Hebrews 13 · Verse 15

Hebrews 13:15

By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
Hebrews 13:15, King James Version

Hebrews 13:15 in other translations

BSBThrough Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise, the fruit of lips that confess His name.
WEBThrough him, then, let’s offer up a sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of lips which proclaim allegiance to his name.
ASVThrough him then let us offer up a sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of lips which make confession to his name.
YLTthrough him, then, we may offer up a sacrifice of praise always to God, that is, the fruit of lips, giving thanks to His name;
DARBYBy him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise continually to God, that is, the fruit of the lips confessing his name.
BBELet us then make offerings of praise to God at all times through him, that is to say, the fruit of lips giving witness to his name.
WebsterBy him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name.

What does Hebrews 13:15 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
15. As the "altar" was mentioned in He 13:10, so the "sacrifices" here (compare 1Pe 2:5, namely, praise and doing good, He 13:16). Compare Psa 119:108; Ro 12:1. By him--as the Mediator of our prayers and praises (Joh 14:13, 14); not by Jewish observances (Psa 50:14, 23; 69:30, 31; 107:22; 116:17). It was an old saying of the rabbis, "At a future time all sacrifices shall cease, but praises shall not cease." of praise--for salvation. continually--not merely at fixed seasons, as those on which the legal sacrifices were offered, but throughout all our lives. fruit of our lips--(Is 57:19; Ho 14:2). giving thanks--Greek, "confessing." Bengel remarks that the Hebrew, "todah," is beautifully emphatic. It literally means "acknowledgment" or "confession." In praising a creature, we may easily exceed the truth; but in praising God we have only to go on confessing what He really is to us. Hence it is impossible to exceed the truth, and here is genuine praise.

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 15. By him therefore. The Jews approached God by the blood of the sacrifice, and by the ministry of their high priest. The exhortation of the apostle here is founded on the general course of argument in the epistle. "In view of all the considerations presented respecting the Christian High Priest--his dignity, purity, and love, his sacrifice and his intercession--let us persevere in offering through him praise to God." That is, let us persevere in adherence to our religion.

The sacrifice of praise. For all the mercies of redemption. The Jews, says Rosenmuller, (Alte u. neue Morgenland, in loc.,) had a species of offerings which they called peace--offerings, or friendship-offerings. They were designed not to produce peace or friendship with God, but to preserve it. Burnt-offerings, sin-offerings, and trespass-offerings, were all on account of transgression, and were designed to remove transgression. But in their peace-offerings, the offerer was regarded as one who stood in the relation of a friend with God, and the oblation was a sign of thankful acknowledgment for favours received; or they were connected with vows in order that further blessings might be obtained; or they were brought voluntarily as a means to continue themselves in the friendship and favour of God, Lev 7:11,12. Comp. Jenning's Jew. Ant. i. 335.

That is, the fruit of our lips. The phrase, "fruit of the lips," is a Hebraism, meaning what the lips produce; that is, words. Comp. Prov 18:20, Hoss 14:2.

Giving thanks to his name. To God; the name of one being often put for the person himself. Praise now is one of the great duties of the redeemed. It Will be their employment for ever.

(e) "him" Eph 5:29 (f) Hoss 14:2 (1) "giving thanks to his name" "make expiation for"

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise - He has now fulfilled all vision and prophecy, has offered the last bloody sacrifice which God will ever accept; and as he is the gift of God's love to the world, let us through him offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, this being the substitute for all the Levitical sacrifices. The Jews allowed that, in the time of the Messiah, all sacrifices, except the sacrifice of praise, should cease. To this maxim the apostle appears to allude; and, understood in this way, his words are much more forcible. In Vayikra Rabba, sect. 9, fol. 153, and Rabbi Tanchum, fol. 55: "Rabbi Phineas, Rabbi Levi, and Rabbi Jochanan, from the authority of Rabbi Menachem of Galilee, said, In the time of the Messiah all sacrifice shall cease, except the sacrifice of praise." This was, in effect, quoting the authority of one of their own maxims, that now was the time of the Messiah; that Jesus was that Messiah; that the Jewish sacrificial system was now abolished; and that no sacrifice would now be accepted of God, except the sacrifice of praise for the gift of his Son. That is, the fruit of our lips - This expression is probably borrowed from Hos 14:2, in the version of the Septuagint, καρπον χειλεων which in the Hebrew text is פרים שפתינו parim sephatheinu, "the heifers of our lips." This may refer primarily to the sacrifices, heifers, calves, etc., which they had vowed to God; so that the calves of their lips were the sacrifices which they had promised. But how could the Septuagint translate פרים parim, calves, by καρπον, fruit? Very easily, if they had in their copy פרי peri, the mem being omitted; and thus the word would be literally fruit, and not calves. This reading, however, is not found in any of the MSS. hitherto collated.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Hebrews 13:7-15

The instructions and examples of ministers, who honourably and comfortably closed their testimony, should be particularly remembered by survivors. And though their ministers were some dead, others dying, yet the great Head and High Priest of the church, the Bishop of their souls, ever lives, and is ever the same. Christ is the same in the Old Testament day. as in the gospel day, and will be so to his people for…

Read the full comment on Hebrews 13:7-15 →

Hebrews 13:15 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.

δι᾽di᾽ThroughG1223
αὐτοῦautouHimG846
οὖνounthenG3767
ἀναφέρωμενanapherōmenwe may offerG399
θυσίανthusian[the] sacrificeG2378
αἰνέσεωςaineseōsof praiseG133
διὰdiathroughG1223
παντὸςpantosall [times]G3956
τῷtō<the>G3588
θεῷ,theōto God,G2316
τοῦτ᾽tout᾽ThatG3778
ἔστινestinisG1510
καρπὸνkarpon[the] fruitG2590
χειλέωνcheileōnof [the] lipsG5491
ὁμολογούντωνhomologountōnconfessingG3670
τῷtōtheG3588
ὀνόματιonomatinameG3686
αὐτοῦ.autouof Him.G846

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

Cross references for Hebrews 13:15

  • Psalms 107:21-22

    Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.

  • Psalms 50:14

    Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High:

  • Romans 12:1

    I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

  • Psalms 145:1-21

    David’s Psalm of praise. I will extol thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever. Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable. One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts. …

  • 1 Peter 2:5

    Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

  • Hosea 14:2

    Take with you words, and turn to the Lord: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips.

  • Ephesians 5:19-20

    Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

  • Psalms 50:23

    Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God.

  • Isaiah 57:19

    I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the Lord; and I will heal him.

  • 2 Chronicles 33:16

    And he repaired the altar of the Lord, and sacrificed thereon peace offerings and thank offerings, and commanded Judah to serve the Lord God of Israel.

  • Psalms 116:17-19

    I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the Lord. I will pay my vows unto the Lord now in the presence of all his people, In the courts of the Lord’s house, in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem. Praise ye the Lord.

  • Revelation 5:9-14

    And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. …

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
him.
7:25; Joh 10:9; 14:6; Eph 2:18; Col 3:17; 1Pe 2:5
the sacrifice.
Le 7:12; 2Ch 7:6; 29:31; 33:16; Ezr 3:11; Ne 12:40,43; Ps 50:14,23
Ps 69:30,31; 107:21,22; 116:17-19; 118:19; 136:1-26; 145:1-21
Isa 12:1,2; Eph 5:19,20; Col 1:12; 3:16; 1Pe 4:11; Re 4:8-11; 5:9-14
Re 7:9-12; 19:1-6
the fruit.
Ge 4:3,4; Ho 14:2; Ro 6:19; 12:1
giving thanks to. Gr. confessing to.
Ps 18:49; *marg:
Mt 11:25; Lu 10:21; *Gr:

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

Context

  • Hebrews 13:14

    For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.

  • Hebrews 13:15

    By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.

  • Hebrews 13:16

    But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

Read all of Hebrews 13

Hebrews 13:15 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Así que, ofrezcamos por medio de él á Dios siempre sacrificio de alabanza, es á saber, fruto de labios que confiesen á su nombre.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Offrons donc, par lui, sans cesse à Dieu un sacrifice de louanges, c’est-à-dire le fruit des lèvres qui confessent son nom.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Durch ihn nun laßt uns Gott stets ein Opfer des Lobes darbringen, das ist die Frucht der Lippen, die seinen Namen bekennen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Per ipsum ergo offeramus hostiam laudis semper Deo, id est, fructum labiorum confitentium nomini ejus.