Hebrews 13 · Verse 7

Hebrews 13:7

Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.

Hebrews 13:7, King James Version

Hebrews 13:7 in other translations

BSB	Remember your leaders who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.
WEB	Remember your leaders, men who spoke to you the word of God, and considering the results of their conduct, imitate their faith.
ASV	Remember them that had the rule over you, men that spake unto you the word of God; and considering the issue of their life, imitate their faith.
YLT	Be mindful of those leading you, who did speak to you the word of God, whose faith--considering the issue of the behaviour--be imitating,
DARBY	Remember your leaders who have spoken to you the word of God; and considering the issue of their conversation, imitate their faith.
BBE	Keep in mind those who were over you, and who gave you the word of God; seeing the outcome of their way of life, let your faith be like theirs.
Webster	Remember them who have the rule over you, who have spoken to you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their manner of life.

What does Hebrews 13:7 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

7. Two manifestations of "brotherly love," hospitality and care for those in bonds. Be not forgetful--implying it was a duty which they all recognized, but which they might forget to act on (He 13:3, 7, 16). The enemies of Christianity themselves have noticed the practice of this virtue among Christians [Julian, Epistles, 49]. entertained angels unawares--Abraham and Lot did so (Ge 18:2; 19:1). To obviate the natural distrust felt of strangers, Paul says, an unknown guest may be better than he looks: he may be unexpectedly found to be as much a messenger of God for good, as the angels (whose name means messenger) are; nay more, if a Christian, he represents Christ Himself. There is a play on the same Greek word, Be not forgetful and unaware; let not the duty of hospitality to strangers escape you; for, by entertaining strangers, it has escaped the entertainers that they were entertaining angels. Not unconscious and forgetful of the duty, they have unconsciously brought on themselves the blessing.

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

Barnes' Notes

Verse 7. Remember them which have the rule over you. Marg., "are the guides." The word here used means, properly, leaders, guides, directors. It is often applied to military commanders. Here it means teachers--appointed to lead or guide them to eternal life. It does not refer to them so much as rulers or governors, as teachers or guides. In Heb 13:17, however, it is used in the former sense. The duty here enjoined is that of remembering them; that is, remembering their counsel, their instructions, their example.

Who have spoken to you the word of God. Preachers; either apostles or others. Respect is to be shown to the ministerial office by whomsoever it is borne.

Whose faith follow. That is, imitate. Heb 6:12.

Considering the end of their conversation. Of their conduct; of their manner of life. The word here rendered the end--εκβασις --occurs only here and in 1Cor 10:13, where it is rendered "a way of escape." It properly means, a going out, an egress, and is hence spoken of as a going out from life, or as an exit from the world-- death. This is probably the meaning here. It does not mean, as our translation would seem to imply, that Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and for ever, was the aim or end for which they lived--for the Greek will not bear that construction; but it means that they were attentively to contemplate the end or the issue of the conduct of those holy teachers--the close or going out of all that they did; to wit, in a peaceful death. Their faith sustained them. They were enabled to persevere in a Christian course, and did not faint or fail. There is allusion, doubtless, to those who had been their religious instructors, and who had died in the faith of the gospel, either by persecution, or by an ordinary death; and the apostle points to them as examples of that to which he would exhort those whom he addressed--of perseverance in the faith until death. Thus explained, this verse does not refer to the duty of Christians towards living teachers, but toward those who are dead. Their duty towards living teachers is enforced in Heb 13:17. The sentiment here is, that the proper remembrance of those now deceased, who were once our spiritual instructors and guides, should be allowed to have an important influence in inducing us to lead a holy life. We should remember them with affection and gratitude; we should recall the truths which they taught, and the exhortations which they addressed to us; we should cherish, with kind affection, the memory of all that they did for our welfare, and we should not forget the effect of the truths which they taught in sustaining their own souls when they died.

(1) "them which" "are the guides" (a) "faith follow" Heb 6:12 (*) "follow" "whose faith imitate"

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 7 Remember them which have the rule over you - This clause should be translated, Remember your guides, των ἡγουμενων, who have spoken unto you the doctrine of God. Theodoret's note on this verse is very judicious: "He intends the saints who were dead, Stephen the first martyr, James the brother of John, and James called the Just. And there were many others who were taken off by the Jewish rage. 'Consider these, (said he), and, observing their example, imitate their faith.'" This remembrance of the dead saints, with admiration of their virtues, and a desire to imitate them, is, says Dr. Macknight, the only worship which is due to them from the living. Considering the end of their conversation - Ὡν αναθεωρουντες την εκβασιν της αναστροφης· "The issue of whose course of life most carefully consider." They lived to get good and do good; they were faithful to their God and his cause; they suffered persecution; and for the testimony of Jesus died a violent death. God never left them; no, he never forsook them; so that they were happy in their afflictions, and glorious in their death. Carefully consider this; act as they did; keep the faith, and God will keep you.

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 ever, equally merciful, powerful, and all-sufficient. Still he fills the hungry, encourages the trembling, and welcomes repenting sinners: still he rejects the proud and self-righteous, abhors mere profession, and teaches all whom he saves, to love righteousness, and to hate iniquity. Believers should seek to have their hearts established in simple dependence on free grace, by the Holy Spirit, which would comfort their hearts, and render them proof against delusion. Christ is both our Altar and our Sacrifice; he sanctifies the gift. The Lord's supper is the feast of the gospel passover. Having showed that keeping to the Levitical law would, according to its own rules, keep men from the Christian altar, the apostle adds, Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp; go forth from the ceremonial law, from sin, from the world, and from ourselves. Living by faith in Christ, set apart to God through his blood, let us willingly separate from this evil world. Sin, sinners, nor death, will not suffer us to continue long here; therefore let us go forth now by faith and seek in Christ the rest and peace which this world cannot afford us. Let us bring our sacrifices to this altar, and to this our High Priest, and offer them up by him. The sacrifice of praise to God, we should offer always. In this are worship and prayer, as well as thanksgiving.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Hebrews 13:7 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.

ΜνημονεύετεMnēmoneuetedo rememberG3421

τῶνtōnthoseG3588

ἡγουμένωνhēgoumenōnleadingG2233

ὑμῶν,humōnyou,G4771

οἵτινεςoitineswhoG3748

ἐλάλησανelalēsanspokeG2980

ὑμῖνhuminto youG4771

τὸνtontheG3588

λόγονlogonwordG3056

τοῦtouof theG3588

θεοῦ,theouGod,G2316

ὧνhōnof whomG3739

ἀναθεωροῦντεςanatheōrountesconsideringG333

τὴνtēntheG3588

ἔκβασινekbasinoutcomeG1545

τῆςtēsof [their]G3588

ἀναστροφῆς,anastrophēsway of life,G391

μιμεῖσθεmimeisthedo imitateG3401

τὴνtēntheG3588

πίστιν.¶pistinfaith.G4102

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

Cross references for Hebrews 13:7

1 Thessalonians 5:12-13
And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves.
Hebrews 13:17
Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.
Philippians 3:17
Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.
Hebrews 6:12
That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
1 Thessalonians 1:6
And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:
1 Thessalonians 2:13
For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.
Acts 14:23
And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.
1 Timothy 3:5
(For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
Matthew 24:45
Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?
Acts 4:31
And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.
Romans 10:17
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Song of Solomon 1:8
If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy kids beside the shepherds’ tents.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

which.
17,24; Mt 24:45; Lu 12:42; Ac 14:23; 1Th 5:12,13; 1Ti 3:5
have the rule. or, are the guides. word.
Lu 8:11; Ac 4:31; 13:46; Ro 10:17; 1Th 2:13; Re 1:9; 6:9; 20:4
whose.
6:12; So 1:8; 1Co 4:16; 11:1; Php 3:17; 1Th 1:6; 2Th 3:7,9
considering.
Ac 7:55-60
the end.
1Co 10:13; *Gr:

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

Context

Hebrews 13:6
So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.
Hebrews 13:7
Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.
Hebrews 13:8
Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

Read all of Hebrews 13

Hebrews 13:7 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Acordaos de vuestros pastores, que os hablaron la palabra de Dios; la fe de los cuales imitad, considerando cuál haya sido el éxito de su conducta.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Souvenez-vous de vos conducteurs qui vous ont annoncé la parole de Dieu, et, considérant l’issue de leur conduite, imitez leur foi.
German Elberfelder 1871	Gedenket eurer Führer, die euch das Wort Gottes verkündigt haben, und, den Ausgang ihres Wandels anschauend, ahmet ihren Glauben nach.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Mementote præpositorum vestrorum, qui vobis locuti sunt verbum Dei: quorum intuentes exitum conversationis, imitamini fidem.