Hebrews 6:16
14 saying, “I will surely bless you and multiply your descendants.”
15 And so Abraham, after waiting patiently, obtained the promise.
Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and their oath serves as a confirmation to end all argument.
17 So when God wanted to make the unchanging nature of His purpose very clear to the heirs of the promise, He guaranteed it with an oath.
18 Thus by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be strongly encouraged.
Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and their oath serves as a confirmation to end all argument.
- KJV
- For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife.
- WEB
- For men indeed swear by a greater one, and in every dispute of theirs the oath is final for confirmation.
- ASV
- For men swear by the greater: and in every dispute of theirs the oath is final for confirmation.
- DARBY
- For men indeed swear by a greater, and with them the oath is a term to all dispute, as making matters sure.
- BLB
- For men swear by the greater, and of all their disputes, an end for confirmation [is] the oath,
- ÅB
- For mennesker sverger jo ved den større, og eden er dem en ende på all motsigelse, til stadfestelse.
- OTB
- Mennesker sverger ved noen større enn seg selv, og eden fungerer som en bekreftelse for å avslutte alle tvister.
- B1930
- For mennesker sverger jo ved den større, og eden er dem en ende på all motsigelse, til stadfestelse.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Exodus 22:11
an oath before the LORD shall be made between the parties to determine whether or not the man has taken his neighbor’s property. The owner must accept the oath and require no restitution.
Read in contextHebrews 6:13
When God made His promise to Abraham, since He had no one greater to swear by, He swore by Himself,
Read in contextGenesis 21:30–31
He replied, “You are to accept the seven ewe lambs from my hand as my witness that I dug this well.”
Read in contextJoshua 9:15–20
And Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the congregation swore an oath to them.
Read in contextGenesis 31:53
May the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us.” So Jacob swore by the Fear of his father Isaac.
Read in contextGenesis 14:22
But Abram replied to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand to the LORD God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth,
Read in contextEzekiel 17:16–20
‘As surely as I live,’ declares the Lord GOD, ‘he will die in Babylon, in the land of the king who enthroned him, whose oath he despised and whose covenant he broke.
Read in contextGenesis 21:23
Now, therefore, swear to me here before God that you will not deal falsely with me or my children or descendants. Show to me and to the country in which you reside the same kindness that I have shown to you.”
Read in context