Hebrews 13 · Verse 21

Hebrews 13:21

Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Hebrews 13:21, King James Version

Hebrews 13:21 in other translations

BSB	equip you with every good thing to do His will. And may He accomplish in us what is pleasing in His sight through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
WEB	make you complete in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
ASV	make you perfect in every good thing to do his will, working in us that which is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be the glory for ever and ever. Amen.
YLT	make you perfect in every good work to do His will, doing in you that which is well-pleasing before Him, through Jesus Christ, to whom is the glory--to the ages of the ages! Amen.
DARBY	perfect you in every good work to the doing of his will, doing in you what is pleasing before him through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for the ages of ages. Amen.
BBE	Make you full of every good work and ready to do all his desires, working in us whatever is pleasing in his eyes through Jesus Christ; and may the glory be given to him for ever and ever. So be it.
Webster	Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

What does Hebrews 13:21 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

21. Make you perfect--properly said of healing a rent; join you together in perfect harmony [Bengel]. to do his will, working in you--(He 10:36); rather as Greek, "doing in you." Whatever good we do, God does in us. well-pleasing in his sight--(Is 53:10; Ep 5:10). through Jesus Christ--"God doing (working) in you that ... through Jesus Christ" (Php 1:11). to whom--to Christ. He closes as he began (He 1:1-14), with giving glory to Christ.

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

Barnes' Notes

Verse 21. Make you perfect. The apostle here does not affirm that they were then perfect, or that they would be in this life. The word here used--καταρτιζω-means, to make fully ready, to put in full order; to make complete. The meaning here is, that Paul prayed that God would fully endow them with whatever grace was necessary to do his will and to keep his commandments. See the word explained Heb 11:3. It is an appropriate prayer to be offered at all times, and by all who love the church, that God would make all his people perfectly qualified to do all his will.

Working in you. Marg. Doing. The idea here is, that the only hope that they would do the will of God was, that he would, by his own agency, cause them to do what was well-pleasing in his sight: Comp. Php 2:12. It is not from any expectation that man would do it himself

Through Jesus Christ. The idea is, that God does not directly and by his own immediate agency convert and sanctify the heart, but it is through the gospel of Christ, and all good influences on the soul must be expected through the Saviour.

To whom be glory for ever and ever. That is, to Christ; for so the connexion evidently demands. It is not uncommon for the apostle Paul to introduce doxologies in this way in the midst of a letter. Rom 9:4. It was common among the Jews, as it is now in the writings and conversation of the Mohammedans, when the name of God was mentioned, to accompany it with an expression of praise.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 21 Make you perfect - Καταρτισια ὑμας· Put you completely in joint. See the note on 2Cor 13:9, where the meaning of the original word is largely considered. From the following terms we see what the apostle meant by the perfection for which he prays. They were to do the will of God in every good work, from God working in them that which is well pleasing in his sight. 1. This necessarily implies a complete change in the whole soul, that God may be well pleased with whatsoever he sees in it; and this supposes its being cleansed from all sin, for God's sight cannot be pleased with any thing that is unholy. 2. This complete inward purity is to produce an outward conformity to God's will, so they were to be made perfect in every good work. 3. The perfection within and the perfection without were to be produced by the blood of the everlasting covenant; for although God is love, yet it is not consistent with his justice or holiness to communicate any good to mankind but through his Son, and through him as having died for the offenses of the human race. To whom be glory for ever - As God does all in, by, and through Christ Jesus, to him be the honor of his own work ascribed through time and eternity. Amen.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Hebrews 13:16-21

We must, according to our power, give to the necessities of the souls and bodies of men: God will accept these offerings with pleasure, and will accept and bless the offerers through Christ. The apostle then states what is their duty to living ministers; to obey and submit to them, so far as is agreeable to the mind and will of God, made known in his word. Christians must not think themselves too wise, too good, or…

Read the full comment on Hebrews 13:16-21 →

Hebrews 13:21 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.

καταρτίσαιkatartisaiwould he equipG2675

ὑμᾶςhumasyouG4771

ἐνeninG1722

παντὶpantieverythingG3956

ἔργῳergōworkG2041

ἀγαθῷagathōgoodG18

εἰςeisin orderG1519

τὸto<the>G3588

ποιῆσαιpoiēsaito doG4160

τὸtotheG3588

θέλημαthelēmawillG2307

αὐτοῦautouof HimG846

ποιῶνpoiōnworkingG4160

ἐνeninG1722

ἡμῖνhēminusG3165

τὸtothat which [is]G3588

εὐάρεστονeuarestonwell pleasingG2101

ἐνώπιονenōpionbeforeG1799

αὐτοῦautouHimG846

διὰdiathroughG1223

ἸησοῦIēsouJesusG2424

Χριστοῦ·ChristouChrist;G5547

ᾧhōto whom [be]G3739

ἡhētheG3588

δόξαdoxagloryG1391

εἰςeistoG1519

τοὺςtoustheG3588

αἰῶναςaiōnasagesG165

τῶνtōnof theG3588

αἰώνων,aiōnōnages,G165

ἀμήν.¶amēnAmen.G281

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

Cross references for Hebrews 13:21

Philippians 2:13
For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
2 Thessalonians 2:17
Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.
Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
1 Peter 5:10-11
But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
2 Timothy 4:18
And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
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.
Philippians 1:11
Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.
1 Thessalonians 5:23
And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 2:10
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
2 Corinthians 9:8
And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:
Colossians 3:17
And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
Hebrews 10:36
For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Make.
12:23; De 32:4; Ps 138:8; Joh 17:23; Eph 3:16-19; Col 1:9-12; 4:12
1Th 3:13; 5:23; 2Th 2:17; 1Pe 5:10
every.
2Co 9:8; Eph 2:10; Php 1:11; 2Th 2:17; 1Ti 5:10
to do.
10:36; Mt 7:21; 12:50; 21:31; Joh 7:17; Ro 12:2; 1Th 4:3; 1Pe 4:2
1Jo 2:17
working. or, doing.
Php 2:13
well pleasing.
16; Ro 12:1; 14:17,18; Php 4:18; Col 3:20; 1Jo 3:22
through.
Joh 16:23,24; Eph 2:18; Php 1:11; 4:13; Col 3:17; 1Pe 2:5
to whom.
Ps 72:18,19; Ro 16:27; Ga 1:5; Php 2:11; 1Ti 1:17; 6:16; 2Ti 4:18
1Pe 5:11; 2Pe 3:18; Jude 1:25; Re 4:6; 5:9,13
Amen.
Mt 6:13; 28:20

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

Context

Hebrews 13:20
Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,
Hebrews 13:21
Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Hebrews 13:22
And I beseech you, brethren, suffer the word of exhortation: for I have written a letter unto you in few words.

Read all of Hebrews 13

Hebrews 13:21 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Os haga aptos en toda obra buena para que hagáis su voluntad, haciendo él en vosotros lo que es agradable delante de él por Jesucristo: al cual sea gloria por los siglos de los siglos. Amén.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	vous rende accomplis en toute bonne œuvre pour faire sa volonté, faisant en vous ce qui est agréable devant lui, par Jésus Christ, auquel soit la gloire aux siècles des siècles! Amen.
German Elberfelder 1871	vollende euch in jedem guten Werke, um seinen Willen zu tun, in euch schaffend, was vor ihm wohlgefällig ist, durch Jesum Christum, welchem die Herrlichkeit sei von Ewigkeit zu Ewigkeit! Amen.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	aptet vos in omni bono, ut faciatis ejus voluntatem: faciens in vobis quod placeat coram se per Jesum Christum: cui est gloria in sæcula sæculorum. Amen.