Hebrews 11:37-38
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While the list enumerates brutal deaths, the inclusion of "they were tempted" highlights that their suffering wasn't just physical; it was also the immense mental anguish of being pressured to abandon their faith, a trial often more agonizing than the physical pain itself. This emphasizes that spiritual warfare and the internal struggle to remain faithful were as significant as the external persecutions.
They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The author of Hebrews is continuing his powerful testament to faith by recounting the extreme persecutions faced by heroes of the Old Testament. This verse lists horrific, violent deaths—stoning, being sawn apart, and sword execution—alongside lives of extreme deprivation and suffering as wanderers in animal skins. These examples illustrate that throughout history, God's faithful have faced devastating opposition, a reality that will intensify for the original readers of this letter.
The text doesn't just mention suffering; it lists some of the most horrific ways God's people have been treated. What does this tell us about their faith and our own?
Hebrews 11:37 paints a stark picture of unimaginable suffering: 'They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword.' These weren't abstract ideas but historical realities.
Stoned: A Public Condemnation
Stoning was a brutal, public execution, often carried out by the community itself. Think of Zechariah in 2 Chronicles 24:20-22 or Stephen in Acts 7:59. It was a punishment designed to shame and annihilate.
Sawn in Two: A Horrific Tradition
While not explicitly detailed in Scripture for God's faithful, tradition holds that prophets like Isaiah suffered this fate (as noted by commentators referencing Jewish and early Christian traditions). This represents a profound level of physical dismemberment and agony, stretching the limits of human endurance.
Killed with the Sword: Swift or Lingering
This could mean beheading or being cut down in battle, a method used against prophets and believers throughout Israel's history, like those slain by Jezebel or during the Maccabean persecutions.
Beyond violent death, the verse speaks of being 'tempted' and living 'destitute, afflicted, tormented.' What subtle, yet soul-crushing, trials are revealed here?
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The suffering described extends beyond immediate death to include prolonged hardship and psychological warfare.
The Weight of Temptation
'They were tempted' (ἐπειράσθησαν) is a crucial, though sometimes debated, part of the list. This wasn't just about physical pain, but the intense pressure to abandon their faith. Imagine being offered a way out of torture or death if you would just deny God. This psychological torment, the threat of failure under immense pressure, was a severe trial in itself. It could involve external threats or even internal struggles against despair.
Living in Destitution and Affliction
'Destitute, afflicted, tormented' describes a life of extreme poverty and suffering. They wandered in 'skins of sheep and goats' – rough, undressed animal hides. This wasn't a fashion choice but a sign of utter lack, forced into the wilderness or caves, stripped of home, comfort, and often, basic necessities. This forced nomadic existence, coupled with constant mistreatment, speaks to a deep, pervasive suffering.
The chapter concludes with a surprising statement about these suffering faithful: 'of whom the world was not worthy.' What does this reveal about God's perspective versus the world's?
The author of Hebrews doesn't just list the sufferings; he offers a profound theological interpretation: the world itself was unworthy of these faithful individuals.
A World Blind to Value
The world, in its rejection of God and His people, fails to recognize true worth. These individuals, suffering unimaginable pain and deprivation, possessed a spiritual richness and loyalty that the godless world could neither comprehend nor appreciate. Their faith, endurance, and devotion were treasures the world's values could not accommodate.
Divine Perspective Over Human Judgment
Humanity judged them as outcasts, worthy only of persecution and scorn. God, however, saw them as precious, possessing a quality so divine that the world wasn't good enough to host them. This flips the script: it's not that they were unworthy of the world, but the world was unworthy of them. Their suffering, seen through God's eyes, was not a sign of His abandonment, but of their profound value to Him, a value the corrupt world couldn't sustain.
Understand the original words
hystereō · Greek Adjective
Being in a state of severe hardship, lack, or poverty. It characterizes those who have forsaken worldly comforts to remain faithful to God's calling.
thlibō · Greek Verb/Adjective
To be burdened, harassed, or suffering under external pressure. It describes the physical and emotional distress endured by the faithful while living in a fallen world.
kosmos · Greek Noun
The fallen, temporal system of humanity that is alienated from God. It stands in opposition to the kingdom of God and the values of the faithful.
This verse paints a grim picture of suffering, likely referencing martyrs from various periods, but particularly resonating with the intense persecutions faced by the early Christians, including those under Roman emperors like Nero, who employed horrific methods of torture and execution to suppress the faith.
c. 750-690 BC
Reign of Manasseh in Judah
King Manasseh's reign was marked by extreme religious syncretism and persecution of prophets. According to strong tradition, the prophet Isaiah was martyred during this oppressive period.
c. 220-160 BC
Maccabean Revolt and Persecution
The persecution of Jews under Antiochus Epiphanes led to widespread martyrdom, including extreme tortures and executions, as detailed in the books of Maccabees.
c. AD 30-60
Early Christian Persecution
Following Jesus's resurrection, believers faced persecution from both Jewish authorities and, increasingly, the Roman Empire. This included public stoning and other forms of violence.
c. AD 64— this verse
Nero's Persecution of Christians
After the Great Fire of Rome, Emperor Nero scapegoated Christians, leading to brutal public executions, including being torn apart by wild animals or set ablaze.
This passage echoes the cry of Elijah, 'I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, torn down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword.' This shows that being 'slain with the sword' was a recurring method of persecuting God's faithful servants throughout Israel's history.
Daniel 3:19-25Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego faced a fiery furnace for their faith, illustrating extreme suffering for loyalty to God. While not the exact tortures in Hebrews 11:37, this shows God's presence and preservation even amidst horrific, life-threatening persecution, a theme central to the faith of those described in Hebrews.
The account of the seven Maccabean brothers and their mother enduring brutal torture and death for refusing to obey Antiochus Epiphanes directly parallels the intense suffering described in Hebrews 11:37. Their story highlights the extreme physical torments and the temptation to recant under duress.
Jesus laments over Jerusalem, 'O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones with stones those who are sent to it!' This verse directly links stoning and the killing of prophets, reinforcing the historical pattern of persecution against God's messengers that the author of Hebrews is referencing.
1 Samuel 22:18This passage recounts how Doeg the Edomite 'turned and fell upon the priests, and killed on that day eighty-five persons who wore the linen ephod,' showing a large-scale execution by the sword. It demonstrates the brutal reality of 'slain with the sword' being inflicted upon those serving God.
vincentHebrews 11:37: "They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;"
They were stoned (ἐλιθάσθησαν)A characteristic Jewish punishment. See 2 Chronicles 24:20; Matthew 23:37; John 10:31; Acts 5:26; Acts 7:59; Acts 14:19. The verb λιθοβολεῖν is also used in Matthew, Luke, and Acts, and once in this epistle, Hebrews 12:20.Were sawn asunder (ἐπίσθησαν)N.T.o. As Isaiah, accordi…
barnesHebrews 11:37: "They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;"
They were stoned - A common method of punishment among the Jews; see the notes on Matthew 21:35 , Matthew 21:44 . Thus, Zechariah, the son of Jehoiada the priest, was stoned; see 2 Chronicles 24:21 ; compare 1 Kings 21:1-14 . It is not improbable that this was often resorted to in times of popular tumult, as i…
While the list enumerates brutal deaths, the inclusion of "they were tempted" highlights that their suffering wasn't just physical; it was also the immense mental anguish of being pressured to abandon their faith, a trial often more agonizing than the physical pain itself. This emphasizes that spiritual warfare and the internal struggle to remain faithful were as significant as the external persecutions.
The author of Hebrews is continuing his powerful testament to faith by recounting the extreme persecutions faced by heroes of the Old Testament. This verse lists horrific, violent deaths—stoning, being sawn apart, and sword execution—alongside lives of extreme deprivation and suffering as wanderers in animal skins. These examples illustrate that throughout history, God's faithful have faced devastating opposition, a reality that will intensify for the original readers of this letter.
The author of Hebrews is continuing his powerful testament to faith by recounting the extreme persecutions faced by heroes of the Old Testament. This verse lists horrific, violent deaths—stoning, being sawn apart, and sword execution—alongside lives of extreme deprivation and suffering as wanderers in animal skins. These examples illustrate that throughout history, God's faithful have faced devastating opposition, a reality that will intensify for the original readers of this letter.
"They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens…" — While the list enumerates brutal deaths, the inclusion of "they were tempted" highlights that their suffering wasn't just physical; it was also the immense mental anguish of being pressured to abando…
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Last reviewed October 2026
