Hebrews 13:17

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

15So we should always praise God, because of what Jesus has done for us. We should say clearly that we trust Jesus. That is like our sacrifice which we offer to God all the time. 16Remember to be kind to other people. Share with them the things that you have. God is happy with sacrifices like that. Respect your leaders and obey them. They watch over your lives on God's behalf. God will check to see if they have done their work well. So respect them, and then they will be happy as they serve God. Do not say bad things against them, because that will never help you. 18Pray to God for us. We are sure in our minds that we have done nothing wrong. We always want to do only what is right. 19The most important thing is this: Pray that I may come back to you soon.

Hebrews 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

Words taken from the KJV.

• Obeyπείθωpeithō · to persuadeG3982
• them that have the rule overἡγέομαιhēgeomai · to governG2233
• youσύsu · youG4771
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• submit yourselvesὑπείκωhupeikō · to submitG5226
• forγάρgar · forG1063
• theyαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• watchἀγρυπνέωagrupneō · be watchfulG69
• forὑπέρhuper · above/forG5228
• soulsὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• soulsψυχήpsuchē · soulG5590
• asὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
• they that must giveἀποδίδωμιapodidōmi · to payG591
• accountλόγοςlogos · wordG3056
• thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• they may doποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
• itοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• withμετάmeta · with/afterG3326
• joyχαράchara · joyG5479
• notμήmē · notG3361
• with griefστενάζωstenazō · to groanG4727
• unprofitableἀλυσιτελήςalusitelēs · unprofitableG255

Cross-references for Hebrews 13:17

• Hebrews 13:7Remember your leaders, who taught God's message to you. Think about the way in which they have lived and the good things that they have done. They have trusted God, so you should have faith like they have.
• 1 Samuel 8:19But the people would not listen to Samuel. They said, ‘No! We want a king to rule us.
• 1 Samuel 15:19Why did you not obey the Lord? Instead you have been greedy. You have hurried to take things for yourself. You have done something evil that does not please the Lord.’
• Proverbs 5:13I did not listen to my teachers. I refused to obey them.
• Philippians 2:12So, my friends, you must continue to obey God. When I was with you, you always obeyed. Now that I am not with you, that is even more important. God has saved you. You must always live in a way which shows that is true. Respect God and obey him. Remember that he is great and powerful.
• 1 Thessalonians 5:12Our friends, we ask you to respect your leaders who work hard among you. They lead you and they teach you what is right on the Lord's behalf.
• 2 Thessalonians 3:14Maybe someone among you will not obey the message that we have written in this letter. Make sure that everyone knows about someone like that. Do not be friends with him, so that he may become ashamed.
• 1 Timothy 5:17Everyone should respect leaders of the believers who lead the church well. The church should also pay them properly for their work. That is certainly true for leaders who teach God's people and speak God's message to them.
• Genesis 16:9The angel of the Lord told Hagar, ‘Go back to Sarai. You are her servant and you must obey her.’
• 1 Corinthians 16:16You must respect people like them. Do what they say. And also respect everyone who works hard to serve God together with them.
• Ephesians 5:21Serve one another to show that you respect Christ as your master.
• James 4:7So obey God's authority. Be strong against the Devil and he will run away from you.
• 1 Peter 5:5I want to say the same thing to you who are young men. You must respect the authority of the leaders. All of you who are believers must respect one another. Do not think that you are more important than other people. The Bible says: ‘God is against proud people. But he is kind to humble people.’
• Ezekiel 3:17‘Son of man, I have made you a guard to warn Israel's people about danger. You must listen to the messages that I will give to you. Then you must use my messages to warn the Israelites.
• Ezekiel 33:2‘Son of man, speak to your people. Say to them, “Think about what might happen if I send an army to attack a country. The people of that country might choose one of their own men to be a guard to warn them about danger.
• Acts 20:24But even if people kill me, this is not important to me. The Lord Jesus gave me some work to do. It is important that I finish his work. I must tell people the good news about how kind and good God is.

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

• Church
• Commandments
• Minister, Christian
• Reverence

In the dictionaries

• Altar
• Bed
• Continuing
• Entertain
• Forgetful
• Marriage
• Meat
• Restore
• Trust
• Watches

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