Hebrews 13:22
in Hebrews 13I urge you, brothers, to bear with my word of exhortation, for I have only written to you briefly.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But I exhort you, brethren, bear with the word of exhortation: for I have written unto you in few words.
KJV
And I beseech you, brethren, suffer the word of exhortation: for I have written a letter unto you in few words.
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This verse in Hebrews 13
Commentary
12 notes on this verseDo you not see? He offers them what he offered to no one else. He does not say "persuasions," but "exhortations," that is, encouragements, reassurances toward endurance, since he was addressing his words to those who had been subjected to persecution. Despite the fact that …
This site's exposition
bear with my word of exhortation
on Hebrews 13:22-25
The writer calls the letter my word of exhortation, the phrase Acts 13:15 uses for a synagogue sermon. Timothy has been released, and a joint visit ties the writer to the circle of Paul. Those from Italy may mean the writer was in Italy or with Italians abroad.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
A commentator
Ephrem the SyrianCOMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS · Written before 373.
proposed
"I appeal to you, brethren, bear with my words of exhortation"—I wrote and proved that all those traditional customs on which you pride yourselves are only traces of this new gospel which was preached to you through Christ. "I have written to you briefly," in …
"And I beseech you, brethren, suffer the word of exhortation, for indeed I have written a letter unto you in few words." Seest thou that what he wrote to no one else, he writes to them? For (he means) I do not even trouble you with long discourse. And having written thus much, he said this was little, in comparison with what he was going to say. As he says also in another place, "As I wrote to you in few words: whereby when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ." (Eph. iii. 3, 4.) And observe his wisdom. He says not, "I beseech you, suffer the word of" admonition, but "the word of exhortation," that is, of consolation, of encouragement. No one, he means, can be wearied at the length of what has been said (Did this then make them turn away from him? By no means: he does not indeed wish to express this): that is, even if ye be of little spirit, for it is the peculiarity of such persons not to endure a long discourse.
"bear with the word of encouragement." Gladly accept the encouragement sent to you through the letters from me. Paul does not say, of counsel or exhortation, but, because of the tribulations in which they were, he speaks of encouragement, that is, of consolation, of the …
The Medieval Church1 voice
Then (v. 22) he adds a petition in which he excuses himself; then he concludes the epistle. In regard to the first he does three things: first, he gives his excuse; secondly, he recommends the messenger through whom he writes (v. 23); thirdly, he sends …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And I beseech you, brethren,.... The apostle closes his epistle to the Hebrews in a very tender and affectionate manner, calling them "brethren", as he often does; and speaking to them, not in an authoritative way, nor by way of advice, but by entreaty: the reason may be, because he was the apostle of the Gentiles, and because the Jews were not so well pleased with him, on account of his preaching down the ceremonies of the law; though such language is used by him in other epistles; he became all things to all, that he might gain some.
5 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Suffer the word of exhortation - Addressed to you in this letter, which, though longer than my usual letters, is yet contained in few words, considering the copiousness of the subject.
(1.) From himself to them, directed to all their ministers who had rule over them, and to all the saints; to them all, ministers and people. (2.) From the Christians in Italy to them. It is a good thing to have the law of holy love and kindness written in the hearts of Christians one towards another.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
suffer the word--The Hebrews not being the section of the Church assigned to Paul (but the Gentiles), he uses gentle entreaty, rather than authoritative command. few words--compared with what might be said on so important a subject. Few, in an Epistle which is more of a treatise than an Epistle (compare 1Pe 5:12).
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
Suffer the word of exhortation - Bear the word or doctrine of this exhortation.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Suffer the word of exhortation - Referring to the arguments and counsels in this whole Epistle, which is in fact a practical exhortation to perseverance in adhering to the Christian religion amidst all the temptations which existed to apostasy. For I have written a letter unto you in few words - This does not mean that this Epistle is short compared with the others that the author had written, for most of the Epistles of Paul are shorter than this. But it means, that it was brief compared with the importance and difficulty of the subjects of which he had treated. The topics introduced would have allowed a much more extended discussion; but in handling them he had made use of as few words as possible. No one can deny this who considers the sententious manner of this Epistle. As an illustration of this, perhaps we may remark that it is easy to expand the thoughts of this Epistle into ample volumes of exposition, and that in fact it is difficult to give an explanation of it without a commentary that shall greatly surpass in extent the text. None can doubt, also, that the author of this Epistle could have himself greatly expanded the thoughts and the Illustrations if he had chosen. It is with reference to such considerations, probably, that he says that the Epistle was brief.
The words behind it
15 Greek wordsEvery 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.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Παρακαλῶ | parakalo | I exhort | G3870 → | 108 times |
| δὲ | de | now | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ὑμᾶς, | humas | you, | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| ἀδελφοί, | adelphoi | brothers, | G80 → | 343 times |
| ἀνέχεσθε | anechesthe | do bear with | G430 → | |
| τοῦ | tou | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| λόγου | logou | word | G3056 → | 329 times |
| τῆς | tes | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| παρακλήσεως· | parakleseos | of exhortation; | G3874 → | 29 times |
| καὶ | kai | only | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| γὰρ | gar | for | G1063 → | 1039 times |
| διὰ | dia | in | G1223 → | 664 times |
| βραχέων | bracheon | few words | G1024 → | 7 times |
| ἐπέστειλα | epesteila | I have written | G1989 → | |
| ὑμῖν.¶ | humin | to you. | G4771 → | 2973 times |
ΠαρακαλῶI exhort
parakaloG3870 →108 times
δὲnow
deG1161 →2765 times
ὑμᾶς,you,
humasG4771 →2973 times
ἀδελφοί,brothers,
adelphoiG80 →343 times
ἀνέχεσθεdo bear with
anechestheG430 →
τοῦthe
touG3588 →19766 times
λόγουword
logouG3056 →329 times
τῆς<the>
tesG3588 →19766 times
παρακλήσεως·of exhortation;
parakleseosG3874 →29 times
καὶonly
kaiG2532 →9120 times
γὰρfor
garG1063 →1039 times
διὰin
diaG1223 →664 times
βραχέωνfew words
bracheonG1024 →7 times
ἐπέστειλαI have written
epesteilaG1989 →
ὑμῖν.¶to you.
huminG4771 →2973 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach 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
Hebrews 3:1Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, set your focus on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess.
it leads to
- Philippians 3:14
I press on toward the goal to win the prize of God’s heavenly calling in Christ Jesus.
- 2 Timothy 1:9
He has saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works, but by His own purpose and by the grace He granted us in Christ Jesus before time began.
- Hebrews 4:14–15
Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we profess.
- 1 Peter 2:9
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
- Ephesians 4:1
As a prisoner in the Lord, then, I urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling you have received:
- Philippians 3:14
Through
2 Corinthians 6:1As God’s fellow workers, then, we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain.
it leads to
- Hebrews 12:15
See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God, and that no root of bitterness springs up to cause trouble and defile many.
- 1 Corinthians 3:9
For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.
- 1 Peter 4:10
As good stewards of the manifold grace of God, each of you should use whatever gift he has received to serve one another.
- Hebrews 12:15
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies30
- Azazel and the Scapegoat
- The General Epistles
- Contentment
- You Shall Not Covet
- Be Strong and Courageous
- The Fall Feasts
Show the next 6 titles
- Barnabas, a Good Man
- Enter His Gates with Thanksgiving
- Now Thank We All Our God
- Hospitality
- Entertaining Angels Unaware
- See How They Love One Another
Show the next 6 titles
About Hebrews
This page draws on 12 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ephrem the Syrian, COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Hebrews 34; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, The Pseudo-Oecumenian Catena on Hebrews; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Hebrews and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Hebrews.