Hebrews 6:17
New International Version
Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath.

New Living Translation
God also bound himself with an oath, so that those who received the promise could be perfectly sure that he would never change his mind.

English Standard Version
So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath,

Berean Standard Bible
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.

Berean Literal Bible
in which God, desiring to show more abundantly the unchangeableness of His purpose to the heirs of the promise, guaranteed it by an oath,

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

New King James Version
Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath,

New American Standard Bible
In the same way God, desiring even more to demonstrate to the heirs of the promise the fact that His purpose is unchangeable, confirmed it with an oath,

NASB 1995
In the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath,

NASB 1977
In the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath,

Legacy Standard Bible
In the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, guaranteed it with an oath,

Amplified Bible
In the same way God, in His desire to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable nature of His purpose, intervened and guaranteed it with an oath,

Christian Standard Bible
Because God wanted to show his unchangeable purpose even more clearly to the heirs of the promise, he guaranteed it with an oath,

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Because God wanted to show His unchangeable purpose even more clearly to the heirs of the promise, He guaranteed it with an oath,

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

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Because of this, God was all the more willing to show the heirs of The Promise that his Promise would not change, and he bound it with an oath,

Contemporary English Version
So when God wanted to prove for certain his promise to his people could not be broken, he made a vow.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Wherein God, meaning more abundantly to shew to the heirs of the promise the immutability of his counsel, interposed an oath:

English Revised Version
Wherein God, being minded to shew more abundantly unto the heirs of the promise the immutability of his counsel, interposed with an oath:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
God wouldn't change his plan. He wanted to make this perfectly clear to those who would receive his promise, so he took an oath.

Good News Translation
To those who were to receive what he promised, God wanted to make it very clear that he would never change his purpose; so he added his vow to the promise.

International Standard Version
In the same way, when God wanted to make the unchangeable character of his purpose perfectly clear to the heirs of his promise, he guaranteed it with an oath,

Literal Standard Version
in which God, more abundantly willing to show to the heirs of the promise the immutability of His counsel, interposed by an oath,

Majority Standard Bible
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.

New American Bible
So when God wanted to give the heirs of his promise an even clearer demonstration of the immutability of his purpose, he intervened with an oath,

NET Bible
In the same way God wanted to demonstrate more clearly to the heirs of the promise that his purpose was unchangeable, and so he intervened with an oath,

New Revised Standard Version
In the same way, when God desired to show even more clearly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it by an oath,

New Heart English Bible
In this way God, being determined to show more abundantly to the heirs of the promise the immutability of his counsel, interposed with an oath;

Webster's Bible Translation
Wherein God, willing more abundantly to show to the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath:

Weymouth New Testament
In the same way, since it was God's desire to display more convincingly to the heirs of the promise how unchangeable His purpose was,

World English Bible
In this way God, being determined to show more abundantly to the heirs of the promise the immutability of his counsel, interposed with an oath,

Young's Literal Translation
in which God, more abundantly willing to shew to the heirs of the promise the immutability of his counsel, did interpose by an oath,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
God's Unchangeable Promise
16Men 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. 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.…

Cross References
Psalm 110:4
The LORD has sworn and will not change His mind: "You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek."

Proverbs 19:21
Many plans are in a man's heart, but the purpose of the LORD will prevail.

Ephesians 1:11
In 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,

Hebrews 6:18
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.

Hebrews 11:9
By 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.


Treasury of Scripture

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

more.

Psalm 36:8
They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures.

Song of Solomon 5:1
I am come into my garden, my sister, my spouse: I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk: eat, O friends; drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved.

Isaiah 55:7
Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

the heirs.

Hebrews 6:12
That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Hebrews 11:7,9
By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith…

Romans 8:17
And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

the immutability.

Hebrews 6:18
That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:

Job 23:13,14
But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? and what his soul desireth, even that he doeth…

Psalm 33:11
The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.

confirmed it.

Hebrews 6:16
For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife.

Genesis 26:28
And they said, We saw certainly that the LORD was with thee: and we said, Let there be now an oath betwixt us, even betwixt us and thee, and let us make a covenant with thee;

Exodus 22:11
Then shall an oath of the LORD be between them both, that he hath not put his hand unto his neighbour's goods; and the owner of it shall accept thereof, and he shall not make it good.

Jump to Previous
Abundantly Character Clear Confirmed Counsel Desire Desired Desiring Determined Display Fixed God's Heirs Heritage Interpose Interposed Intervened Minded Nature Oath Promise Purpose Shew Show Specially Unchangeable Unchanging Wanted Way Wherein Willing Word
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Abundantly Character Clear Confirmed Counsel Desire Desired Desiring Determined Display Fixed God's Heirs Heritage Interpose Interposed Intervened Minded Nature Oath Promise Purpose Shew Show Specially Unchangeable Unchanging Wanted Way Wherein Willing Word
Hebrews 6
1. He exhorts not to fall back from the faith;
11. but to be steadfast,
12. diligent, and patient to wait upon God;
13. because God is most sure in his promise.














(17) Wherein.--Since this is the case.

Of promise.--Rather, of the promise. The promise made to Abraham was substantially and really (see Hebrews 6:13) that which embraced all Messianic hope; of this promise not Abraham's sons only, but all "they which are of faith" (Galatians 3:7; Galatians 3:29), Abraham's spiritual seed, are the heirs. In an Epistle so distinctly Pauline there can be no doubt as to this interpretation.

Confirmed it by an oath.--Literally, mediated with an oath. When a man confirms a promise or declaration to another by solemn appeal to God, between the two God is Mediator. Condescending to man's weakness, that the certainty may be "more abundant," God. thus confirms His word, at once the Promiser and the Mediator: God the Promiser (if we may so speak) makes appeal to God the Hearer and Witness of the oath. We cannot doubt, as we read this whole passage, that there is a special reason for the emphasis thus laid on God's oath to Abraham. The writer dwells on this confirmation of the divine word of promise, not merely because it is the first recorded in sacred history, but because he has in thought the declaration of Psalm 110:4. To this as yet he makes no reference; though he has quoted from the verse repeatedly, it has been without mention of the divine oath: but throughout the section before us he is preparing the way for his later argument in Hebrews 7:21. . . .

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
So when
(hō)
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Dative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3739: Who, which, what, that.

God
Θεὸς (Theos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2316: A deity, especially the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very.

wanted
βουλόμενος (boulomenos)
Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 1014: To will, intend, desire, wish. Middle voice of a primary verb; to 'will, ' i.e. be willing.

to make
ἐπιδεῖξαι (epideixai)
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active
Strong's 1925: To show, display, point out, indicate; I prove, demonstrate. From epi and deiknuo; to exhibit.

the
τὸ (to)
Article - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

unchanging nature
ἀμετάθετον (ametatheton)
Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 276: Unchanged, unchangeable. Unchangeable, or unchangeability.

of
τῆς (tēs)
Article - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

His
αὐτοῦ (autou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

purpose
βουλῆς (boulēs)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 1012: Counsel, deliberate wisdom, decree. From boulomai; volition, i.e. advice, or purpose.

very clear
περισσότερον (perissoteron)
Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular - Comparative
Strong's 4053: From peri; superabundant or superior; by implication, excessive; adverbially violently; neuter preeminence.

to the
τοῖς (tois)
Article - Dative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

heirs
κληρονόμοις (klēronomois)
Noun - Dative Masculine Plural
Strong's 2818: From kleros and the base of nomos (reflexively) getting by apportionment); a sharer by lot, i.e. Inheritor; by implication, a possessor.

of the
τῆς (tēs)
Article - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

promise,
ἐπαγγελίας (epangelias)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 1860: A promise. From epaggello; an announcement.

He guaranteed [it]
ἐμεσίτευσεν (emesiteusen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 3315: To mediate, interpose, give bail. From mesites; to interpose, i.e to ratify.

with an oath.
ὅρκῳ (horkō)
Noun - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3727: An oath. From herkos; a limit, i.e. restraint.


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NT Letters: Hebrews 6:17 In this way God being determined (Heb. He. Hb)
Hebrews 6:16
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