Hebrews 13:17

Obey your spiritual leaders; do what they tell you, since they are the ones who are looking out for your spiritual welfare [SYN]. Some day they will have to stand before God so that he can say if he approves of what they have done. Obey them in order that they can do the work of guarding you joyfully, and not have to do it sadly, because if you cause them to do it sadly, that will certainly not help you at all (OR, they will not be able to help you at all).

Translation for Translators

In The King James Version

Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.

In Context

16Be continually [LIT] doing good deeds for others, and be continually sharing with others the things you have, because doing things like that will also be as though you are offering sacrifices that will please God.

18Pray for me. I am certain that I have not done anything that displeases God. I have tried to act honorably toward you in every way.

Read all of Hebrews 13

Cross References

Exodus 32:31So Moses/I went back up the mountain and said to Yahweh, “I am sorry to admit that these people have committed a terrible sin. They have made for themselves a gold idol and have worshiped it.

1 Samuel 15:19So why did you not obey Yahweh [RHQ]? Why did your men take the best animals [RHQ]? Why did you do what Yahweh said was evil?” [RHQ]

Isaiah 62:6You people of Jerusalem, I have placed watchmen on your walls; they will [LIT] earnestly pray to Yahweh day and night. You watchmen, you must not stop praying and reminding Yahweh about what he has promised to do!

Ezekiel 3:17“You human, I am appointing you to be like a watchman [MET] for the Israeli people [MTY]. So listen to these messages that I will give you, and tell them those messages to warn them.

Ezekiel 33:7So, you human, I have appointed you to be a watchman for the Israeli people [MTY]. So always listen to what I say and warn the people for me.

Acts 20:24But I do not care even if people kill me, if first I am able to finish the work [MET] that the Lord Jesus has told me to do. He appointed me to tell people the good message that God saves us by doing for us what we do not deserve.

Matthew Henry on Hebrews 13:2-18

Various Duties. ( a. d. 62.) 1 Let brotherly love continue. 2 Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. 3 Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body. 4 Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. 5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee,… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Hebrews 13:17