Hebrews 6:17

Hebrews 6:17 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath:
• New International Version (NIV)Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath.
• English Standard Version (ESV)So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath,
• New King James Version (NKJV)Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath,

Context of Hebrews 6:17

15And so, having patiently waited, he realized the promise [in the miraculous birth of Isaac, as a pledge of what was to come from God]. 16Indeed men swear [an oath] by one greater than themselves, and with them [in all disputes] the oath serves as confirmation [of what has been said] and is an end of the dispute. In the same way God, in His desire to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable nature of His purpose, intervened and guaranteed it with an oath, 18so that by two unchangeable things [His promise and His oath] in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled [to Him] for refuge would have strong encouragement and indwelling strength to hold tightly to the hope set before us. 19This hope [this confident assurance] we have as an anchor of the soul [it cannot slip and it cannot break down under whatever pressure bears upon it]—a safe and steadfast hope that enters within the veil [of the heavenly temple, that most Holy Place in which the very presence of God dwells],

Hebrews 6:17 word by word

ἐν ᾧ περισσότερον βουλόμενος ὁ θεὸς ἐπιδεῖξαι τοῖς κληρονόμοις τῆς ἐπαγγελίας τὸ ἀμετάθετον τῆς βουλῆς αὐτοῦ ἐμεσίτευσεν ὅρκῳ,Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Whereinἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• Whereinὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• Godὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• willingβούλομαιboulomai · to planG1014
• more abundantlyπερισσόςperissos · excessiveG4053
• to shewἐπιδείκνυμιepideiknumi · to show/proveG1925
• unto the heirsκληρονόμοςklēronomos · heirG2818
• of promiseἐπαγγελίαepaggelia · promiseG1860
• the immutabilityἀμετάθετοςametathetos · unchangeableG276
• of hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• counselβουλήboulē · planG1012
• confirmedμεσιτεύωmesiteuō · to guaranteeG3315
• by an oathὅρκοςhorkos · oathG3727

Cross-references for Hebrews 6:17

• Psalms 36:8They drink their fill of the abundance of Your house; And You allow them to drink from the river of Your delights.
• Isaiah 55:7Let the wicked leave (behind) his way And the unrighteous man his thoughts; And let him return to the Lord, And He will have compassion (mercy) on him, And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.
• John 10:10The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows].
• 1 Peter 1:3Blessed [gratefully praised and adored] be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant and boundless mercy has caused us to be born again [that is, to be reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, and set apart for His purpose] to an ever-living hope and confident assurance through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
• Hebrews 6:12so that you will not be [spiritually] sluggish, but [will instead be] imitators of those who through faith [lean on God with absolute trust and confidence in Him and in His power] and by patient endurance [even when suffering] are [now] inheriting the promises.
• Hebrews 11:7By faith [with confidence in God and His word] Noah, being warned by God about events not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his family. By this [act of obedience] he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness which comes by faith.
• Romans 8:17And if [we are His] children, [then we are His] heirs also: heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ [sharing His spiritual blessing and inheritance], if indeed we share in His suffering so that we may also share in His glory.
• Galatians 3:29And if you belong to Christ [if you are in Him], then you are Abraham’s descendants, and [spiritual] heirs according to [God’s] promise.
• James 2:5Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters: has not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and [as believers to be] heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?
• 1 Peter 3:7In the same way, you husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way [with great gentleness and tact, and with an intelligent regard for the marriage relationship], as with someone physically weaker, since she is a woman. Show her honor and respect as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered or ineffective.
• Hebrews 6:18so that by two unchangeable things [His promise and His oath] in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled [to Him] for refuge would have strong encouragement and indwelling strength to hold tightly to the hope set before us.
• Job 23:13But He is unique and unchangeable, and who can turn Him? And what His soul desires, that He does.
• Psalms 33:11The counsel of the Lord stands forever, The thoughts and plans of His heart through all generations.
• Proverbs 19:21Many plans are in a man’s mind, But it is the Lord’s purpose for him that will stand (be carried out).
• Isaiah 14:24The Lord of hosts has sworn [an oath], saying, “Just as I have intended, so it has certainly happened, and just as I have planned, so it will stand—
• Isaiah 46:10Declaring the end and the result from the beginning, And from ancient times the things which have not [yet] been done, Saying, ‘My purpose will be established, And I will do all that pleases Me and fulfills My purpose,’

Commentaries on Hebrews 6:17

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17The heirs of promise - All the believing posterity of Abraham, and the nations of the earth or Gentiles in general. The immutability of his counsel - His unchangeable purpose, to call the Gentiles to salvation by Jesus Christ; to justify every penitent by faith; to accept faith in Christ for justification in place of personal righteousness; and finally to bring every persevering believer, whether Jew or Gentile, to eternal glory.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17Wherein God - On account of which; or since an oath had this effect, God was willing to appeal to it in order to assure his people of salvation. Willing more abundantly - In the most abundant manner, or to make the case as sure as possible. It does not mean more abundantly than in the case of Abraham, but that he was willing to give the most ample assurance possible. Coverdale renders it correctly, “very abundantly.” The heirs of promise - The heirs to…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11-20Verses 11-20 The hope here meant, is a sure looking for good things promised, through those promises, with love, desire, and valuing of them. Hope has its degrees, as faith also. The promise of blessedness God has made to believers, is from God's eternal purpose, settled between the eternal Father, Son, and Spirit. These promises of God may safely be depended upon; for here we have two things which cannot change, the counsel and the oath of God, in which…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 17-18God also made a promise with an oath (a solemn promise), see Hebrews 7:20–22. This oath shows that God will never change his mind because it is impossible for God to lie (see Psalm 110:4). We who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us, similiar to people in the Old Testament who accidentally killed someone and sought refuge (Numbers 35:9–34; Deuteronomy 4:41–43). Christ is like a city of refuge, where believers find safety from God's anger…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1717. Wherein--that is, Which being the case among men, God, in accommodation to their manner of confirming covenants, superadded to His sure word His oath: the "TWO immutable things" (He 6:18). willing ... counsel--Greek, "willing ... will"; words akin. Expressing the utmost benignity [Bengel]. more abundantly--than had He not sworn. His word would have been amply enough; but, to make assurance doubly sure, He "interposed with an oath" (so the Greek)…Read the comment

Topics related to Hebrews 6:17

• Condescension of God
• Contracts
• Covenant
• God
• God Continued...
• Oath
• Perseverance
• Righteous
• Salvation

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Afresh
• Anchor
• Counsel
• Covenant
• Crucify
• Enlighten
• Ephesians, Epistle to
• Heir

Commentaries on Hebrews 6

• 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