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Hebrews 6:17

in Hebrews 6

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.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

Wherein God, being minded to show more abundantly unto the heirs of the promise the immutability of his counsel, interposed with an oath;

KJV

Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath:

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This verse in Hebrews 6

Commentary

5 notes on this verse
Wherein God - On account of which; or since an oath had this effect, God was willing to appeal to it in order to assure his people of salvation. Willing more abundantly - In the most abundant manner, or to make the case as sure as possible. It does not mean more abundantly than in the case of Abraham, but that he was willing to give the most ample assurance possible.

This site's exposition

an oath for confirmation

on Hebrews 6:16-18

Among men an oath ends all strife, and God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath, stooping to the courtroom's own instrument. The two immutable things are his word and his oath, in which it was impossible for God to lie, the letter's second impossible answering the first: renewal of the wilful apostate is impossible, and so is the failure of God's sworn promise. The consolation is for those who have fled for refuge, the manslayer's run to the refuge city behind the phrase, to lay hold upon the hope set before us.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

A commentator

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament (1755)

God interposed by an oath - Amazing condescension! He who is greatest of all acts as if he were a middle person; as if while he swears, he were less than himself, by whom he swears! Thou that hearest the promise, dost thou not yet believe?

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

Here observe, (1.) Who they are to whom God has given such full security of happiness. [1.] They are the heirs of the promise: such as have a title to the promises by inheritance, by virtue of their new birth, and union with Christ. We are all by nature children of wrath.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

Wherein--that is, Which being the case among men, God, in accommodation to their manner of confirming covenants, superadded to His sure word His oath: the "TWO immutable things" (Heb 6:18). willing . . . counsel--Greek, "willing . . . will"; words akin.

The words behind it

18 Greek words

Every Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

18 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

John 10:10The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come that they may have life, and have it in all its fullness.47 worksIsaiah 46:10I declare the end from the beginning, and ancient times from what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and all My good pleasure I will accomplish.’18 worksHebrews 6:18Thus 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.10 worksProverbs 19:21Many plans are in a man’s heart, but the purpose of the LORD will prevail.10 worksRomans 8:17And if we are children, then we are heirs: heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with Him, so that we may also be glorified with Him.10 worksIsaiah 55:11so My word that proceeds from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please, and it will prosper where I send it.9 works
The other 12 cross-references, with their words ▾
Ephesians 1:11In Him we were also chosen as God’s own, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything by the counsel of His will,9 worksIsaiah 14:24The LORD of Hosts has sworn: “Surely, as I have planned, so will it be; as I have purposed, so will it stand.8 worksPsalms 89:35Once and for all I have sworn by My holiness— I will not lie to David—8 worksPsalms 110:4The LORD has sworn and will not change His mind: “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”7 worksHebrews 11:9By faith he dwelt in the promised land as a stranger in a foreign country. He lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise.7 worksHebrews 10:36You need to persevere, so that after you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised.6 worksJohn 3:33Whoever accepts His testimony has certified that God is truthful.6 worksGenesis 26:3Stay in this land as a foreigner, and I will be with you and bless you. For I will give all these lands to you and your offspring, and I will confirm the oath that I swore to your father Abraham.6 worksPsalms 33:11The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the purposes of His heart to all generations.5 works2 Peter 1:11and you will receive a lavish reception into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.5 worksRomans 11:29For God’s gifts and His call are irrevocable.4 worksJames 1:17Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, with whom there is no change or shifting shadow.4 works

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Isaiah 55:11

    so My word that proceeds from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please, and it will prosper where I send it.

    it leads to

    • Isaiah 46:10

      I declare the end from the beginning, and ancient times from what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and all My good pleasure I will accomplish.’

      Reached by 2 separate paths from here.

    • Matthew 24:35

      Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.

    • Romans 10:17

      Consequently, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.

    • John 6:63

      The Spirit gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.

    • Isaiah 45:23

      By Myself I have sworn; truth has gone out from My mouth, a word that will not be revoked: Every knee will bow before Me, every tongue will swear allegiance.

  • Through

    Proverbs 19:21

    Many plans are in a man’s heart, but the purpose of the LORD will prevail.

    it leads to

    • Proverbs 16:9

      A man’s heart plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.

    • Isaiah 14:24

      The LORD of Hosts has sworn: “Surely, as I have planned, so will it be; as I have purposed, so will it stand.

    • Proverbs 16:1

      The plans of the heart belong to man, but the reply of the tongue is from the LORD.

Where this verse is studied

About Hebrews

Christ Presented to the People — Gustave Doré (engraving, public domain)
Christ Presented to the People — Gustave Doré (engraving, public domain)
Hebrews: the study guide →Read Hebrews 6 →

This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Owen, An Exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews; John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.

Read on in Hebrews 6 →