Hebrews · Chapter 11 · Faith
Hebrews 11:6 — Bible Verse Meaning & Context
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Both translations, side by side
WEB · World English Bible
"Without faith it is impossible to be well pleasing to him, for he who comes to God must believe that he exists, and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him."
KJV · King James Version
"But1161 without5565 faith4102 it is impossible102 to please2100 him: for1063 he that cometh4334 to God2316 must1163 believe4100 that3754 he is2076, and2532 that he is1096 a rewarder3406 of them that diligently seek1567 him846."
How the translations differ: The WEB is a modern public-domain revision of the 1901 ASV; the KJV dates to 1611. The KJV uses but, please, cometh, them, while the WEB renders these as well, pleasing, who, comes. Both translate the same underlying Greek or Hebrew text — the differences are stylistic, not theological.
In context
Hebrews 11:6 in Hebrews 11
A Bible verse rarely stands alone. Here is Hebrews 11:6 read with the verses immediately before and after — the surrounding flow of Hebrews 11. Read the full chapter →
- v.4 By faith, Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he had testimony given to him that he was righteous, God testifying with respect to his gifts; and through it he, being dead, still speaks.
- v.5 By faith, Enoch was taken away, so that he wouldn’t see death, and he was not found, because God translated him. For he has had testimony given to him that before his translation he had been well pleasing to God.
- v.6 Without faith it is impossible to be well pleasing to him, for he who comes to God must believe that he exists, and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him.
- v.7 By faith, Noah, being warned about things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared a ship for the saving of his house, through which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.
- v.8 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.
Book background
About the Book of Hebrews
- Testament
- New Testament
- Genre
- General epistle
- Author
- Unknown (Paul, Apollos, and Barnabas have all been suggested)
- Date written
- c. 60–69 AD
- Audience
- Jewish Christians tempted to abandon Christ and return to Judaism
- Chapters
- 13
Hebrews argues for the absolute supremacy of Christ — superior to angels, Moses, the priesthood, and the entire Old Covenant sacrificial system. The High Priestly work of Christ is the book's central concept. Chapter 11 is the famous "Hall of Faith," and the closing call is "let us run with endurance the race set before us, looking to Jesus" (12:1-2).
Setting: Likely written before the destruction of the temple in 70 AD.
Key themes: supremacy of Christ · priesthood · faith · covenant · perseverance
Memorisation aid
How to memorise Hebrews 11:6
Hebrews 11:6 contains 33 words in 3 clauses. Learn one clause at a time, then chain them. The first-letter mnemonic (FLM) under each clause is a memory hook — once you can speak the FLM from memory, the full clause follows.
- 1
Without faith it is impossible to be well pleasing to him
WFIIIT
- 2
for he who comes to God must believe that he exists
FHWCTG
- 3
and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him.
ATHIAR
Frequently asked
FAQ about Hebrews 11:6
What does Hebrews 11:6 say?
Hebrews 11:6 reads: "Without faith it is impossible to be well pleasing to him, for he who comes to God must believe that he exists, and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him." — from the New Testament, Hebrews (General epistle). The full verse is shown above with both the World English Bible (WEB) and King James Version (KJV) translations side by side.
What book of the Bible is Hebrews 11:6 in?
Hebrews 11:6 is in the book of Hebrews, traditionally attributed to Unknown (Paul, Apollos, and Barnabas have all been suggested) and written around c. 60–69 AD. Hebrews is general epistle in the New Testament, originally addressed to Jewish Christians tempted to abandon Christ and return to Judaism. Best known for the "Hall of Faith" (Hebrews 11) and Jesus as our great high priest.
What is Hebrews 11:6 about?
Hebrews 11:6 is primarily a Bible verse about Faith. Within Hebrews, Hebrews argues for the absolute supremacy of Christ — superior to angels, Moses, the priesthood, and the entire Old Covenant sacrificial system. Read the full passage above with surrounding context.
What is the difference between Hebrews 11:6 in WEB and KJV?
Hebrews 11:6 in the World English Bible (WEB) reads: "Without faith it is impossible to be well pleasing to him, for he who comes to God must believe that he exists, and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him.". The King James Version (KJV) reads: "But1161 without5565 faith4102 it is impossible102 to please2100 him: for1063 he that cometh4334 to God2316 must1163 believe4100 that3754 he is2076, and2532 that he is1096 a rewarder3406 of them that diligently seek1567 him846.". The WEB is a modern public-domain translation that updates the KJV's 1611 English while keeping a similar formal-equivalence style. Both render the same underlying Greek or Hebrew text.
How long is Hebrews 11:6?
Hebrews 11:6 is 33 words in the WEB translation (160 characters), broken into 3 clauses. It is a longer verse, often broken into smaller phrases for memorisation. Estimated reading time is about 10 seconds.
How can I memorise Hebrews 11:6?
To memorise Hebrews 11:6, split it into its 3 natural clauses and learn one at a time. Repeat the full verse out loud five times, then write it from memory. Saving the verse as a photo wallpaper using our verse image studio helps daily review — the visual association with a memorable background dramatically improves recall.
Why does Hebrews 11:6 matter in Hebrews?
Hebrews argues for the absolute supremacy of Christ — superior to angels, Moses, the priesthood, and the entire Old Covenant sacrificial system. The High Priestly work of Christ is the book's central concept. Chapter 11 is the famous "Hall of Faith," and the closing call is "let us run with endurance the race set before us, looking to Jesus" (12:1-2). Hebrews 11:6 sits within this larger story — Hebrews as a whole emphasises supremacy of Christ, priesthood, faith.
How can I apply Hebrews 11:6 today?
Many readers use Hebrews 11:6 as a daily reminder verse — saving it as a phone wallpaper, sharing it on Pinterest, or memorising it for prayer. The verse studio on this page lets you download Hebrews 11:6 on 52 different backgrounds for free. Pair the verse with the surrounding chapter context shown above to understand its full meaning before applying it.
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10 verses to read next
A fresh set of verses every visit — each on its own photo background. Tap any card to open the full study page.
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Psalms 23:1
“A Psalm by David. Yahweh is my shepherd: I shall lack nothing.”
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John 3:16
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.”
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Philippians 4:13
“I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.”
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Romans 8:28
“We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
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Matthew 6:33
“But seek first God’s Kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well.”
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1 John 4:8
“He who doesn't love doesn't know God, for God is love.”
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Hebrews 11:1
“Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, proof of things not seen.”
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Psalm 23:1
“Yahweh is my shepherd: I shall lack nothing.”
Read context →
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Proverbs 3:6
“In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”
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Matthew 7:7
““Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened for you.”
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Hebrews 6:19
“This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and entering into that which is within the veil.”
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Hebrews 4:12
“For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow…”
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Hebrews 4:16
“Let us therefore draw near with boldness to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace for help in time of need.”
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Hebrews 12:2
“looking to Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising its shame, and has sat down at th…”
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