Hebrews 13:4

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

2Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers—for in doing so, some have entertained angels without knowing it. 3Remember the prisoners as if you were fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you also were suffering bodily. Let marriage be held in honor among all and the marriage bed kept undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers. 5Keep your lifestyle free from the love of money, and be content with what you have. For God Himself has said, “I will never leave you or forsake you,” 6so that with confidence we say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What will man do to me?”

Hebrews 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 1:27God created humankind in His image, in the image of God He created him, male and female He created them.
• Genesis 2:21Adonai Elohim caused a deep sleep to fall on the man and he slept; and He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh in its place.
• Leviticus 21:13“He shall take a wife in her virginity.
• 2 Kings 22:14So Hilkiah the kohen, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan and Asaiah went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe—she was living in the Second Quarter of Jerusalem—and spoke with her.
• Proverbs 5:15Drink water from your own cistern and running water from your own well.
• Isaiah 8:3Then I went to the prophetess; and she conceived and bore a son. Then Adonai said to me: “Call his name Maher-shalal-hashbaz.
• 1 Corinthians 7:2But because of much immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband.
• 1 Corinthians 9:5Don’t we have the right to take along a believing wife, as do the other emissaries and the Lord’s brothers and Kefa?
• 1 Timothy 3:2An overseer, then, must be beyond criticism—the husband of one wife, clear-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,
• 1 Timothy 5:14Therefore, I want the younger widows to get married, have children, manage a household, and give no opportunity to the enemy for slander.
• Hebrews 12:16Also see to it that there is no immoral or godless person—like Esau, who sold his birthright for one meal.
• 1 Corinthians 6:9Or don’t you know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Don’t be deceived! The sexually immoral, idolaters, adulterers, those who practice homosexuality,
• Galatians 5:19Now the deeds of the flesh are clear: sexual immorality, impurity, indecency,
• Ephesians 5:5Know for certain that no immoral, indecent, or greedy person—who is really an idol worshipper at heart—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Messiah and God.
• Colossians 3:5Therefore, put to death what is earthly in you—sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and greed—for that is idolatry.
• Revelation 22:15Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the sexually immoral and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

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

• Adultery
• Marriage

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Altar
• Bed
• Continuing
• Entertain
• Forgetful
• Marriage
• Meat
• Restore

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