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Hebrews 13

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Practical Christian Duties 1–6

1
Let love of the brethren continue. ​
2
Forget not to show love unto strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. ​
3
Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; them that are ill-treated, as being yourselves also in the body. ​
4
Let marriage be had in honor among all, and let the bed be undefiled: for fornicators and adulterers God will judge. ​
5
Be ye free from the love of money; content with such things as ye have: for himself hath said, I will in no wise fail thee, neither will I in any wise forsake thee. ​
6
So that with good courage we say, The Lord is my helper; I will not fear: What shall man do unto me?

Following Faithful Leaders 7–9

7
Remember them that had the rule over you, men that spake unto you the word of God; and considering the issue of their life, imitate their faith. ​
8
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and to-day, yea and for ever. ​
9
Be not carried away by divers and strange teachings: for it is good that the heart be established by grace; not by meats, wherein they that occupied themselves were not profited. ​

The Sacrifice Outside the Camp 10–17

10
We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat that serve the tabernacle. ​
11
For the bodies of those beasts whose blood is brought into the holy place by the high priest as an offering for sin, are burned without the camp. ​
12
Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people through his own blood, suffered without the gate. ​
13
Let us therefore go forth unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. ​
14
For we have not here an abiding city, but we seek after the city which is to come. ​
15
Through him then let us offer up a sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of lips which make confession to his name. ​
16
But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. ​
17
Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit to them: for they watch in behalf of your souls, as they that shall give account; that they may do this with joy, and not with grief: for this were unprofitable for you. ​

Request for Prayer and Restoration 18–19

18
Pray for us: for we are persuaded that we have a good conscience, desiring to live honorably in all things. ​
19
And I exhortyouthe more exceedingly to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner. ​

Doxology and Benediction 20–25

20
Now the God of peace, who brought again from the dead the great shepherd of the sheep with the blood of an eternal covenant, even our Lord Jesus, ​
21
make you perfect in every good thing to do his will, working in us that which is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be the glory for ever and ever. Amen. ​
22
But I exhort you, brethren, bear with the word of exhortation: for I have written unto you in few words. ​
23
Know ye that our brother Timothy hath been set at liberty; with whom, if he come shortly, I will see you. ​
24
Salute all them that have the rule over you, and all the saints. They of Italy salute you. ​
25
Grace be with you all. Amen.

Bible text: American Standard Version (1901) · Public domain

Study Notes for Hebrews 13

Verse 1

brotherly love — Philadelphia, love of the brethren, is joined to meno, to stay or abide: it is already present and must remain. It is the 'unfeigned love of the brethren' of 1 Pet 1:22, and the step that leads on 'to brotherly kindness charity' (2 Pet 1:7).

Verse 2

entertain strangers — Philoxenia, literally love of the stranger; the verb 'forgetful' (epilanthanomai) assumes the habit already exists. The angels 'unawares' recall Abraham at Mamre (Gen 18:1) and the two who came to Lot at Sodom (Gen 19:1); Christ counts it done to himself (Matt 25:35).

Verse 3

as bound with them — Syndeo, to be bound together with: the prisoner's chains are to be felt as shared. 'Suffer adversity' is kakoucheo, to be maltreated. The readers had themselves shown such compassion 'in my bonds' (Heb 10:34); 'in the body' means they are equally exposed.

Verse 4

Marriage is honourable — Timios, held precious. 'The bed' (koite) is the marriage bed, 'undefiled' (amiantos) when kept within marriage. The institution rests on Gen 2:24, 'they shall be one flesh'; the two sins named, pornos and moichos, are left to the judgment of God.

Verse 5

be content with such things as ye have — Aphilargyros, 'unavaricious', and arkeo, to be sufficient. The ground is God's word to Israel: 'he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee' (Deut 31:6; cf. Josh 1:5). The Greek piles negatives, ou me, 'I will never leave thee', nor ever forsake.

Verse 7

them which have the rule over you — Hegeomai, to lead. These leaders spoke 'the word of God' and their 'end' (ekbasis, outcome, way out) is now seen; the readers are to follow their faith (mimeomai, imitate; its noun mimetes is 'followers' in Heb 6:12). The living leaders are addressed separately in v.17.

Verse 8

the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever — The unchanging of the LORD ('I am the LORD, I change not', Mal 3:6) is here said of Jesus Christ; Heb 1:12, quoting Ps 102:27, already says to him 'thou art the same'. Aion ('for ever') is the age without end.

Verse 9

divers and strange doctrines — Poikilos, many-coloured, various, and xenos, foreign. 'Carried about' (periphero) is the picture of Eph 4:14, 'carried about with every wind of doctrine'. The rival is 'meats' (broma), food rules; the 'heart' is made firm (bebaioo) by 'grace'.

Verse 10

We have an altar — Thysiasterion, altar. Under the law 'no sin offering, whereof any of the blood is brought into the tabernacle… shall be eaten' (Lev 6:30); so those who 'serve the tabernacle' (latreuo, render worship) have no exousia, right, to what Christ's sacrifice provides.

Verse 11

burned without the camp — The Day of Atonement rule: the sin-offering bullock and goat, 'whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the holy place', were carried 'without the camp' and burned (Lev 16:27). Parembole is the encampment of Israel; the blood went in, the bodies went out.

Verse 12

suffered without the gate — Pyle, gate: the city's gate answers to the camp of v.11. Jesus 'that he might sanctify' (hagiazo, make holy) 'the people with his own blood' (cf. Heb 9:12) was led out to be crucified (Mark 15:20) at 'a place called the place of a skull' (John 19:17).

Verse 13

without the camp, bearing his reproach — The call follows from vv.11–12: go 'unto him' where he was put out. Oneidismos is abuse or contumely; Moses was 'Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt' (Heb 11:26). Exerchomai is the going-out the sacrifice made.

Verse 14

no continuing city — Meno again (cf. v.1): nothing here abides. The city sought is the one the patriarchs desired, 'a better country, that is, an heavenly' (Heb 11:16), the 'heavenly Jerusalem' (Heb 12:22). Epizeteo means to seek earnestly.

Verse 15

the sacrifice of praise — With the altar of v.10 comes its offering: ainesis, praise, as 'the fruit of our lips' (cf. 'the calves of our lips', Hos 14:2). 'Giving thanks' is homologeo, literally to confess his name. It is offered 'by him', and 'continually' (diapantos).

Verse 16

to do good and to communicate — Eupoiia, doing good, and koinonia, sharing, here in the sense of material giving. 'Such sacrifices' recalls the 'sacrifice of praise' in v.15; with them God is 'well pleased' (euaresteo). The readers' earlier ministry to the saints is remembered in Heb 6:10.

Verse 17

they watch for your souls — Agrypneo, to be sleepless, keep awake. 'Obey' is peitho, to be persuaded, and 'submit' is hypeiko, to yield. The leaders 'must give account' (logos); their joy or groaning (stenazo) bears on the flock, 'for that is unprofitable for you'.

Verse 18

a good conscience — Syneidesis with kalos, good. Paul made the same request of others: 'Brethren, pray for us' (1 Thess 5:25). The plural 'us' joins the writer to his companions; 'willing to live honestly' is anastrepho, to conduct oneself, with kalos, well.

Verse 19

that I may be restored to you — Apokathistemi, to reconstitute, set back in place; the writer is presently away from the readers. 'The rather' (perissoteros) is more earnestly, and 'sooner' (tachion) is the word of v.23. Paul likewise hoped 'through your prayers I shall be given unto you' (Philem 1:22).

Verse 20

that great shepherd of the sheep — Christ, 'the good shepherd' who 'giveth his life for the sheep' (John 10:11), brought again ek nekron, from the dead. The 'everlasting covenant' is that of peace promised in Ezek 37:26; the 'God of peace' is the one who raised him.

Verse 21

Make you perfect — Katartizo, to fit, mend, put in order for use; here 'in every good work to do his will'. God is the one 'working in you' (poieo), and the work is 'through Jesus Christ' (cf. Phil 2:13). The doxology, 'for ever and ever' (aion), closes the prayer.

Verse 22

the word of exhortation — Paraklesis, calling alongside: exhortation, encouragement. 'Suffer' (anechomai) is to bear with. The letter is called 'in few words' (brachys, short), a modest description of what the writer has set out since Heb 1:1.

Verse 23

Timothy is set at liberty — Apolyo, to release, free; Timothy had been confined or sent away, and the writer will come with him 'if he come shortly' (tachion). Timothy is called 'our brother', as in 1 Thess 3:2 and Philem 1:1.

Verse 24

They of Italy salute you — Apo tes Italias, from Italy: either believers in Italy or Italians abroad, as Aquila was 'lately come from Italy' (Acts 18:2). The readers are to greet 'all them that have the rule over you' (cf. vv.7, 17) and 'all the saints'.