Darby Bible
Hebrews 13:17
17Obey your leaders, and be submissive; for they watch over your souls as those that shall give account; that they may do this with joy, and not groaning, for this [would be] unprofitable for you.
Hebrews 13:17 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.
- New International Version (NIV)Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.
Context of Hebrews 13:17
15By him therefore let us offer [the] sacrifice of praise continually to God, that is, [the] fruit of [the] lips confessing his name. 16But of doing good and communicating [of your substance] be not forgetful, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. Obey your leaders, and be submissive; for they watch over your souls as those that shall give account; that they may do this with joy, and not groaning, for this [would be] unprofitable for you. 18Pray for us: for we persuade ourselves that we have a good conscience, in all things desirous to walk rightly. 19But I much more beseech [you] to do this, that I may the more quickly be restored to you.
Read all of Hebrews 13Hebrews 13:17 word by word
Πείθεσθε τοῖς ἡγουμένοις ὑμῶν καὶ ὑπείκετε· αὐτοὶ γὰρ ἀγρυπνοῦσιν ὑπὲρ τῶν ψυχῶν ὑμῶν ὡς λόγον ἀποδώσοντες, ἵνα μετὰ χαρᾶς τοῦτο ποιῶσιν καὶ μὴ στενάζοντες· ἀλυσιτελὲς γὰρ ὑμῖν τοῦτο.¶Read the interlinear
Cross-references for Hebrews 13:17
- Hebrews 13:7Remember your leaders who have spoken to you the word of God; and considering the issue of their conversation, imitate their faith.
- 1 Samuel 8:19And the people refused to hearken to the voice of Samuel; and they said, No, but there shall be a king over us,
- 1 Samuel 15:19Why then didst thou not hearken to the voice of Jehovah, but didst fall upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of Jehovah?
- Proverbs 5:13and I have not hearkened unto the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to those that instructed me;
- Philippians 2:12So that, my beloved, even as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much rather in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,
- 1 Thessalonians 5:12But we beg you, brethren, to know those who labour among you, and take the lead among you in [the] Lord, and admonish you,
- 2 Thessalonians 3:14But if any one obey not our word by the letter, mark that man, and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed of himself;
- 1 Timothy 5:17Let the elders who take the lead [among the saints] well be esteemed worthy of double honour, specially those labouring in word and teaching;
- Genesis 16:9And the Angel of Jehovah said to her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands.
- 1 Corinthians 16:16that ye should also be subject to such, and to every one joined in the work and labouring.
- Ephesians 5:21submitting yourselves to one another in [the] fear of Christ.
- James 4:7Subject yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
- 1 Peter 5:5Likewise [ye] younger, be subject to [the] elder, and all of you bind on humility towards one another; for God sets himself against [the] proud, but to [the] humble gives grace.
- Ezekiel 3:17Son of man, I have appointed thee a watchman unto the house of Israel, and thou shalt hear the word from my mouth, and give them warning from me.
- Ezekiel 33:2Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take one man from among them all, and set him for their watchman:
- Acts 20:24But I make no account of [my] life [as] dear to myself, so that I finish my course, and the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the glad tidings of the grace of God.
Commentaries on Hebrews 13:17
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17Obey them that have the rule over you - Obey your leaders, ̔ . He is not fit to rule who is not capable of guiding. See on Hebrews 13:7, (note). In the former verse the apostle exhorts them to remember those who had been their leaders, and to imitate their faith; in this he exhorts them to obey the leaders they now had, and to submit to their authority in all matters of doctrine and discipline, on the ground that they watched for their souls, and should…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17Obey them that have the rule over you - Margin, guide; see notes on Hebrews 13:7. The reference here is to their religious teachers, and not to civil rulers. They were to show them proper respect, and to submit to their authority in the church, so far as it was administered in accordance with the precepts of the Saviour. The obligation to obedience does not, of course, extend to anything which is wrong in itself, or which would be a violation of…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 16-21Verses 16-21 We must, according to our power, give to the necessities of the souls and bodies of men: God will accept these offerings with pleasure, and will accept and bless the offerers through Christ. The apostle then states what is their duty to living ministers; to obey and submit to them, so far as is agreeable to the mind and will of God, made known in his word. Christians must not think themselves too wise, too good, or too great, to learn. The…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 17The relationship between the church's spiritual leaders and its members might have been tense. The author encourages members to listen to and trust their leaders. The Greek word for obey can also mean follow, place confidence in, or be persuaded by. Christian leaders care for people's souls (Acts 20:28–31; 1 Peter 5:1–4), which is a serious responsibility. It makes them accountable to God (James 3:1). The word grief could also mean groaning. It refers to…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1717. Obey them that have the rule over you--(Compare He 13:7, 24). This threefold mention of the rulers is peculiar to this Epistle. In other Epistles Paul includes the rulers in his exhortations. But here the address is limited to the general body of the Church, in contrast to the rulers to whom they are charged to yield reverent submission. Now this is just what might be expected when the apostle of the Gentiles was writing to the Palestine Christians…Read the comment
Topics related to Hebrews 13:17
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Hebrews 13
- 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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