Hebrews 6 · Verse 19

Hebrews 6:19

Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;
Hebrews 6:19, King James Version

Hebrews 6:19 in other translations

BSBWe have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain,
WEBThis hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and entering into that which is within the veil,
ASVwhich we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and stedfast and entering into that which is within the veil;
YLTwhich we have, as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and entering into that within the vail,
DARBYwhich we have as anchor of the soul, both secure and firm, and entering into that within the veil,
BBEAnd this hope is like a strong band for our souls, fixed and certain, and going in to that which is inside the veil;
WebsterWhich hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the vail;

What does Hebrews 6:19 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
19. Hope is found represented on coins by an anchor. sure and steadfast--sure in respect to us: steadfast, or "firm" [Alford], in itself. Not such an anchor as will not keep the vessel from tossing, or an anchor unsound or too light [Theophylact]. which entereth into that--that is the place within the veil--two images beautifully combined: (1) The soul is the ship: the world the sea: the bliss beyond the world, the distant coast; the hope resting on faith, the anchor which prevents the vessel being tossed to and fro; the encouraging consolation through the promise and oath of God, the cable connecting the ship and anchor. (2) The world is the fore-court: heaven, the Holy of Holies; Christ, the High Priest going before us, so as to enable us, after Him, and through Him, to enter within the veil. Estius explains, As the anchor does not stay in the waters, but enters the ground hidden beneath the waters, and fastens itself in it, so hope, our anchor of the soul, is not satisfied with merely coming to the vestibule, that is, is not content with merely earthly and visible goods, but penetrates even to those which are within the veil, namely, to the Holy of Holies, where it lays hold on God Himself, and heavenly goods, and fastens on them. "Hope, entering within heaven, hath made us already to be in the things promised to us, even while we are still below, and have not yet received them; such strength hope has, as to make those that are earthly to become heavenly." "The soul clings, as one in fear of shipwreck to an anchor, and sees not whither the cable of the anchor runs--where it is fastened: but she knows that it is fastened behind the veil which hides the future glory." veil--Greek, "catapetasma": the second veil which shut in the Holiest Place. The outer veil was called by a distinct Greek term, calumma: "the second (that is, the inner) veil."

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 19. Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul. Hope accomplishes for the soul the same thing which an anchor does for a ship. It makes it fast and secure. An anchor preserves a ship when the waves beat and the wind blows; and as long as the anchor holds, so long a ship is safe, and the mariner apprehends no danger. So with the soul of the Christian. In the tempests and trials of life, his mind is calm as long as his hope of heaven is firm. If that gives way, he feels that all is lost. Among the heathen writers, hope is often compared with an anchor. So Socrates said, "To ground hope on a false supposition, is like trusting to a weak anchor." Again--"A ship ought not to trust to one anchor, nor life to one hope."

Both sure and stedfast. Firm and secure. This refers to the anchor. That is fixed in the sand, and the vessel is secure.

And which entereth into that within the veil. The allusion to the anchor here is dropped, and the apostle speaks simply of hope. The "veil" here refers to that which, in the temple, divided the holy from the most holy place. Mt 21:12. The place "within the veil"--the most holy place--was regarded as God's peculiar abode, where he dwelt by the visible symbol of his presence. That holy place was emblematic of heaven; and the idea here is, that the hope of the Christian enters into heaven itself; it takes hold on the throne of God; it is made firm by being fastened there. It is not the hope of future riches, honours, or pleasures in this life--for such a hope would not keep the soul steady; it is the hope of immortal blessedness and purity in the world beyond.

(f) "within the veil" Lev 16:15

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 19 Which hope we have as an anchor - The apostle here changes the allusion; he represents the state of the followers of God in this lower world as resembling that of a vessel striving to perform her voyage through a troublesome, tempestuous, dangerous sea. At last she gets near the port; but the tempest continues, the water is shallow, broken, and dangerous, and she cannot get in: in order to prevent her being driven to sea again she heaves out her sheet anchor, which she has been able to get within the pier head by means of her boat, though she could not herself get in; then, swinging at the length of her cable, she rides out the storm in confidence, knowing that her anchor is sound, the ground good in which it is fastened, and the cable strong. Though agitated, she is safe; though buffeted by wind and tide, she does not drive; by and by the storm ceases, the tide flows in, her sailors take to the capstan, wear the ship against the anchor, which still keeps its bite or hold, and she gets safely into port. See on Heb 6:20 (note). The comparison of hope to an anchor is frequent among the ancient heathen writers, who supposed it to be as necessary to the support of a man in adversity, as the anchor is to the safety of the ship when about to be driven on a lee shore by a storm. "To ground hope on a false supposition," says Socrates, "is like trusting to a weak anchor." He said farther, ουτε ναυν εξ ἑνος αγκυριου, ουτε βιον εκ μιας ελπιδος ὁρμιστεον· a ship ought not to trust to one anchor, nor life to one hope. Stob., Serm. 109. The hope of eternal life is here represented as the soul's anchor; the world is the boisterous, dangerous sea; the Christian course, the voyage; the port, everlasting felicity; and the veil or inner road, the royal dock in which that anchor was cast. The storms of life continue but a short time; the anchor, hope, if fixed by faith in the eternal world, will infallibly prevent all shipwreck; the soul may be strongly tossed by various temptations, but will not drive, because the anchor is in sure ground, and itself is steadfast; it does not drag, and it does not break; faith, like the cable, is the connecting medium between the ship and the anchor, or the soul and its hope of heaven; faith sees the haven, hope desires and anticipates the rest; faith works, and hope holds fast; and, shortly, the soul enters into the haven of eternal repose.

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 6:19 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.

ἣνhēnwhichG3739
ὡςhōsasG5613
ἄγκυρανagkuranan anchorG45
ἔχομενechomenwe haveG2192
τῆςtēsof theG3588
ψυχῆςpsuchēssoulG5590
ἀσφαλῆasphalēsureG804
τεtebothG5037
καὶkaiandG2532
βεβαίανbebaianunshakableG949
καὶkaiandG2532
εἰσερχομένηνeiserchomenēnenteringG1525
εἰςeisintoG1519
τὸtothatG3588
ἐσώτερονesōteronwithinG2082
τοῦtoutheG3588
καταπετάσματος,katapetasmatosveil,G2665

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

Cross references for Hebrews 6:19

  • Psalms 43:5

    Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.

  • Romans 5:5-10

    And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. …

  • Romans 8:28-39

    And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? …

  • Hebrews 9:7

    But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people:

  • Leviticus 16:15

    Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat:

  • Leviticus 16:2

    And the Lord said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.

  • Colossians 3:1

    If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

  • Hebrews 9:3

    And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all;

  • Psalms 62:5-6

    My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved.

  • Matthew 27:51

    And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;

  • Isaiah 25:3-4

    Therefore shall the strong people glorify thee, the city of the terrible nations shall fear thee. For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.

  • 2 Timothy 2:19

    Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
as an.
Ac 27:29,40
both.
Ps 42:5,11; 43:5; 62:5,6; 146:5,6; Isa 12:2; 25:3,4; 28:16
Jer 17:7,8; Ro 4:16; 5:5-10; 8:28-39; 1Co 15:58; 2Ti 2:19
entereth.
4:16; 9:3,7; 10:20,21; Le 16:2,15; Mt 27:51; Eph 2:6; Col 3:1

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

Context

  • Hebrews 6:18

    That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:

  • Hebrews 6:19

    Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;

  • Hebrews 6:20

    Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

Read all of Hebrews 6

Hebrews 6:19 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		La cual tenemos como segura y firme ancla del alma, y que entra hasta dentro del velo;
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		laquelle nous avons comme une ancre de l’âme, sûre et ferme, et qui entre jusqu’au-dedans du voile
German
Elberfelder 1871		welche wir als einen sicheren und festen Anker der Seele haben, der auch in das Innere des Vorhangs hineingeht,
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		quam sicut anchoram habemus animæ tutam ac firmam, et incedentem usque ad interiora velaminis,