The Meaning of Hebrews 11:35 Explained

Hebrews 11:35

KJV: Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:

YLT: Women received by a rising again their dead, and others were tortured, not accepting the redemption, that a better rising again they might receive,

Darby: Women received their dead again by resurrection; and others were tortured, not having accepted deliverance, that they might get a better resurrection;

ASV: Women received their dead by a resurrection: and others were tortured, not accepting their deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Women  received  their  dead  raised to life again:  and  others  were tortured,  not  accepting  deliverance;  that  they might obtain  a better  resurrection: 

What does Hebrews 11:35 Mean?

Context Summary

Hebrews 11:32-40 - "the Noble Army Of Martyrs"
Strong faith is consistent with very different views of religious truth. The conception that Abel, Enoch or Noah had of so-called Christian truth was very slight; but the faith with which they grasped the scanty truth revealed to them was mighty, soul-transforming and world-moving.
Walk through this long corridor of statuary. These persons were of every age and temperament; shepherds, statesmen, prime ministers, psalmists, poets, border chieftains, prophets, women martyrs-but they are all trophies of faith. The variety is extraordinary, but the unity is undeniable. The beads are many, but there is one golden thread uniting them all. Their circumstances and trials were widely different, but in all the talisman of victory was faith's watchword-God is able. There is no kind of need, trial, persecution, experience, for which faith is not the sufficient answer. It is the master key for every lock of difficulty. Fit your case into one of the clauses and what once was, shall be again. [source]

Chapter Summary: Hebrews 11

1  What faith is
6  Without faith we cannot please God
7  The examples of faithfulness in the fathers of old time

Greek Commentary for Hebrews 11:35

By a resurrection [εχ αναστασεως]
Cf. 1 Kings 17:17.; 2Kings 4:8-37. Were tortured First aorist passive indicative of τυμπανιζω — tumpanizō late verb from τυμπανον — tumpanon (kettledrum, drumstick), to beat the drum, to beat to death (cf. 2Macc 7 about Eleazar and the Mother and the seven sons), once in lxx (1Sam 21:13). Not accepting their deliverance Offered at the price of disloyalty as in 2Macc 6:21-27. That they might obtain a better resurrection Purpose clause with ινα — hina and the second aorist active subjunctive of τυγχανω — tugchanō to obtain with the genitive case. A “better resurrection” than the temporary ones alluded to in this verse by the women. [source]
Women []
The recorded raisings from the dead are mostly for women. See 1 Kings 17:17ff.; 2 Kings 4:17ff. Comp. Luke 7:11ff.; Acts 9. The reference here is to the first two. [source]
Raised to life again [ἐξ ἀναστάσεως]
Rend. “by a resurrection”; and for the force of ἐξ comp. Romans href="/desk/?q=ro+1:4&sr=1">Romans 1:4. [source]
Were tortured [ἐτυμπανίσθησαν]
N.T.olxx once, 1Samuel href="/desk/?q=1sa+21:13&sr=1">1 Samuel 21:13, describing the feigned madness of David, renders ἐτυμπάνιζεν “he scrabbled on the doors of the gate,” meaning that he beat the doors like a madman. Τύμπανον means a drum or a drumstick; hence a cudgel; so Aristoph. Plut. 476, where it is associated with κύφων apillory. Comp. Hebrews href="/desk/?q=heb+10:34&sr=1">Hebrews 10:34. The ( τὴν ) deliverance offered at the price of denying their faith. See 2 Maccabees 6:21-27. [source]
A better resurrection [κρείττονος ἀναστάσεως]
Better than a resurrection like those granted to the women above mentioned, which gave merely a continuation of life on earth. Comp. 2 Maccabees 7:9,14. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Hebrews 11:35

Romans 3:24 Redemption [ἀπολυτρώσεως]
From ἀπολυτρόω toredeem by paying the λύτρον priceMostly in Paul. See Luke 21:28; Hebrews 9:15; Hebrews 11:35. The distinction must be carefully maintained between this word and λύτρον ransomThe Vulgate, by translating both redemptio, confounds the work of Christ with its result. Christ's death is nowhere styled λύτρωσις redemptionHis death is the λύτρον ransomfiguratively, not literally, in the sense of a compensation; the medium of the redemption, answering to the fact that Christ gave Himself for us. [source]
Hebrews 12:4 Unto blood [μέχρις αἵματος]
Your strife against sin has not entailed the shedding of your blood, as did that of many of the O.T. worthies, and of Jesus himself. See Hebrews 11:35, Hebrews 11:37. Of Jesus it is said, Philemon 2:8, “he became obedient to the extent of death ( μέχρι θανάτου ). Comp. 2 Maccabees 13:14. [source]
Hebrews 9:12 Through his own blood [δια του ιδιου αιματος]
This is the great distinction between Christ as High Priest and all other high priests. They offer blood (Hebrews 9:7), but he offered his own blood. He is both victim and High Priest. See the same phrase in Hebrews 13:12; Acts 20:28. Once for all In contrast to the repeated (annual) entrances of the Levitical high priests (Hebrews 9:7). Into the holy place Here, as in Hebrews 9:8, Hebrews 9:24 heaven itself. Having obtained First aorist middle (indirect) participle of ευρισκω — heuriskō simultaneous action with εισηλτεν — eisēlthen and by or of himself “as the issue of personal labour directed to this end” (Westcott). The value of Christ‘s offering consists in the fact that he is the Son of God as well as the Son of man, that he is sinless and so a perfect sacrifice with no need of an offering for himself, and that it is voluntary on his part (John 10:17). Λυτρωσις — Lutrōsis (from λυτροω — lutroō) is a late word for the act of ransoming (cf. λυτρον — lutron ransom), in O.T. only here and Luke 1:68; Luke 2:38. But απολυτρωσις — apolutrōsis elsewhere (as in Luke 21:28; Romans 3:24; Hebrews 9:15; Hebrews 11:35). For “eternal” (αιωνιαν — aiōnian here feminine form) see Hebrews 6:2. The author now turns to discuss the better sacrifice (9:13-10:18) already introduced. [source]
1 Peter 3:5 Adorned themselves [εκοσμουν εαυτας]
Imperfect active of customary action, “used to adorn themselves.” Κοσμεω — Kosmeō is old verb from κοσμος — kosmos in the sense in 1 Peter 3:3. See Hebrews 11:11, Hebrews 11:35 for like tribute to holy women of the O.T. The participle υποτασσομεναι — hupotassomenai repeats 1 Peter 3:1. [source]

What do the individual words in Hebrews 11:35 mean?

Received back women by resurrection the dead of them others then were tortured not having accepted - release so that a better they might obtain
Ἔλαβον γυναῖκες ἐξ ἀναστάσεως τοὺς νεκροὺς αὐτῶν ἄλλοι δὲ ἐτυμπανίσθησαν οὐ προσδεξάμενοι τὴν ἀπολύτρωσιν ἵνα κρείττονος τύχωσιν

Ἔλαβον  Received  back 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: λαμβάνω  
Sense: to take.
γυναῖκες  women 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Plural
Root: γυνή  
Sense: a woman of any age, whether a virgin, or married, or a widow.
ἀναστάσεως  resurrection 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: ἀνάστασις  
Sense: a raising up, rising (e.
νεκροὺς  dead 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Masculine Plural
Root: νεκρός  
Sense: properly.
αὐτῶν  of  them 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive Feminine 3rd Person Plural
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
ἄλλοι  others 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: ἄλλος  
Sense: another, other.
ἐτυμπανίσθησαν  were  tortured 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Passive, 3rd Person Plural
Root: τυμπανίζω  
Sense: to beat the drum or timbrel.
προσδεξάμενοι  having  accepted 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Middle, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: προσδέχομαι  
Sense: to receive to one’s self, to admit, to give access to one’s self.
τὴν  - 
Parse: Article, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἀπολύτρωσιν  release 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: ἀπολύτρωσις  
Sense: a releasing effected by payment of ransom.
ἵνα  so  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ἵνα  
Sense: that, in order that, so that.
κρείττονος  a  better 
Parse: Adjective, Genitive Feminine Singular, Comparative
Root: κρείττων  
Sense: more useful, more serviceable, more advantageous.
τύχωσιν  they  might  obtain 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: τυγχάνω  
Sense: to hit the mark.