the largeness of it; it is a good land, a land of uprightness; a pleasant land, a land of rest, though a land afar off; here the Father of Christ, and Christ himself, and all his people dwell: the Syriac version renders it, "their own city"; the place of their nativity, of which they were citizens: the act of "seeking" it supposes some things, with respect to the place where they were, as that they were in a strange land, had no settlement there, nor satisfaction in it, and that they sat loose to the world, and the things of it; and some things respecting the country sought after, as that they were not in it; that it was at a distance from them; that they had some knowledge of it, and of the way to it; that their desires were after it, and that they had a strong affection and value for it: the right way to this country is not mere civility and morality, nor legal righteousness, nor birth privileges, nor submission to outward ordinances, nor a mere profession of religion, but the Lord Jesus Christ; he is the true way to eternal life; it is his righteousness which gives a title to it, and on account of which believers expect it, though not without holiness, nor without trouble. The right manner of seeking it is, in the first place, above all things else, with the whole heart, by faith, and by patient continuance in well doing. Many are the reasons which may induce believers to seek it; it is their own, and their Father's country; it is a better one than that in which they are; and because of the company they shall there enjoy, and the work they shall be employed in; and because of the happiness they will be possessed of; and because their inheritance, riches, and treasures, lie here.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For they that say such things ... - That speak of themselves as having come into a land of strangers; and that negotiate for a small piece of land, not to cultivate, but to bury their dead. So we should think of any strange people coming among us now - who lived in tents; who frequently changed their residence; who became the purchasers of no land except to bury their dead, and who never spake of becoming permanent residents. We should think that they were in search of some place as their home, and that they had not yet found it. Such people were the Hebrew patriarchs. They lived and acted just as if they had not yet found a permanent habitation, but were traveling in search of one.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 14. Declare plainly that they seek a country. — A man's country is that in which he has constitutional rights and privileges; no stranger or sojourner has any such rights in the country where he sojourns. These, by declaring that they felt themselves strangers and sojourners, professed their faith in a heavenly country and state, and looked beyond the grave for a place of happiness. No intelligent Jew could suppose that Canaan was all the rest which God had promised to his people.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile