Hebrews 5:13

Remember that those who are still learning these elementary truths [MET] have not become familiar with what God says concerning becoming/being righteous. They are just like [MET] babies who need milk!

Translation for Translators

In The King James Version

For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.

In Context

12You became Christians long ago. So by now you should be teaching spiritual truths to others. But you still need someone to teach you again the truths that God has revealed. I am talking about the truths that we teach people when they first believe in Christ. You need those elementary truths like babies need milk [MET]. You are not ready for advanced teaching, which is like the solid food which mature people need [MET].

14But the more advanced spiritual truth is for people who are spiritually mature, just like [MET] solid food is for people who are physically mature. They can tell the difference between what is good and what is evil, because they have trained themselves to keep doing that.

Read all of Hebrews 5

Cross References

Isaiah 28:9They ridicule Yahweh saying, “Who does he think that he is teaching? Why is he talking to us like this? Does he think that we are little children who have recently been weaned?

Mark 10:15Note this: Those who do not trustingly allow God to direct their lives, as children do, will not enter the place where God rules.”

Romans 2:20You are certain that you can instruct/correct non-Jews, whom you consider foolish because of their not understanding God’s message. Because you have in God’s laws a written expression of true knowledge [HEN], you are certain that you can teach people who, being like children, do not know God’s truth [MET].

1 Corinthians 3:1My fellow believers, when I was with you previously, I was not able to teach you as I would teach people who are controlled by the Holy Spirit { whom the Holy Spirit controls}. Instead, I had to teach you as I would teach people whom their self-directed nature controls. I taught very simple concepts to you who had recently believed in Christ, as a parent would speak very simple words to a baby.

1 Corinthians 14:20My fellow believers, stop being like little children in the way that you think about these abilities that God’s Spirit gives. Instead, think about them in a mature way. If you really want to be like little children, do as few wicked things as babies do!

Ephesians 4:14Then we will no longer be spiritually immature, like [MET] little children are immature. We will no longer be constantly changing what we believe, like [MET] waves of the sea are constantly changing as the wind blows and tosses them back and forth. We will not allow people who teach what is false and who scheme to deceive/influence us.

Matthew Henry on Hebrews 5:11-14

The Priesthood of Christ. ( a. d. 62.) 10 Called of God a high priest after the order of Melchisedec. 11 Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. 12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. 13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. 14 But strong meat… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

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