Hebrews 13:1-18

Final Exhortations

13:1 Brotherly love must continue. 13:2 Do not neglect hospitality, because through it some have entertained angels without knowing it. ¹  13:3 Remember those in prison as though you were in prison with them, ²  and those ill-treated as though you too felt their torment. ³  13:4 Marriage must be honored among all and the marriage bed kept undefiled, for God will judge sexually immoral people and adulterers. 13:5 Your conduct must be free from the love of money and you must be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you and I will never abandon you.” ⁴  13:6 So we can say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper, and ⁵  I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” ⁶  13:7 Remember your leaders, who spoke God’s message to you; reflect on the outcome of their lives and imitate their faith. 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever! 13:9 Do not be carried away by all sorts of strange teachings. ⁷  For it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not ritual meals, ⁸  which have never benefited those who participated in them. 13:10 We have an altar that those who serve in the tabernacle have no right to eat from. 13:11 For the bodies of those animals whose blood the high priest brings ⁹  into the sanctuary as an offering for sin are burned outside the camp. 13:12 Therefore, to sanctify the people by his own blood, Jesus also suffered outside the camp. 13:13 We must go out to him, then, outside the camp, bearing the abuse he experienced. ¹⁰  13:14 For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. 13:15 Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, acknowledging his name. 13:16 And do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, ¹¹  for God is pleased with such sacrifices.

13:17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls and will give an account for their work. ¹²  Let them do this ¹³  with joy and not with complaints, for this would be no advantage for you. 13:18 Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a clear conscience and desire to conduct ourselves rightly in every respect.

[13:2]  ¹ sn This is a vague allusion to people described in scripture and extra-biblical literature and may include Abraham and Sarah (Gen 18:2-15), Lot (Gen 19:1-14), Gideon (Judg 6:11-18), Manoah (Judg 13:3-22), and possibly Tobit (Tob 12:1-20).

[13:3]  ² tn Grk “as being imprisoned together.”

[13:3]  ³ tn Or “since you too are vulnerable”; Grk “you also being in the body.”

[13:5]  ⁴ sn A quotation from Deut 31:6, 8.

[13:6]  ⁵ tc Some important mss (א* C* P 0285^vid 33 1175 1739 pc lat) lack καί (kai), but because the omission conforms to the wording of Ps 118:6 (117:6 LXX), it is suspect.

[13:6]  ⁶ sn A quotation from Ps 118:6.

[13:9]  ⁷ tn Grk “by diverse and strange teachings.”

[13:9]  ⁸ tn Grk “foods,” referring to the meals associated with the OT sacrifices (see the contrast with the next verse; also 9:9-10; 10:1, 4, 11).

[13:11]  ⁹ tn Grk “whose blood is brought by the high priest.”

[13:13]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “his abuse.”

[13:16]  ¹¹ tn Grk “neglect doing good and fellowship.”

[13:17]  ¹² tn Or “as ones who will give an account”; Grk “as giving an account.”

[13:17]  ¹³ tn Grk “that they may do this.”