Hebrews 6 · Verse 12

Hebrews 6:12

That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
Hebrews 6:12, King James Version

Hebrews 6:12 in other translations

BSBThen you will not be sluggish, but will imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.
WEBthat you won’t be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and perseverance inherited the promises.
ASVthat ye be not sluggish, but imitators of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
YLTthat ye may not become slothful, but followers of those who through faith and patient endurance are inheriting the promises.
DARBYthat ye be not sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience have been inheritors of the promises.
BBESo that you may not be slow in heart, but may take as your example those to whom God has given their heritage, because of their faith and their long waiting.
WebsterThat ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

What does Hebrews 6:12 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
12. be not--Greek, "become not." In He 5:11, he said, "Ye have become dull (Greek, 'slothful') of hearing"; here he warns them not to become "slothful absolutely," namely, also in mind and deed. He will not become slothful who keeps always the end in view; hope is the means of ensuring this. followers--Greek, "imitators"; so in Ep 5:1, Greek; 1Co 11:1. patience--Greek, "long-suffering endurance." There is the long-suffering patience, or endurance of love, 1Co 13:4, and that of faith, He 6:15. them who ... inherit the promises--Greek, "who are inheriting," &c.; to whom the promises are their inheritance. Not that they have actually entered on the perfect inheritance, which He 11:13, 39, 40 explicitly denies; though doubtless the dead in Christ have, in the disembodied soul, a foretaste of it; but "them (enumerated in He 11:2-40) who in every age have been, are, or shall be, inheritors of the promises"; of whom Abraham is an illustrious example (He 6:13).

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 12. That ye be not slothful. Indolent; inactive. This was what he was especially desirous of guarding them against. By diligent and strenuous effort only could they secure themselves from the danger of apostasy.

But followers. Imitators--that you may live as they lived.

Of them who through faith and patience. By faith, or confidence in God, and by patience in suffering--referring to those who in times of trial had remained faithful to God, and had been admitted to heaven. In Heb 11 the apostle has given a long list of such persevering and faithful friends of God. See Notes on that chapter.

The promise. The promise of heaven.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 12 That ye be not slothful - This shows how the full assurance of hope is to be regulated and maintained. They must be diligent; slothfulness will deprive them both of hope and faith. That faith which worketh by love will maintain hope in its full and due exercise. Followers of them - Μιμηται δε - κληρονομουντων τας επαγγελιας· That ye be mimics or imitators of them who are inheriting the promises. And they inherited these promises by faith in him who is invisible, and who, they knew, could not lie; and they patiently endured, through difficulties and adversities of every kind, and persevered unto death. "The promises made to Abraham and to his seed were, 1. That Abraham should have a numerous seed by faith as well as by natural descent. 2. That God would be a God to him and to his seed in their generations, by being the object of their worship and their protector. 3. That he would give them the possession of Canaan. 4. That he would bless all the nations of the earth in him. 5. That he would thus bless the nations through Christ, Abraham's seed. 6. That through Christ, likewise, he would bless the nations with the Gospel revelation. Four of these promises the believing Gentiles were inheriting at the time the apostle wrote this letter. 1. They were become Abraham's seed by faith. 2. God was become the object of their worship and their protector. 3. They were enjoying the knowledge of God in the Gospel Church, and the gifts of the Spirit. Gal 3:4. All these blessings were bestowed upon them through Christ. By observing that the believing Gentiles were actually inheriting the promises; i.e. the four promised blessings above mentioned, the apostle appealed to an undeniable fact, in proof that the believing Gentiles, equally with the believing Jews, were heirs of the promises made to Abraham and his seed." See Dr. Macknight. The promises may be considered as referring to the rest of faith here, and the rest of glory hereafter.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Hebrews 6:11-20

The hope here meant, is a sure looking for good things promised, through those promises, with love, desire, and valuing of them. Hope has its degrees, as faith also. The promise of blessedness God has made to believers, is from God's eternal purpose, settled between the eternal Father, Son, and Spirit. These promises of God may safely be depended upon; for here we have two things which cannot change, the counsel and…

Read the full comment on Hebrews 6:11-20 →

Hebrews 6:12 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.

ἵναinaso thatG2443
μὴmēnotG3361
νωθροὶnōthroisluggishG3576
γένησθε,genēstheyou may be,G1096
μιμηταὶmimētaiimitatorsG3402
δὲdehoweverG1161
τῶνtōnof thoseG3588
διὰdiathroughG1223
πίστεωςpisteōsfaithG4102
καὶkaiandG2532
μακροθυμίαςmakrothumiaspatienceG3115
κληρονομούντωνklēronomountōninheritingG2816
τὰςtastheG3588
ἐπαγγελίας.epangeliaspromises.G1860

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

Cross references for Hebrews 6:12

  • 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 10:36

    For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.

  • Romans 12:11

    Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;

  • 1 John 2:25

    And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.

  • Jeremiah 6:16

    Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.

  • Romans 2:7

    To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:

  • Hebrews 5:11

    Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.

  • Proverbs 18:9

    He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster.

  • 2 Peter 1:10

    Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

  • James 1:3

    Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

  • Proverbs 24:30-34

    I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding; And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down. Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction. Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: …

  • Revelation 14:12-13

    Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
ye.
5:11; *Gr:
Pr 12:24; 13:4; 15:19; 18:9; 24:30-34; Mt 25:26; Ro 12:11; 2Pe 1:10
but.
12:1; 13:7; So 1:8; Jer 6:16; Ro 4:12; Jas 5:10,11; 1Pe 3:5,6
faith.
15; 10:36; 11:8-16; Lu 8:15; Ro 2:7; 8:25,26; 1Th 1:3; Re 13:10; 14:12
inherit.
1:14; 10:36; 11:9,17,33; Mt 22:32; Lu 16:22; 20:37,38; 1Jo 2:25
Re 14:13

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

Context

  • Hebrews 6:11

    And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:

  • Hebrews 6:12

    That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

  • Hebrews 6:13

    For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself,

Read all of Hebrews 6

Hebrews 6:12 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Que no os hagáis perezosos, mas imitadores de aquellos que por la fe y la paciencia heredan las promesas.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		afin que vous ne deveniez pas paresseux, mais imitateurs de ceux qui, par la foi et par la patience, héritent ce qui avait été promis.
German
Elberfelder 1871		auf daß ihr nicht träge werdet, sondern Nachahmer derer, welche durch Glauben und Ausharren die Verheißungen ererben.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		ut non segnes efficiamini, verum imitatores eorum, qui fide, et patientia hæreditabunt promissiones.