Hebrews 11:16 (DBY)

Passage

but now they seek a better, that is, a heavenly; wherefore God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God; for he has prepared for them a city.

Nearby Context

Hebrews 11:14 For they who say such things shew clearly that they seek [their] country.

Hebrews 11:15 And if they had called to mind that from whence they went out, they had had opportunity to have returned;

Hebrews 11:16 but now they seek a better, that is, a heavenly; wherefore God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God; for he has prepared for them a city.

Hebrews 11:17 By faith Abraham, [when] tried, offered up Isaac, and he who had received to himself the promises offered up his only begotten [son],

Hebrews 11:18 as to whom it had been said, In Isaac shall thy seed be called:

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "called", "seek", "better", "heavenly", "wherefore", "ashamed", "prepared", and "city". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "called" and "seek", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 15's "And if they had called to mind..." into verse 17's "By faith Abraham when tried offered up...", so "called" and "seek" belong inside that flow. In Hebrews context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "called" and "seek" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.