Hebrews 11:39-40
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What's easy to miss is that even though these faithful heroes received commendation for their trust in God, they didn't fully receive the promise in their lifetime. It points to a future fulfillment, a "better thing" God planned for us, showing that faith often stretches beyond our present experience towards a greater, yet-to-be-realized reality. This isn't a sign of failure, but a testament to the enduring hope and the ultimate completion found in Christ.
And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.
English Standard Version (ESV)
After showcasing a whole hall of faith heroes from biblical history, the author sums up their story by noting that despite their incredible faith and the good testimony they earned, they didn't actually receive the ultimate fulfillment of God's promises in their lifetime. This sets the stage for the next verse, which explains that God had planned something even better for believers who would come later, ensuring that those who have gone before would not be perfected without us.
These heroes of faith are celebrated for their incredible trust. But did their faith bring them everything they were hoping for in their lifetime?
The verse starts by reminding us that these individuals "obtained a good report through faith." This means God's Word and history bear witness to their faithfulness. They are commended because they trusted God, even when it was difficult or dangerous.
However, the second part of the verse drops a truth bomb: "they did not receive what was promised." This isn't a contradiction; it's a crucial clarification. While their faith was acknowledged and valued by God, the ultimate fulfillment of His promises was still in the future for them.
What exactly was this 'promise' they didn't receive? It wasn't just about earthly blessings, but something far grander.
The 'promise' mentioned here isn't a minor detail; it points to the ultimate fulfillment of God's plan. For the Old Testament saints, this included the coming of the Messiah, the redemption He would bring, and the heavenly inheritance.
They saw these things from a distance (Hebrews 11:13), believing God's word about them, but they didn't experience the full realization of these promises in their earthly lives. This awaited a future completion, a 'better thing' that God provided for us (Hebrews 11:40).
The story doesn't end with the Old Testament heroes. Their journey is intertwined with ours, leading to a shared, ultimate perfection.
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This verse and the one that follows (v. 40) reveal a beautiful truth: God's plan is a unified story. While the Old Testament saints didn't fully receive the promise in their lifetime, their faith was foundational to what we receive today.
Verse 40 explains why they didn't receive it then: "God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect." Our salvation and the full realization of God's promises are linked. We, along with them, are part of the grand, perfected whole that God is bringing about through Christ.
Understand the original words
pistis · Greek Noun
A firm conviction, trust, or reliance upon God and His promises. It is the assurance of things hoped for and the conviction of things not seen, forming the basis of the believer's relationship with God.
martyreō · Greek Verb
The divine act of bearing witness to or approving of someone’s character or actions. In a biblical context, it signifies that God acknowledges a person as righteous or faithful.
epaggelia · Greek Noun
The fulfillment of what God has declared He will do. It refers to God's covenants and future blessings for His people, which are secured by His integrity and power.
teleioō · Greek Verb
To reach a goal, complete a process, or attain spiritual maturity and consecration. In the context of Hebrews, it refers to the final consummation of God's redemptive purpose for His people.
This verse highlights a crucial difference between Old Testament faith and New Testament fulfillment. While the heroes of faith received God's commendation and assurance, they looked forward to a promise ultimately realized in Christ, which believers today have received and continue to anticipate in its fullest sense.
c. 2000 BC - 500 BC
The Era of the Old Testament Worthies
This period spans the lives of the heroes of faith described in Hebrews 11, from Abraham to the prophets. Their lives were marked by God's promises and their faithful response, often in challenging circumstances.
c. 1000 BC - 500 BC
The Reigns of Israel's Kings and the Prophets
Key figures like David, Elijah, and Isaiah lived during times of both faithfulness and unfaithfulness among God's people. Their ministries often involved calling people back to God's promises amidst political turmoil and spiritual decline.
c. 586 BC
The Fall of Jerusalem and Babylonian Exile
The destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple marked a devastating low point for Israel. Many were exiled, and the fulfillment of God's promises seemed distant, yet faith in God's future restoration remained.
c. 539 BC
The Persian Conquest of Babylon
Cyrus the Great conquered Babylon, paving the way for the Jewish people to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple. This event was seen as a partial fulfillment of God's promise of restoration.
c. 400 BC - 1 BC
The Intertestamental Period
This era saw Jewish people living under various foreign empires, with a deep longing for the promised Messiah. Hopes were high for God to fulfill His promises through a new deliverer.
c. AD 30-33— this verse
The Ministry, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus
Jesus' life, death, and resurrection were the climactic fulfillment of many Old Testament promises, particularly the coming of the Messiah and the provision of salvation. This is the central promise the author of Hebrews refers to.
c. AD 60-70
The Writing of the Book of Hebrews
The author wrote to Jewish Christians, encouraging them to persevere in faith. He used the examples in chapter 11 to show that even these great figures didn't fully receive the ultimate promise within their lifetime.
This verse echoes the need for endurance to 'receive what was promised,' highlighting that the heroes of faith in chapter 11 were still in a state of hopeful waiting for the full realization of God's promises.
Galatians 3:16Paul explains that the promises were specifically made to Abraham and his 'offspring,' which is Christ, pointing to the ultimate promise being fulfilled in Jesus, whom these Old Testament saints did not see in the flesh but believed in.
Philippians 3:20-21This passage speaks of our citizenship in heaven and the future transformation of our bodies by Christ's power, paralleling the idea that the ultimate fulfillment and perfection for these faithful individuals was a future event.
1 Peter 1:10-11The prophets searched and inquired about salvation, trying to understand the timing of Christ's suffering and glory, underscoring that the full picture of the promise was not revealed to them but is understood through the New Testament.
ellicottHebrews 11:39: "And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:"
(39) Having obtained a good report. —Now that the history is concluded the word of Hebrews 11:2 is resumed. That in such a faith as was described in Hebrews 11:1 “the elders” received their witness from God, the records themselves have shown; yet “these all, having had witness borne to them through their faith, received not the promise,” i.e., the promised blessing. There are three passages of…
barnesHebrews 11:39: "And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:"
And these all, having obtained a good report through faith - They were all commended and approved on account of their confidence in God; see the notes on Hebrews 11:2 . Received not the promise - That is, did not receive the fulfillment of the promise; or did not receive all that was promised. They all still looked forward to some future blessings; notes, Hebrews 11:13.
What's easy to miss is that even though these faithful heroes received commendation for their trust in God, they didn't fully receive the promise in their lifetime. It points to a future fulfillment, a "better thing" God planned for us, showing that faith often stretches beyond our present experience towards a greater, yet-to-be-realized reality. This isn't a sign of failure, but a testament to the enduring hope and the ultimate completion found in Christ.
After showcasing a whole hall of faith heroes from biblical history, the author sums up their story by noting that despite their incredible faith and the good testimony they earned, they didn't actually receive the ultimate fulfillment of God's promises in their lifetime. This sets the stage for the next verse, which explains that God had planned something even better for believers who would come later, ensuring that those who have gone before would not be perfected without us.
After showcasing a whole hall of faith heroes from biblical history, the author sums up their story by noting that despite their incredible faith and the good testimony they earned, they didn't actually receive the ultimate fulfillment of God's promises in their lifetime. This sets the stage for the next verse, which explains that God had planned something even better for believers who would come later, ensuring that those who have gone before would not be perfected without us.
"And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect." — What's easy to miss is that even though these faithful heroes received commendation for their trust in God, they didn't fully receive the promise in their lifetime. It points to a future fulfillmen…
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Last reviewed October 2026
