Hebrews 12 · Verse 13

Hebrews 12:13

And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.

Hebrews 12:13, King James Version

Hebrews 12:13 in other translations

BSB	Make straight paths for your feet, so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.
WEB	and make straight paths for your feet, so what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.
ASV	and make straight paths for your feet, that that which is lame be not turned out of the way, but rather be healed.
YLT	and straight paths make for your feet, that that which is lame may not be turned aside, but rather be healed;
DARBY	and make straight paths for your feet, that that which is lame be not turned aside; but that rather it may be healed.
BBE	And make straight roads for your feet, so that the feeble may not be turned out of the way, but may be made strong.
Webster	And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.

What does Hebrews 12:13 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

13. Quoted from Pr 4:26, Septuagint, "Make straight paths for thy feet." straight--that is, leading by a straight road to joy and grace (He 12:1, 2, 15). Cease to "halt" between Judaism and Christianity [Bengel]. paths--literally, "wheel tracks." Let your walk be so firm and so unanimous in the right direction that a plain track and "highway" may be thereby established for those who accompany and follow you, to perceive and walk in (Is 35:8) [Alford]. that which is lame--those "weak in the faith" (Ro 14:1), having still Judaizing prejudices. be turned out of the way--(Pr 4:27); and, so missing the way, lose the prize of "the race" (He 12:1). rather he healed--Proper exercise of itself contributes to health; the habit of walking straight onward in the right way tends to healing.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verse 13. And make straight paths for your feet. Marg., even. The word here used means, properly, straight, in the sense of upright, erect, Acts 14:10; but it is here used in the sense of straight horizontally, that is, level, plain, smooth. The meaning is, that they were to remove all obstacles out of the way, so that they need not stumble and fall. There is probably an allusion here to Prov 4:25-27, "Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left; remove thy foot from evil." The idea is, that by every proper means they were to make the way to heaven as plain and easy as possible. They were to allow no obstructions in the path over which the lame and feeble might fall.

Lest that which is lame be turned out of the way. A lame man needs a smooth path to walk in. The idea is here, that everything which would prevent those in the church who were in any danger of falling--the feeble, the unestablished, the weak--from walking in the path to heaven, or which might be an occasion to, them of falling, should be removed. Or it may mean, that in a road that was not level, those who were lame would be in danger of spraining, distorting, or wrenching a lame limb; and the counsel is, that whatever would have a tendency to this should be removed. Divested of the figure, the passage means, that everything should be removed which would hinder any one from walking in the path to life.

But let it rather be healed. As in the case of lameness, pains should be taken to heal it rather than to suffer it to be increased by careless exposure to a new sprain or fracture, so it should be in our religious and moral character. Whatever is defective we should endeavour to restore to Soundness, rather than to suffer the defect to be increased. Whatever is feeble in our faith or hope; whatever evil tendency there is in our hearts, we should endeavour to strengthen and amend, lest it should become worse, and we should entirely fall.

(1) "straight" "even" (b) "paths" Prov 4:26,27 (c) "Let it" Gal 6:1

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 13 Make straight paths for your feet - That is, Take the straight path that is before you, do not go in crooked or rough ways, where are stones, briers, and thorns, by which you will be inevitably lamed, and so totally prevented from proceeding in the way; whereas, if you go in the even, proper path, though you have been wounded by getting into a wrong way, that which was wounded will be healed by moderate, equal exercise, all impediments being removed. The application of all this to a correct, holy deportment in religious life, is both natural and easy.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Hebrews 12:12-17

A burden of affliction is apt to make the Christian's hands hang down, and his knees grow feeble, to dispirit him and discourage him; but against this he must strive, that he may better run his spiritual race and course. Faith and patience enable believers to follow peace and holiness, as a man follows his calling constantly, diligently, and with pleasure. Peace with men, of all sects and parties, will be favourable…

Read the full comment on Hebrews 12:12-17 →

Hebrews 12:13 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

καὶkaiandG2532

τροχιὰςtrochiaspathsG5163

ὀρθὰςorthasstraightG3717

ποιεῖτεpoieitedo makeG4160

τοῖςtoisfor theG3588

ποσὶνposinfeetG4228

ὑμῶν,humōnof you,G4771

ἵναinaso thatG2443

μὴmēnotG3361

τὸtotheG3588

χωλὸνchōlonlameG5560

ἐκτραπῇ,ektrapēamay be disabled,G1624

ἰαθῇiathēamay be healedG2390

δὲdehoweverG1161

μᾶλλον.mallonrather.G3123

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Hebrews 12:13

Proverbs 4:26-27
Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.
Galatians 6:1
Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
Isaiah 35:3
Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees.
Isaiah 35:6
Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.
Isaiah 40:3-4
The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:
Jude 1:22-23
And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.
James 5:16
Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
Luke 3:5
Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth;
Jeremiah 31:8-9
Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the coasts of the earth, and with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her that travaileth with child together: a great company shall return thither. They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.
Isaiah 42:16
And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.
Isaiah 35:8-10
And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein. No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there: And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
Jeremiah 18:15
Because my people hath forgotten me, they have burned incense to vanity, and they have caused them to stumble in their ways from the ancient paths, to walk in paths, in a way not cast up;

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

make.
Pr 4:26,27; Isa 35:3,8-10; 40:3,4; 42:16; 58:12; Jer 18:15; Lu 3:5
straight. or, even. lame.
Isa 35:6; Jer 31:8,9
but let.
Ga 6:1; Jude 1:22,23

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Hebrews 12:12
Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;
Hebrews 12:13
And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
Hebrews 12:14
Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

Read all of Hebrews 12

Hebrews 12:13 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Y haced derechos pasos á vuestros pies, porque lo que es cojo no salga fuera de camino, antes sea sanado.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	et faites des sentiers droits à vos pieds, afin que ce qui est boiteux ne se dévoie pas, mais plutôt se guérisse.
German Elberfelder 1871	und "machet gerade Bahn für eure Füße!", auf daß nicht das Lahme vom Wege abgewandt, sondern vielmehr geheilt werde.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	et gressus rectos facite pedibus vestris: ut non claudicans quis erret, magis autem sanetur.