Amplified Bible
Hebrews 5:12
12For though by this time you ought to be teachers [because of the time you have had to learn these truths], you actually need someone to teach you again the elementary principles of God’s word [from the beginning], and you have come to be continually in need of milk, not solid food.
Hebrews 5:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
- New International Version (NIV)In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!
- English Standard Version (ESV)For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food,
- New King James Version (NKJV)For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food.
Context of Hebrews 5:12
10being designated by God as High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek. 11Concerning this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull and sluggish in [your spiritual] hearing and disinclined to listen. For though by this time you ought to be teachers [because of the time you have had to learn these truths], you actually need someone to teach you again the elementary principles of God’s word [from the beginning], and you have come to be continually in need of milk, not solid food. 13For everyone who lives on milk is [doctrinally inexperienced and] unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a spiritual infant. 14But solid food is for the [spiritually] mature, whose senses are trained by practice to distinguish between what is morally good and what is evil.
Read all of Hebrews 5Hebrews 5:12 word by word
καὶ γὰρ ὀφείλοντες εἶναι διδάσκαλοι διὰ τὸν χρόνον, πάλιν χρείαν ἔχετε τοῦ διδάσκειν ὑμᾶς τινὰ τὰ στοιχεῖα τῆς ἀρχῆς τῶν λογίων τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ γεγόνατε χρείαν ἔχοντες γάλακτος καὶ οὐ στερεᾶς τροφῆς.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Forγάρgar · forG1063
- whenκαίkai · andG2532
- forδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
- the timeὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- the timeχρόνοςchronos · timeG5550
- ye oughtὀφείλωopheilō opheileō · to oweG3784
- to beεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- teachersδιδάσκαλοςdidaskalos · teacherG1320
- ye haveἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
- needχρείαchreia · needG5532
- that oneτίςtis · which?G5101
- teachδιδάσκωdidaskō · to teachG1321
- youσύsu · youG4771
- againπάλινpalin · againG3825
- theστοιχεῖονstoicheion · principleG4747
- firstἀρχήarchē · beginningG746
- of the oraclesλόγιονlogion · oraclesG3051
- of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- are becomeγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
- of milkγάλαgala · milkG1051
- notοὐou · noG3756
- ofτροφήtrophē · foodG5160
- strongστερεόςstereos · strongG4731
Cross-references for Hebrews 5:12
- Matthew 17:17And Jesus answered, “You unbelieving and perverted generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him here to Me.”
- Mark 9:19He replied, “O unbelieving (faithless) generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him to Me!”
- Ezra 7:10For Ezra had set his heart (resolved) to study and interpret the Law of the Lord, and to practice it and teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel.
- Psalms 34:11Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you to fear the Lord [with awe-inspired reverence and worship Him with obedience].
- 1 Corinthians 14:19nevertheless, in public worship I would rather say five understandable words in order to instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue [which others cannot understand].
- Colossians 3:16Let the [spoken] word of Christ have its home within you [dwelling in your heart and mind—permeating every aspect of your being] as you teach [spiritual things] and admonish and train one another with all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
- Isaiah 28:9They say “To whom would He teach knowledge? And to whom would He explain the message? Those just weaned from milk? Those just taken from the breast?
- Philippians 3:1Finally, my fellow believers, continue to rejoice and delight in the Lord. To write the same things again is no trouble for me, and it is a safeguard for you.
- Hebrews 6:1Therefore let us get past the elementary stage in the teachings about the Christ, advancing on to maturity and perfection and spiritual completeness, [doing this] without laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,
- 2 Samuel 16:23The advice of Ahithophel, which he gave in those days, was as if a man had consulted the word of God; that is how all Ahithophel’s counsel was regarded by both David and Absalom.
- Acts 7:38This is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness together with the Angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and who was with our fathers; and he received living oracles [divine words that still live] to be handed down to you.
- Romans 3:2Great in every respect. To begin with, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God [His very words].
- 1 Peter 4:11Whoever speaks [to the congregation], is to do so as one who speaks the oracles (utterances, the very words) of God. Whoever serves [the congregation] is to do so as one who serves by the strength which God [abundantly] supplies, so that in all things God may be glorified [honored and magnified] through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
- Hebrews 5:13For everyone who lives on milk is [doctrinally inexperienced and] unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a spiritual infant.
- Isaiah 55:1“Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; And you who have no money come, buy grain and eat. Come, buy wine and milk Without money and without cost [simply accept it as a gift from God].
- 1 Corinthians 3:1However, brothers and sisters, I could not talk to you as to spiritual people, but [only] as to worldly people [dominated by human nature], mere infants [in the new life] in Christ!
Commentaries on Hebrews 5:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12For when for the time - They had heard the Gospel for many years, and had professed to be Christians for a long time; on these accounts they might reasonably have been expected to be well instructed in Divine things, so as to be able to instruct others. Which be the first principles - · Certain first principles or elements. The word is not the nominative plural, as our translators have supposed, but the accusative case, governed by · and therefore the…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12For when for the time - Considering the time which has elapsed since you were converted. You have been Christians long enough to he expected to understand such doctrines. This verse proves that those to whom he wrote were not recent converts. Ye ought to be teachers - You ought to be able to instruct others. He does not mean to say, evidently, that they ought all to become public teachers, or preachers of the gospel, but that they ought to be able to…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11-14Verses 11-14 Dull hearers make the preaching of the gospel difficult, and even those who have some faith may be dull hearers, and slow to believe. Much is looked for from those to whom much is given. To be unskilful, denotes want of experience in the things of the gospel. Christian experience is a spiritual sense, taste, or relish of the goodness, sweetness, and excellence of the truths of the gospel. And no tongue can express the satisfaction which the…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12Their lack of spiritual energy was surprising because they had been believers for so long. They should have been spiritual leaders teaching others from their knowledge and Christian experience. the basic principles: The simplest parts of the Christian faith (see Hebrews 6:1–3). The imagery of milk and solid food was used to separate basic from advanced education, and immature from mature students.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. for the time--considering the long time that you have been Christians. Therefore this Epistle was not one of those written early. which be the first principles--Greek, "the rudiments of the beginning of." A Pauline phrase (see on Ga 4:3; Ga 4:9). Ye need not only to be taught the first elements, but also "which they be." They are therefore enumerated He 6:1, 2 [Bengel]. Alford translates, "That someone teach you the rudiments"; but the position of the…Read the comment
Topics related to Hebrews 5:12
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Hebrews 5
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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