Hebrews 6:17

Hebrews 6:17 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath:
• New International Version (NIV)Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath.
• English Standard Version (ESV)So 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,
• New Living Translation (NLT)God also bound himself with an oath, so that those who received the promise could be perfectly sure that he would never change his mind.

Context of Hebrews 6:17

15And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. 16For men indeed swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is for them an end of all dispute. Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, 18that 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. 19This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil,

Hebrews 6:17 word by word

ἐν ᾧ περισσότερον βουλόμενος ὁ θεὸς ἐπιδεῖξαι τοῖς κληρονόμοις τῆς ἐπαγγελίας τὸ ἀμετάθετον τῆς βουλῆς αὐτοῦ ἐμεσίτευσεν ὅρκῳ,Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Whereinἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• Whereinὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• Godὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• willingβούλομαιboulomai · to planG1014
• more abundantlyπερισσόςperissos · excessiveG4053
• to shewἐπιδείκνυμιepideiknumi · to show/proveG1925
• unto the heirsκληρονόμοςklēronomos · heirG2818
• of promiseἐπαγγελίαepaggelia · promiseG1860
• the immutabilityἀμετάθετοςametathetos · unchangeableG276
• of hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• counselβουλήboulē · planG1012
• confirmedμεσιτεύωmesiteuō · to guaranteeG3315
• by an oathὅρκοςhorkos · oathG3727

Cross-references for Hebrews 6:17

• Psalms 36:8They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house, And You give them drink from the river of Your pleasures.
• Isaiah 55:7Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the Lord, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.
• John 10:10The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
• 1 Peter 1:3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
• Hebrews 6:12that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
• Hebrews 11:7By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.
• Romans 8:17and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.
• Galatians 3:29And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
• James 2:5Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?
• 1 Peter 3:7Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.
• Hebrews 6:18that 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.
• Job 23:13“But He is unique, and who can make Him change? And whatever His soul desires, that He does.
• Psalms 33:11The counsel of the Lord stands forever, The plans of His heart to all generations.
• Proverbs 19:21There are many plans in a man’s heart, Nevertheless the Lord’s counsel—that will stand.
• Isaiah 14:24The Lord of hosts has sworn, saying, “Surely, as I have thought, so it shall come to pass, And as I have purposed, so it shall stand:
• Isaiah 46:10Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure,’

Commentaries on Hebrews 6:17

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17The heirs of promise - All the believing posterity of Abraham, and the nations of the earth or Gentiles in general. The immutability of his counsel - His unchangeable purpose, to call the Gentiles to salvation by Jesus Christ; to justify every penitent by faith; to accept faith in Christ for justification in place of personal righteousness; and finally to bring every persevering believer, whether Jew or Gentile, to eternal glory.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17Wherein God - On account of which; or since an oath had this effect, God was willing to appeal to it in order to assure his people of salvation. Willing more abundantly - In the most abundant manner, or to make the case as sure as possible. It does not mean more abundantly than in the case of Abraham, but that he was willing to give the most ample assurance possible. Coverdale renders it correctly, “very abundantly.” The heirs of promise - The heirs to…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. 1717. Wherein--that is, Which being the case among men, God, in accommodation to their manner of confirming covenants, superadded to His sure word His oath: the "TWO immutable things" (He 6:18). willing ... counsel--Greek, "willing ... will"; words akin. Expressing the utmost benignity [Bengel]. more abundantly--than had He not sworn. His word would have been amply enough; but, to make assurance doubly sure, He "interposed with an oath" (so the Greek)…Read the comment

Topics related to Hebrews 6:17

• Condescension of God
• Contracts
• Covenant
• God
• God Continued...
• Oath
• Perseverance
• Righteous
• Salvation

In the dictionaries

• God
• Afresh
• Anchor
• Counsel
• Covenant
• Crucify
• Enlighten
• Ephesians, Epistle to
• Heir
• Immutable

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