Hebrews 11:2 (YLT)

Passage

for in this were the elders testified of;

Nearby Context

Hebrews 11:1 And faith is of things hoped for a confidence, of matters not seen a conviction,

Hebrews 11:2 for in this were the elders testified of;

Hebrews 11:3 by faith we understand the ages to have been prepared by a saying of God, in regard to the things seen not having come out of things appearing;

Hebrews 11:4 by faith a better sacrifice did Abel offer to God than Cain, through which he was testified to be righteous, God testifying of his gifts, and through it, he being dead, doth yet speak.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "elders" and "testified". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "elders" and "testified", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 1's "And faith is of things hoped for..." into verse 3's "by faith we understand the ages to...", so "elders" and "testified" 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 "elders" and "testified" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.