Hebrews 6:16

Hebrews 6:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife.
• New International Version (NIV)People swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For people swear by something greater than themselves, and in all their disputes an oath is final for confirmation.
• New King James Version (NKJV)For men indeed swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is for them an end of all dispute.

Context of Hebrews 6:16

14He said, “I will certainly bless you and give you many descendants.” 15So Abraham received what God promised because he waited patiently for it. When people take oaths, they base their oaths on someone greater than themselves. Their oaths guarantee what they say and end all arguments. 17God wouldn’t change his plan. He wanted to make this perfectly clear to those who would receive his promise, so he took an oath. 18God did this so that we would be encouraged. God cannot lie when he takes an oath or makes a promise. These two things can never be changed. Those of us who have taken refuge in him hold on to the confidence we have been given.

Hebrews 6:16 word by word

ἄνθρωποι γὰρ κατὰ τοῦ μείζονος ὀμνύουσιν, καὶ πάσης αὐτοῖς ἀντιλογίας πέρας εἰς βεβαίωσιν ὁ ὅρκος·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• menἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
• verilyμένmen · on the other handG3303
• swearὄμνυμιomnuō · to swearG3660
• byκατάkata · according toG2596
• the greaterμέγαςmegas · greatG3173
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• an oathὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• an oathὅρκοςhorkos · oathG3727
• forεἰςeis · towardG1519
• confirmationβεβαίωσιςbebaiōsis · confirmationG951
• to themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• an endπέραςperas · endG4009
• ofἀντιλογίαantilogia · disputeG485
• allπᾶςpas · allG3956

Cross-references for Hebrews 6:16

• Hebrews 6:13God made a promise to Abraham. Since he had no one greater on whom to base his oath, he based it on himself.
• Genesis 14:22But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I now raise my hand and solemnly swear to the Lord God Most High, maker of heaven and earth,
• Genesis 21:23Now, swear an oath to me here in front of God that you will never cheat me, my children, or my descendants. Show me and the land where you’ve been living the same kindness that I have shown you.”
• Matthew 23:20To swear an oath by the altar is to swear by it and by everything on it.
• Genesis 21:30Abraham answered, “Accept these lambs from me so that they may be proof that I dug this well.”
• Genesis 31:53May the God of Abraham and Nahor—the God of their father—judge between us.” So Jacob swore this oath by the Fear of his father Isaac
• Exodus 22:11The case between them must be settled by swearing an oath to the Lord that the neighbor did not take the other person’s animal. The owner must accept the oath. The neighbor doesn’t have to make up for the loss.
• Joshua 9:15So Joshua made peace with them by making a treaty which allowed them to live. The leaders of the congregation swore to it with an oath.
• 2 Samuel 21:2(The Gibeonites were not a part of Israel but were left over from the Amorites. Although the Israelites had sworn ⌞to spare them⌟, Saul, in his eagerness, tried to destroy them for Israel and Judah.) The king called the Gibeonites
• Ezekiel 17:16“ ‘As I live, declares the Almighty Lord, the king of Judah will die in Babylonia. He will die in the country of the king who appointed him king of Judah. The king of Judah broke his promise and his treaty with the king of Babylon.

Commentaries on Hebrews 6:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16Men verily swear by the greater - One who has greater authority; who can take cognizance of the obligation, and punish the breach of it. An oath for confirmation - "This observation teaches us," says Dr. Macknight, "that both promissory oaths concerning things lawful and in our power, and oaths for the confirmation of things doubtful, when required by proper authority, and taken religiously, are allowable under the Gospel."Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16For men verily swear by the greater - That is, they appeal to God. They never swear by one who is inferior to themselves. The object of the apostle in this declaration is to show that as far as this could be done it had been by God. He could not indeed swear by one greater than himself, but he could make his promise as certain as an oath taken by people was when they solemnly appealed to him. He could appeal to his own existence and veracity, which was at…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. 16In human relationships, when people take an oath, it is considered binding. If oaths assure truth among humans, an oath from God should inspire even more confidence (Hebrews 6:17–19). someone greater than themselves: Compare with 6:13.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. for confirmation--not to be joined, as English Version, to "an oath"; but to "an end" [Alford]. I prefer, "The oath is to them, in respect to confirmation (of one's solemn promise or covenant; as here, God's), an end of all contradiction (so the Greek is translated, He 12:3), or "gainsaying." This passage shows: (1) an oath is sanctioned even in the Christian dispensation as lawful; (2) that the limits to its use are, that it only be employed where it…Read the comment

Topics related to Hebrews 6:16

• Contracts
• God
• Oath
• Righteous

In the dictionaries

• Afresh
• Anchor
• Counsel
• Covenant
• Crucify
• Enlighten
• Immutable
• Nigh
• Oath
• Persuade

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