Berean Standard Bible
Hebrews 5:12
12Although by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to reteach you the basic principles of God’s word.1 You need 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
10and was designated by God as high priest in the order of Melchizedek. 11We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain, because you are dull of hearing. Although by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to reteach you the basic principles of God’s word. You need milk, not solid food! 13For everyone who lives on milk is still an infant, inexperienced in the message of righteousness. 14But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained their senses to distinguish good from 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
- ·γάρgar · forG1063
- Althoughκαίkai · andG2532
- byδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- timeχρόνοςchronos · timeG5550
- you oughtὀφείλωopheilō opheileō · to oweG3784
- to beεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- teachersδιδάσκαλοςdidaskalos · teacherG1320
- youἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
- needχρείαchreia · needG5532
- to reteachδιδάσκωdidaskō · to teachG1321
- to reteachπάλινpalin · againG3825
- youσύsu · youG4771
- ·τιςtis · oneG5100
- basicἀρχήarchē · beginningG746
- principlesστοιχεῖονstoicheion · principleG4747
- of God’sθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- wordλόγιονlogion · oraclesG3051
- You needγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
- milkγάλαgala · milkG1051
- notοὐou · noG3756
- solidστερεόςstereos · strongG4731
- foodτροφήtrophē · foodG5160
Cross-references for Hebrews 5:12
- Matthew 17:17“O unbelieving and perverse generation!” Jesus replied. “How long must I remain with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy here to Me.”
- Mark 9:19“O unbelieving generation!” Jesus replied. “How long must I remain with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy to Me.”
- Ezra 7:10For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the LORD, to practice it, and to teach its statutes and ordinances in Israel.
- Psalms 34:11Come, children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
- 1 Corinthians 14:19But in the church, I would rather speak five coherent words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.
- Colossians 3:16Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.
- Isaiah 28:9Whom is He trying to teach? To whom is He explaining His message? To infants just weaned from milk? To babies removed from the breast?
- Philippians 3:1Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you.
- Hebrews 6:1Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith in God,
- 2 Samuel 16:23Now in those days the advice of Ahithophel was like the consultation of the word of God. Such was the regard that both David and Absalom had for Ahithophel’s advice.
- Acts 7:38He was in the assembly in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers. And he received living words to pass on to us.
- Romans 3:2Much in every way. First of all, they have been entrusted with the very words of God.
- 1 Peter 4:11If anyone speaks, he should speak as one conveying the words of God. If anyone serves, he should serve with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.
- Hebrews 5:13For everyone who lives on milk is still an infant, inexperienced in the message of righteousness.
- Isaiah 55:1“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you without money, come, buy, and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost!
- 1 Corinthians 3:1Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual, but as worldly—as infants 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
Notes
- 1. Hebrews 5:12 Or of the oracles of God ↩
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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