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.

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Word by word — the Greek

Word	Greek	Strong’s	Meaning
Obey	Πείθεσθε Peithesthe	G3982	to convince (by argument · verb — present passive imperative, 2nd person plural
over	ἡγουμένοις hēgoumenois	G2233	to lead · verb — present middle or passive deponent participle, dative plural masculine
you	ὑμῶν hymōn	G5216	of (from or concerning) you
and	καὶ kai	G2532	and · conjunction
yourselves	ὑπείκετε· hupeikete	G5226	to surrender · verb — present active imperative, 2nd person plural
for	γὰρ gar	G1063	properly · conjunction
they	αὐτοὶ autoi	G846	the reflexive pronoun self · personal pronoun — nominative plural masculine
watch	ἀγρυπνοῦσιν agrupnousin	G69	to be sleepless · verb — present active indicative, 3rd person plural
for	ὑπὲρ huper	G5228	"over" · preposition
your	ὑμῶν hymōn	G5216	of (from or concerning) you
souls	ψυχῶν psuchōn	G5590	breath · noun — genitive plural feminine
as	ὡς hōs	G5613	which how · particle
give	ἀποδώσοντες, apodōsontes	G591	to give away · verb — future active participle, nominative plural masculine
account	λόγον logon	G3056	something said (including the thought) · noun — accusative singular masculine
that	ἵνα ina	G2443	compare G3588 (ὁ)) · conjunction
do	ποιῶσιν poiōsin	G4160	to make or do (in a very wide application · verb — present active subjunctive, 3rd person plural
it	τοῦτο toûto	G5124	that thing
with	μετὰ meta	G3326	properly · preposition
joy	χαρᾶς charas	G5479	cheerfulness · noun — genitive singular feminine
and	καὶ kai	G2532	and · conjunction
not	μὴ mē	G3361	(adverb) not · particle — negative
grief	στενάζοντες· stenazontes	G4727	to make (intransitively · verb — present active participle, nominative plural masculine
for	γὰρ gar	G1063	properly · conjunction
that	τοῦτο toûto	G5124	that thing
unprofitable	ἀλυσιτελὲς alusiteles	G255	gainless · adjective — nominative singular neuter
you	ὑμῖν hymîn	G5213	to (with or by) you

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

Cross-references

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;
1 Timothy 5:17 Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.
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 conve…
1 Peter 5:5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God res…
Acts 20:28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God,…
1 Peter 5:2-3 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a rea…
1 Corinthians 16:16 That ye submit yourselves unto such, and to every one that helpeth with us, and laboureth.
Jeremiah 13:17 But if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride; and mine eye shall weep sore, and run down with tears, becau…

Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Hebrews 13:1-17

The design of Christ in giving himself for us is that he may purchase to himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. Now the apostle calls the believing Hebrews to the performance of many excellent duties, in which it becomes Christians to excel. I. To brotherly love (Heb 13:1), by which he does not only mean a general affection to all men, as our brethren by nature, all made of the same blood, nor that more limited affection which is due to those who are of the same immediate parents, but that special and spiritual affection which ought to exist among the children of God. 1. It is here supposed that the Hebrews had this love one for another. Though, at this time, that nation was miser…

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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Hebrews 13:17

Obey them that have the rule over you--(Compare Heb 13:7, Heb 13:24). This threefold mention of the rulers is peculiar to this Epistle. In other Epistles Paul includes the rulers in his exhortations. But here the address is limited to the general body of the Church, in contrast to the rulers to whom they are charged to yield reverent submission. Now this is just what might be expected when the apostle of the Gentiles was writing to the Palestine Christians, among whom James and the eleven apostles had exercised a more immediate authority. It was important he should not seem to set himself in opposition to their guides, but rather strengthen their hands; he claims no authority directly or ind…

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Adam Clarke on Hebrews 13:17

Obey them that have the rule over you - Obey your leaders, τοις ἡγουμενοις. He is not fit to rule who is not capable of guiding. See on Heb 13:7, (note). In the former verse the apostle exhorts them to remember those who had been their leaders, and to imitate their faith; in this he exhorts them to obey the leaders they now had, and to submit to their authority in all matters of doctrine and discipline, on the ground that they watched for their souls, and should have to give an account of their conduct to God. If this conduct were improper, they must give in their report before the great tribunal with grief; but in it must be given: if holy and pure, they would give it in with joy. It is an…

The Church Fathers

Instruct each other therefore, and be at peace among yourselves, that I also, standing joyful before your Father, may give an account of you all to your Lord.
— Shepherd of Hermas, Shepherd of Hermas, Vision 3

The hermits used to say, 'God demands this of Christians: to obey the inspired Scriptures, which contain the pattern of what they must say and do, and agree with the teaching of the orthodox bishops and teachers.'
— Desert Fathers, The Desert Fathers, Sayings of the Early Christian Monks

Leave behind the rules which belong to the law, and respect those which belong to Christ. "They will give account" and a reply to God if they fail to guide you. Therefore, obey them, so that they may give account "with joy" and not with afflictions and tears.
— Ephrem the Syrian, COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 13

The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).

Dictionary and topics

Watches — The periods into which the time between sunset and sunrise was divided. They are so called because watchmen relieved each other at each of these periods. There are frequent references in Scripture to…
Discipline Of The Church · Should be submitted to — Should be submitted to
Joy · Ministers should: Desire to render an account with — Ministers should: Desire to render an account with
Ministers · Are bound to: Watch for souls — Are bound to: Watch for souls
Watchfulness · Faithful ministers exercise — Faithful ministers exercise
Watchmen · Illustrative: Of ministers — Illustrative: Of ministers

Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).

Hebrews 13:17

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Hebrews 13:1-17

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Hebrews 13:17

Adam Clarke on Hebrews 13:17

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

Hebrews 13:17

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Hebrews 13:1-17

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Hebrews 13:17

Adam Clarke on Hebrews 13:17

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

John Gill on Hebrews 13:17

John Calvin on Hebrews 13:16-19

Tyndale Open Study Notes on Hebrews 13:17