God’s Word Translation
Hebrews 13:4
4Marriage is honorable in every way, so husbands and wives should be faithful to each other. God will judge those who commit sexual sins, especially those who commit adultery.
Hebrews 13:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.
- New International Version (NIV)Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.
Context of Hebrews 13:4
2Don’t forget to show hospitality to believers you don’t know. By doing this some believers have shown hospitality to angels without being aware of it. 3Remember those in prison as if you were in prison with them. Remember those who are mistreated as if you were being mistreated. Marriage is honorable in every way, so husbands and wives should be faithful to each other. God will judge those who commit sexual sins, especially those who commit adultery. 5Don’t love money. Be happy with what you have because God has said, “I will never abandon you or leave you.” 6So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper. I will not be afraid. What can mortals do to me?”
Read all of Hebrews 13Hebrews 13:4 word by word
Τίμιος ὁ γάμος ἐν πᾶσιν καὶ ἡ κοίτη ἀμίαντος· πόρνους γὰρ καὶ μοιχοὺς κρινεῖ ὁ θεός.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Marriageὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Marriageγάμοςgamos · weddingG1062
- honourableτίμιοςtimios · preciousG5093
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- allπᾶςpas · allG3956
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- the bedκοίτηkoitē · bedG2845
- undefiledἀμίαντοςamiantos · pureG283
- butδέde · thenG1161
- whoremongersπόρνοςpornos · sexual sinnerG4205
- adulterersμοιχόςmoichos · adultererG3432
- Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- will judgeκρίνωkrinō · to judgeG2919
Cross-references for Hebrews 13:4
- Genesis 1:27So God created humans in his image. In the image of God he created them. He created them male and female.
- Genesis 2:21So the Lord God caused him to fall into a deep sleep. While the man was sleeping, the Lord God took out one of the man’s ribs and closed up the flesh at that place.
- Leviticus 21:13“The anointed priest must marry a virgin.
- 2 Kings 22:14So the priest Hilkiah, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to talk to the prophet Huldah. She was the wife of Shallum, son of Tikvah and grandson of Harhas. Shallum was in charge of the ⌞royal⌟ wardrobe. Huldah was living in the Second Part of Jerusalem.
- Proverbs 5:15Drink water out of your own cistern and running water from your own well.
- Isaiah 8:3I slept with the prophet. She became pregnant and gave birth to a son. The Lord told me, “Name him Maher Shalal Hash Baz.
- 1 Corinthians 7:2But in order to avoid sexual sins, each man should have his own wife, and each woman should have her own husband.
- 1 Corinthians 9:5Don’t we have the right to take our wives along with us like the other apostles, the Lord’s brothers, and Cephas do?
- 1 Timothy 3:2A bishop must have a good reputation. He must have only one wife, be sober, use good judgment, be respectable, be hospitable, and be able to teach.
- 1 Timothy 5:14So I want younger widows to marry, have children, manage their homes, and not give the enemy any chance to ridicule them.
- Hebrews 12:16Make sure that no one commits sexual sin or is as concerned about earthly things as Esau was. He sold his rights as the firstborn son for a single meal.
- 1 Corinthians 6:9Don’t you know that wicked people won’t inherit God’s kingdom? Stop deceiving yourselves! People who continue to commit sexual sins, who worship false gods, those who commit adultery, homosexuals,
- Galatians 5:19Now, the effects of the corrupt nature are obvious: illicit sex, perversion, promiscuity,
- Ephesians 5:5You know very well that no person who is involved in sexual sin, perversion, or greed (which means worshiping wealth) can have any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
- Colossians 3:5Therefore, put to death whatever is worldly in you: your sexual sin, perversion, passion, lust, and greed (which is the same thing as worshiping wealth).
- Revelation 22:15Outside are dogs, sorcerers, sexual sinners, murderers, idolaters, and all who lie in what they say and what they do.
Commentaries on Hebrews 13:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Marriage is honorable in all - Let this state be highly esteemed as one of God's own instituting, and as highly calculated to produce the best interests of mankind. This may have been said against the opinions of the Essenes, called Therapeutae, who held marriage in little repute, and totally abstained from it themselves as a state of comparative imperfection. At the same time it shows the absurdity of the popish tenet, that marriage in the clergy is both…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4Marriage is honorable in all - The object here is to state that “honor” is to be shown to the marriage relation. It is not to be undervalued by the pretence of the superior purity of a state of celibacy, as if marriage were improper for any class of people or any condition of life; and it should not be dishonored by any violation of the marriage contract. The course of things has shown that there was abundant reason for the apostle to assert with…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4To honor marriage means to protect it and see it as very important. Sexually immoral refers to any inappropriate sexual behavior. Adultery breaks the marriage promise by having sexual relations outside the marriage.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. is, &c.--Translate, "Let marriage be treated as honorable": as He 13:5 also is an exhortation. in all--"in the case of all men": "among all." "To avoid fornication let EVERY MAN have his own wife" (1Co 7:2). Judaism and Gnosticism combined were soon about to throw discredit on marriage. The venerable Paphnutius, in the Council of Nice, quoted this verse for the justification of the married state. If one does not himself marry, he should not prevent…Read the comment
Topics related to Hebrews 13:4
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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