Hebrews 11:13–16

Bible Verses. Also called Hebrews 11:13-16, Heb. 11:13–16, Heb 11:13-16.

Bible Verses

¹³ These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
¹⁴ For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.
¹⁵ And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.
¹⁶ 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 11:13–16 · KJV

Scripture quotation from the King James Version (KJV). Read this chapter

A passage stating that the patriarchs of faith died without receiving all that had been promised, yet regarded themselves as strangers on the earth and longed for a better, heavenly country. It is frequently cited in discussions of Christian identity as pilgrims and of the hope of heaven.

About this articleAI draft from a Korean source. Notes on Korean Protestant practice. No sources listed. Not yet reviewed by a person.

Origin: Drafted by AI from the Korean church.wiki article, then translated and adapted for English readers on 5 November 2026.
Perspective: Includes notes on Korean Protestant practice; other traditions are noted where they differ.
Sources: None listed yet. The article draws on the biblical text and general reference works. Add a source
Review: Not yet reviewed by a person. Last edited by a person: never. Translation updated 5 November 2026. Edit history

Context

Chapter 11 of Hebrews is often called the "faith chapter." Its author is not known with certainty. Addressing believers who were tempted to abandon their faith under persecution, the author presents in succession the faith of Old Testament figures. This passage comes immediately after the account of Abraham and Sarah (11:8–12). It is an explanatory section that pauses the roll of individual figures to sum up the lives of the patriarchs, extending through Isaac and Jacob. Many interpreters hold that the phrase "These all" at the opening of 11:13 refers to the patriarchs of Abraham's household, excluding Enoch, who was translated without dying. The expression "strangers and pilgrims" recalls Abraham's words to the sons of Heth (Genesis 23:4). The statement that God "is not ashamed to be called their God" has as its background Exodus 3:15, where God names Himself "the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob."

Interpretation

Heavenly-hope reading: This reading takes the "heavenly" country as the kingdom of heaven entered after death. It understands the passage to mean that the believer's true home is not this world but heaven, and it has long been a widespread popular reading.
Eschatological reading: A number of commentators understand "heavenly" to mean "coming from God." They connect the "city" God has prepared with "the heavenly Jerusalem" of Hebrews 12:22 and the New Jerusalem of Revelation 21. On this view, the hope looks forward to the new creation to be realized on the last day (eschatology).
Pilgrim-identity reading: This reading treats the passage as a text about where Christians stand in the world: Christians are "sojourners" who live in the world but do not belong to it. It is often discussed alongside Augustine's idea of the City of God on pilgrimage.

Questions of Application

There is no major dispute concerning translation or manuscripts. The Greek word patris, rendered "country," means "the land of one's fathers," that is, one's native home. Interpretive discussion centers chiefly on the following two questions.

Relationship to the land promise: The passage can be read as linking the promise of the land of Canaan given to the patriarchs with the heavenly country. Those in the covenant theology tradition tend to see this as evidence that the land promise is fulfilled in a greater reality. Within dispensationalism, some hold that the land promise to Israel remains literally valid.
The charge of escapism: Some critics argue that a "pilgrim" faith leads believers to take their responsibilities in this world lightly. In response, others contend that precisely because believers are not bound to the world, they are free to serve it.

Perspective: Korean Protestant practiceHow this idea is used in Korean churches, kept from the original Korean article.

In Korean Protestant churches, expressions such as "homeland," "heavenly homeland," and "a pilgrim's life" are common in preaching, prayer, and hymns. In funeral services and memorial services in particular, the deceased is often said to have "returned to the homeland."

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