Hebrews 6:13

Hebrews 6:13 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself,
• New International Version (NIV)When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself,
• English Standard Version (ESV)For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself,
• New King James Version (NKJV)For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself,

Context of Hebrews 6:13

11But we very much want each of you to continue to trust God to the end. Show that you really want to serve him. Be sure that, in the end, you will receive all the good things that you hope for. 12Then you will not be slow to learn. Instead, you will copy the example of those people who continue to trust God. They continue to be patient when trouble happens to them. People like that receive what God has promised to his people. God made a promise to Abraham many years ago. God used the authority of his own name to show that his promise was true. He did that because there was nobody greater than God himself. His name showed that the promise was very serious. 14God said to Abraham, ‘I will certainly bless you. I will give you many children and many, many grandchildren.’ 15Abraham waited patiently for a long time. In the end, he received what God had promised to give him.

Hebrews 6:13 word by word

τῷ γὰρ Ἀβραὰμ ἐπαγγειλάμενος ὁ θεός, ἐπεὶ κατ᾽ οὐδενὸς εἶχεν μείζονος ὀμόσαι, ὤμοσεν καθ᾽ ἑαυτοῦRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• whenἐπαγγέλλωepaggellō · to professG1861
• Godὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• to AbrahamἈβραάμAbraam · AbrahamG11
• becauseἐπείepei · sinceG1893
• he couldἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
• swearὄμνυμιomnuō · to swearG3660
• byκατάkata · according toG2596
• noοὐδείςoudeis · noneG3762
• greaterμέγαςmegas · greatG3173
• himselfἑαυτοῦheautou · themselfG1438

Cross-references for Hebrews 6:13

• Hebrews 6:16When someone makes a strong promise, he uses the authority of a person who is greater than himself. This shows that he will certainly obey his promise. Then nobody can argue about it.
• Genesis 22:15The angel of the Lord called from heaven to Abraham again.
• Ezekiel 32:13I will destroy all Egypt's cows that live beside its great rivers. So no people or animals will walk in the water any more. They will not cause the water to become dirty.
• Psalms 105:9That is the promise that he made to Abraham, and that he also made to Isaac.
• Isaiah 45:23This is my promise that I say is true. I have spoken it honestly and I will not change it. I promise this: Everybody will go down on their knees in front of me. Everybody will promise to serve me.
• Jeremiah 22:5But if you do not obey these commands, I will destroy this palace. I promise you that it will become a heap of stones! That is what I, the Lord, tell you.” ’
• Jeremiah 49:13I, the Lord, promise you this, with the authority of my own name: Bozrah city will become a heap of stones. The people of other nations will think that it is disgusting. They will laugh at it. They will use its name as a curse. All the towns and villages around it will be heaps of stones for ever.’
• Micah 7:20You will continue to be kind to us, because we are Jacob's and Abraham's people. That is what you promised to our grandfathers a long time ago.
• Luke 1:73Yes, he will remember the strong promises that he spoke to Abraham.

Commentaries on Hebrews 6:13

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 13When God made promise to Abraham - The promise referred to is that made to Abraham when he had offered his son Isaac on the altar, Genesis 22:16-18; : "By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord; for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thy only son; that in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the seashore; and thy seed shall possess the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 13For when God made promise to Abraham - That he would bless him, and multiply his seed as the stars of heaven; Genesis 22:16-17. The object of introducing this example here is, to encourage those to whom the apostle was writing to persevere in the Christian life, This he does by showing that God had given the highest possible assurance of his purpose to bless his people, by an oath. Reference is made to Abraham in this argument, probably, for two reasons…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. 13-14Abraham was a leading example of faith. He believed God would give him a son and was ready to sacrifice that son to obey God (Hebrews 11:17–19; Genesis 15:1–5; 22:1–14). Because of Abraham's faith, God promised to bless him and increase his descendants.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1313. For--confirming the reasonableness of resting on "the promises" as infallibly sure, resting as they do on God's oath, by the instance of Abraham. "He now gives consolation, by the oath of God's grace, to those whom, in the second, third, and fourth chapters, he had warned by the oath of God's 'wrath.' The oath of wrath did not primarily extend its force beyond the wilderness; but the oath of grace is in force for ever" [Bengel].Read the comment

Topics related to Hebrews 6:13

• Abraham
• Covenant
• Faith
• God
• Oath

In the dictionaries

• Abraham
• God
• Abraham, Abram
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Afresh
• Anchor
• Counsel
• Covenant
• Crucify
• Enlighten

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