Hebrews 6:13-18

6:13 Now when God made his promise to Abraham, since he could swear by no one greater, he swore by himself, 6:14 saying, “Surely I will bless you greatly and multiply your descendants abundantly.” ¹  6:15 And so by persevering, Abraham ²  inherited the promise. 6:16 For people ³  swear by something greater than themselves, ⁴  and the oath serves as a confirmation to end all dispute. ⁵  6:17 In the same way ⁶  God wanted to demonstrate more clearly to the heirs of the promise that his purpose was unchangeable, ⁷  and so he intervened with an oath, 6:18 so that we who have found refuge in him ⁸  may find strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us through two unchangeable things, since it is impossible for God to lie.

[6:14]  ¹ tn Grk “in blessing I will bless you and in multiplying I will multiply you,” the Greek form of a Hebrew idiom showing intensity.

[6:15]  ² tn Grk “he”; in the translation the referent (Abraham) has been specified for clarity.

[6:16]  ³ tn The plural Greek term ἄνθρωποι (anqrwpoi) is used here in a generic sense, referring to both men and women, and is thus translated “people.”

[6:16]  ⁴ tn Grk “by something greater”; the rest of the comparison (“than themselves”) is implied.

[6:16]  ⁵ tn Grk “the oath for confirmation is an end of all dispute.”

[6:17]  ⁶ tn Grk “in which.”

[6:17]  ⁷ tn Or “immutable” (here and in v. 18); Grk “the unchangeableness of his purpose.”

[6:18]  ⁸ tn Grk “have taken refuge”; the basis of that refuge is implied in the preceding verse.