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, after waiting patiently, Abraham obtained the promise. 16For people swear by something greater than themselves, and for them a confirming oath ends every dispute. Because God wanted to show his unchangeable purpose even more clearly to the heirs of the promise, he guaranteed it with an oath, 18so that through two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to seize the hope set before us. 19We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain.

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 are filled from the abundance of your house. You let them drink from your refreshing stream.
• Isaiah 55:7Let the wicked one abandon his way and the sinful one his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, so he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will freely forgive.
• John 10:10A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.
• 1 Peter 1:3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead
• Hebrews 6:12so that you won’t become lazy but will be imitators of those who inherit the promises through faith and perseverance.
• Hebrews 11:7By faith Noah, after he was warned about what was not yet seen and motivated by godly fear, built an ark to deliver his family. By faith he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
• Romans 8:17and if children, also heirs — heirs of God and coheirs with Christ — if indeed we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.
• Galatians 3:29And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, heirs according to the promise.
• James 2:5Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Didn’t God choose the poor in this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him?
• 1 Peter 3:7Husbands, in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with a weaker partner, showing them honor as coheirs of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.
• Hebrews 6:18so that through two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to seize the hope set before us.
• Job 23:13But he is unchangeable; who can oppose him? He does what he desires.
• Psalms 33:11The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of his heart from generation to generation.
• Proverbs 19:21Many plans are in a person’s heart, but the Lord’s decree will prevail.
• Isaiah 14:24The Lord of Armies has sworn: As I have purposed, so it will be; as I have planned it, so it will happen.
• Isaiah 46:10I declare the end from the beginning, and from long ago what is not yet done, saying: my plan will take place, and I will do all my will.

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