Hebrews 13:4
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Marriage should be honored by all and the marriage bed kept undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
is, &c.--Translate, "Let marriage be treated as honorable": as Heb 13:5 also is an exhortation. in all--"in the case of all men": "among all." "To avoid fornication let EVERY MAN have his own wife" (Co1 7:2). Judaism and Gnosticism combined were soon about to throw discredit on marriage. The venerable Paphnutius, in the Council of Nice, quoted this verse for the justification of the married state. If one does not himself marry, he should not prevent others from doing so. Others, especially Romanists, translate, "in all things," as in Heb 13:18. But the warning being against lasciviousness, the contrast to "whoremongers and adulterers" in the parallel clause, requires the "in all" in this clause to refer to persons. the bed undefiled--Translate, as Greek requires "undefiled" to be a predicate, not an epithet, "And let the bed be undefiled." God will judge--Most whoremongers escape the notice of human tribunals; but God takes particular cognizance of those whom man does not punish. Gay immoralities will then be regarded in a very different light from what they are now.
Open source ↗The apostle, having treated largely of Christ, and faith, and free grace, and gospel privileges, and warned the Hebrews against apostasy, now, in the close of all, recommends several excellent duties to them, as the proper fruits of faith (v. 1-17); he then bespeaks their prayers for him, and offers up his prayers to God for them, gives them some hope of seeing himself and Timothy, and ends with the general salutation and benediction (Heb 13:18 to the end).
Open source ↗13:4 Give honor to marriage means to protect it and hold it as highly valuable. • Immoral refers to all sexually illicit behavior. • Adultery breaks the marriage vow by engaging in sexual activity outside the marriage relationship.
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
Other passages the community most often connects to this one. Tap to read.
For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.
The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery;
and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who submit to or perform homosexual acts,
God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked man from among you.”
For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure, or greedy person (that is, an idolater), has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
An overseer must manage his own household well and keep his children under control, with complete dignity.
“Then I will draw near to you for judgment. And I will be a swift witness against sorcerers and adulterers and perjurers, against oppressors of the widowed and fatherless, and against those who defraud laborers of their wages and deny justice to the foreigner but do not fear Me,” says the LORD of Hosts.
So then, he who marries the virgin does well, but he who does not marry her does even better.
So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep, and while he slept, He took one of the man’s ribs and closed up the area with flesh.