Hebrews 11:11

Every once in a while you come across an amazing problem with translation. This once boggles the mind.

Hebrews 11:11 NASB
By faith even Sarah herself received [fn]ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him faithful who had promised.

And the NASB footnote reads "power for the laying down of seed."
​

Now take a look at the NET rendering of the very same text!

11:11 By faith, even though Sarah herself was barren and he was too old, he received the ability to procreate, because he regarded the one who had given the promise to be trustworthy. ​

So we have either Sarah or Abraham receiving the ability to either "conceive" or "procreate." Now turn your eyes back to the NASB footnote, and see that normally it is the male who has or is given the ability to "throw down" seed. But where did all these "he" references come from? Not the text of the verse.

On the other hand, women do "ovulate" or if you will "throw down the egg (female seed). Thus the verse if translated according to the Greek, might read,

"Through faith even Sarah herself received the ability to ovulate [fn], and brought forth even though beyond the prime period, since she deemed the One promising faithful.
Footnote: Greek "throw down seed"

 

The immediate context of Hebrews 11:11 is contained in Hebrews 11:8-12, which describes how Abraham and Sarah accomplished things through faith. Nothing in the context turns Sarah into Abraham.

I did not see where G846, in the Personal Pronoun - Nominative, Single, Female form was ever translated as "he." OTOH, the Greek pronoun was found to be translated as (1) she, (2) her, (3) she herself, (4) herself, and (5) itself.

 

Are you claiming Hebrews 11:11 does not actually indicate Sarah by faith received the ability to ovulate? If not, exactly what are you suggesting by your post?

We do not start out with full blown faith, we start with "little faith" and then by prayer and meditation we build it into a deeply rooted commitment to God as Lord and Savior.

Peter did not start out with a faith by which he would sacrifice his life for Jesus, but he would arrive at that faith, see John 21.

 

Folks the NET appears to have rewritten Hebrews 11:11, and this poster charges me with maleficence. Ever hear the term "blind hatred?

 

You can ignore Hebrews 11:11, but I trust what it says is true.
There is no significant difference between "by faith" and "through" (utilizing) faith.

 

To be candid about the NET bible's questionable rendering of Hebrews 11:11 they did footnote the appropriate translation.

13tn Grk “power to deposit seed.” Though it is not as likely, some construe this phrase to mean “power to conceive seed,” making the whole verse about Sarah: “by faith, even though Sarah herself was barren and too old, she received ability to conceive, because she regarded the one who had given the promise to be trustworthy.” ​