Hebrews 13:16-21

Context
13:16 And do not neglect to do good and to share what you have,¹ 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.² Let them do this³ 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. 13:19 I especially ask you to pray⁴ that I may be restored to you very soon.

Benediction and Conclusion

13:20 Now may the God of peace who by the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead the great shepherd of the sheep, our Lord Jesus Christ, 13:21 equip you with every good thing to do his will, working in us⁵ what is pleasing before him through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever.⁶ Amen.

[13:16] ¹tn Grk “neglect doing good and fellowship.”

[13:17] ²tn Or “as ones who will give an account”; Grk “as giving an account.”

[13:17] ³tn Grk “that they may do this.”

[13:19] ³tn Grk “I urge you to do this all the more.”

[13:21] ⁴tc Some mss (C P Ψ 6 629* 630 1505 pm latt sy^h) read ὑμῖν (Jumin, “in you”) here, but ἡμῖν (Jhmin) has stronger external support (Ì⁴⁶ א A D^vid K 0243 0285 33 81 104 326 365 629^c 1175 1739 1881 pm sy^p co). It is also more likely that ἡμῖν would have been changed to ὑμῖν in light of the “you” which occurs at the beginning of the verse than vice versa.

[13:21] ⁵tc ‡ Most mss (א A [C*] 0243 0285 33 1739 1881 Ï latt) include the words “and ever” here, but the shorter reading (supported by Ì⁴⁶ C³ D Ψ 6 104 365 1505 al) is preferred on internal grounds. It seemed more likely that scribes would assimilate the wording to the common NT doxological expression “for ever and ever,” found especially in the Apocalypse (cf., e.g., 1 Tim 1:17; 2 Tim 4:18; Rev 4:9; 22:5) than to the “forever” of Heb 13:8. Nevertheless, a decision is difficult here. NA²⁷ places the phrase in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.