English Standard Version
Hebrews 6:18
18so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us.
Hebrews 6:18 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:
- New International Version (NIV)God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged.
- New King James Version (NKJV)that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us.
- New Living Translation (NLT)So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us.
Context of Hebrews 6:18
16For people swear by something greater than themselves, and in all their disputes an oath is final for confirmation. 17So 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, so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. 19We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, 20where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.
Read all of Hebrews 6Hebrews 6:18 word by word
ἵνα διὰ δύο πραγμάτων ἀμεταθέτων, ἐν οἷς ἀδύνατον ψεύσασθαι τὸν θεόν, ἰσχυρὰν παράκλησιν ἔχωμεν οἱ καταφυγόντες κρατῆσαι τῆς προκειμένης ἐλπίδος·Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
- byδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
- twoδύοduo · twoG1417
- immutableἀμετάθετοςametathetos · unchangeableG276
- thingsπρᾶγμαpragma · thingG4229
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- whichὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- impossibleἀδύνατοςadunatos · unableG102
- for Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- to lieψεύδομαιpseudomai · to lieG5574
- we might haveἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
- aπαράκλησιςparaklēsis · encouragementG3874
- strongἰσχυρόςischuros · strongG2478
- who have fled for refugeὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- who have fled for refugeκαταφεύγωkatapheugō · to fleeG2703
- to lay holdκρατέωkrateō · to grasp/seizeG2902
- upon the hopeἐλπίςelpis · hopeG1680
- set before usπρόκειμαιprokeimai · to set beforeG4295
Cross-references for Hebrews 6:18
- Hebrews 3:11As I swore in my wrath, 'They shall not enter my rest.'"
- Hebrews 7:21but this one was made a priest with an oath by the one who said to him: "The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, 'You are a priest forever.'"
- Psalms 110:4The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, "You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek."
- Matthew 24:35Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
- Numbers 23:19God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?
- 1 Samuel 15:29And also the Glory of Israel will not lie or have regret, for he is not a man, that he should have regret."
- Romans 3:4By no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar, as it is written, "That you may be justified in your words, and prevail when you are judged."
- 2 Timothy 2:13if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself.
- 1 John 1:10If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
- 1 John 5:10Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son.
- Isaiah 51:12"I, I am he who comforts you; who are you that you are afraid of man who dies, of the son of man who is made like grass,
- Isaiah 66:10"Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all you who love her; rejoice with her in joy, all you who mourn over her;
- Luke 2:25Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
- Romans 15:5May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus,
- 2 Corinthians 1:5For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.
- Philippians 2:1So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy,
Commentaries on Hebrews 6:18
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18That by two immutable things - The promise and oath of God: the promise pledged his faithfulness and justice; the oath, all the infinite perfections of his Godhead, for he sware by himself. There is a good saying in Beracoth on Exodus 32:13, fol. 32: Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self. "What is the meaning of by thine own self? Rab. Eleazar answered, Thus said Moses to the holy blessed God, Lord of…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18That by two immutable things - What the “two immutable things” here referred to are, has been made a matter of question among commentators. Most expositors, as Doddridge, Whitby, Rosenmuller, Koppe, and Calvin, suppose that the reference is to the promise and the oath of God, each of which would be a firm ground of the assurance of salvation, and in each of which it would be impossible for God to lie. Prof. Stuart supposes that the reference is to “two…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. 1818. immutable--Translate, as in He 6:17, "unchangeable." impossible ... to lie--"ever to lie"; this is the force of the Greek aorist [Alford]. His not being able to deny Himself is a proof, not of weakness, but of strength incomparable. consolation--under doubts and fears, and so "encouragement," literally, "exhortation." fled for refuge--as if from a shipwreck; or, as one fleeing to one of the six cities of refuge. Kadesh, that is, holy, implies the…Read the comment
Topics related to Hebrews 6:18
In the dictionaries
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
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