Hebrews 11:31 (GNV)

Passage

By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them which obeyed not, when she had receiued the spies peaceably.

Nearby Context

Hebrews 11:29 By faith they passed through the red sea as by drie land, which when the Egyptians had assayed to doe, they were swallowed vp.

Hebrews 11:30 By faith the walles of Iericho fell downe after they were copassed about seue dayes.

Hebrews 11:31 By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them which obeyed not, when she had receiued the spies peaceably.

Hebrews 11:32 And what shall I more say? for the time would be too short for me to tell of Gedeon, of Barac, and of Sampson, and of Iephte, also of Dauid, and Samuel, and of the Prophets:

Hebrews 11:33 Which through faith subdued kingdomes, wrought righteousnesse, obteined the promises, stopped the mouthes of lions,

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "faith", "harlot", "rahab", "perished", "obeyed", "receiued", "spies", and "peaceably". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "faith" and "harlot", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 30's "By faith the walles of Iericho fell..." into verse 32's "And what shall I more say for...", so "faith" and "harlot" 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 "faith" and "harlot" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.