Hebrews 5:11-14

The Need to Move on to Maturity

5:11 On this topic we have much to say ¹  and it is difficult to explain, since you have become sluggish ²  in hearing. 5:12 For though you should in fact be teachers by this time, ³  you need someone to teach you the beginning elements of God’s utterances. ⁴  You have gone back to needing ⁵  milk, not ⁶  solid food. 5:13 For everyone who lives on milk is inexperienced in the message of righteousness, because he is an infant. 5:14 But solid food is for the mature, whose perceptions are trained by practice to discern both good and evil.

[5:11]  ¹ tn Grk “concerning which the message for us is great.”

[5:11]  ² tn Or “dull.”

[5:12]  ³ tn Grk “because of the time.”

[5:12]  ⁴ tn Grk “the elements of the beginning of the oracles of God.”

[5:12]  ⁵ tn Grk “you have come to have a need for.”

[5:12]  ⁶ tc ‡ Most texts, including some early and important ones (א² A B* D Ψ 0122 0278 1881 Ï sy Cl), have καί (kai, “and”) immediately preceding οὐ (ou, “not”), but other equally significant witnesses (Ì⁴⁶ א* B² C 33 81 1739 lat Or Did) lack the conjunction. As it was a natural tendency for scribes to add a coordinating conjunction, the καί appears to be a motivated reading. On balance, it is probably best to regard the shorter reading as authentic. NA²⁷ has καί in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.