Hebrews 9:17

Hebrews 9:17 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.
• New International Version (NIV)because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For a will takes effect only at death, since it is not in force as long as the one who made it is alive.
• New King James Version (NKJV)For a testament is in force after men are dead, since it has no power at all while the testator lives.

Context of Hebrews 9:17

15And so he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the eternal inheritance he has promised, since he died to set them free from the violations committed under the first covenant. 16For where there is a will, the death of the one who made it must be proven. For a will takes effect only at death, since it carries no force while the one who made it is alive. 18So even the first covenant was inaugurated with blood. 19For when Moses had spoken every command to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and goats with water and scarlet wool and hyssop and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people,

Hebrews 9:17 word by word

διαθήκη γὰρ ἐπὶ νεκροῖς βεβαία, ἐπεὶ μήποτε ἰσχύει ὅτε ζῇ ὁ διαθέμενος.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• a testamentδιαθήκηdiathēkē · covenantG1242
• of forceβέβαιοςbebaios · firmG949
• afterἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
• men are deadνεκρόςnekros · deadG3498
• otherwiseἐπείepei · sinceG1893
• it is ofἰσχύωischuō · be strongG2480
• noμήποτεmēpote mē pote · lestG3379
• whileὅτεhote ho te hē te tō te · whenG3753
• the testatorδιατίθημιdiatithemai · to make a covenantG1303
• livethζάωzaō · to liveG2198
• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588

Cross-references for Hebrews 9:17

• Genesis 48:21Then Israel said to Joseph, “I am about to die, but God will be with you and will bring you back to the land of your fathers.
• John 14:27“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; I do not give it to you as the world does. Do not let your hearts be distressed or lacking in courage.
• Galatians 3:15Brothers and sisters, I offer an example from everyday life: When a covenant has been ratified, even though it is only a human contract, no one can set it aside or add anything to it.

Commentaries on Hebrews 9:17

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17For a testament - Such an arrangement as God enters into with man; see the remarks on Hebrews 9:16. Is of force - Is ratified, or confirmed - in the same way as a deed or compact is confirmed by affixing a seal. After men are dead - ̓̀ ͂ epi nekrois“Over the dead.” That is, in accordance with the view given above, after the animal is dead; or over the body of the animal slain for sacrifice, and to confirm the covenant. “For a covenant is completed or…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-22Verses 15-22 The solemn transactions between God and man, are sometimes called a covenant, here a testament, which is a willing deed of a person, bestowing legacies on such persons as are described, and it only takes effect upon his death. Thus Christ died, not only to obtain the blessings of salvation for us, but to give power to the disposal of them. All, by sin, were become guilty before God, had forfeited every thing that is good; but God, willing to…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16-22The author explains a basic rule about wills or covenants (Hebrews 9:16–17). He then discusses it further, using the start of the first covenant as an example (9:18–22).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1717. after--literally, "over," as we say "upon the death of the testators"; not as Tholuck, "on the condition that slain sacrifices be there," which the Greek hardly sanctions. otherwise--"seeing that it is never availing" [Alford]. Bengel and Lachmann read with an interrogation, "Since, is it ever in force (surely not) while the testator liveth?"Read the comment

Topics related to Hebrews 9:17

• Blood
• Inheritance
• Jesus, the Christ
• Law
• Testament
• Will

In the dictionaries

• Altar
• Bear
• Force
• High priest
• Ordinance
• Remission
• Sanctuary
• Stand
• Tabernacle
• Washing

Commentaries on Hebrews 9

• 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
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• 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