Hebrews 5:14

But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

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Word by word — the Greek

Word	Greek	Strong’s	Meaning
But	δέ de	G1161	but · conjunction
strong	στερεὰ sterea	G4731	stiff · adjective — nominative singular feminine
meat	τροφὴ trophē	G5160	nourishment (literally or figuratively) · noun — nominative singular feminine
belongeth	ἐστί estí	G2076	he (she or it) is
age	τελείων teleiōn	G5046	complete (in various applications of labor · adjective — genitive plural masculine
who	ἐχόντων echontōn	G2192	to hold (used in very various applications · verb — present active participle, genitive plural masculine
of	διὰ dia	G1223	through (in very wide applications · preposition
use	ἕξιν hexin	G1838	habit · noun — accusative singular feminine
have	ἔχω échō	G2192	to hold (used in very various applications
senses	αἰσθητήρια aisthētēria	G145	properly · noun — accusative plural neuter
exercised	γεγυμνασμένα gegumnasmena	G1128	to practise naked (in the games) · verb — perfect passive participle, accusative plural neuter
to	πρὸς pros	G4314	a preposition of direction · preposition
discern	διάκρισιν diakrisin	G1253	judicial estimation · noun — accusative singular feminine
both	τε te	G5037	both or also (properly · conjunction
good	καλοῦ kalou	G2570	X better · adjective — genitive singular neuter
and	καὶ kai	G2532	and · conjunction
evil	κακοῦ.¶ kakou	G2556	worthless (intrinsically · adjective — genitive singular neuter

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 Corinthians 2:14-15 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they…
1 Thessalonians 5:21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
Philippians 1:9-10 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;
Isaiah 7:15 Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good.
1 Corinthians 2:6 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought…
Ephesians 1:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his…
Matthew 6:22-23 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
Ephesians 4:13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of t…

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

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Hebrews 5:10–end

Here the apostle returns to what he had in Heb 5:6 cited out of Psa 110:1-7, concerning the peculiar order of the priesthood of Christ, that is, the order of Melchisedec. And here, I. He declares he had many things which he could say to them concerning this mysterious person called Melchisedec, whose priesthood was eternal, and therefore the salvation procured thereby should be eternal also. We have a more particular account of this Melchisedec in ch. 7. Some think the things which the apostle means, that were hard to be uttered, were not so much concerning Melchisedec himself as concerning Christ, of whom Melchisedec was the type. And doubtless this apostle had many things to say concerning…

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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Hebrews 5:14

strong meat--"solid food." them . . . of full age--literally, "perfect": akin to "perfection" (Heb 6:1). by reason of use--Greek, "habit." senses--organs of sense. exercised--similarly connected with "righteousness" in Heb 12:11. to discern both good and evil--as a child no longer an infant (Isa 7:16): so able to distinguish between sound and unsound doctrine. The mere child puts into its mouth things hurtful and things nutritious, without discrimination: but not so the adult. Paul again alludes to their tendency not to discriminate, but to be carried about by strange doctrines, in Heb 13:9. Next: Hebrews Chapter 6

Adam Clarke on Hebrews 5:14

But strong meat - The high and sublime doctrines of Christianity; the atonement, justification by faith, the gift of the Holy Ghost, the fullness of Christ dwelling in the souls of men, triumph in and over death, the resurrection of the body, the glorification of both body and soul in the realms of blessedness, and an endless union with Christ in the throne of his glory. This is the strong food which the genuine Christian understands, receives, digests, and by which he grows. By reason of use - Who, by constant hearing, believing, praying, and obedience, use all the graces of God's Spirit; and, in the faithful use of them, find every one improved, so that they daily grow in grace, and in the…

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The Church Fathers

If you serve good desire, and be subject to it, you will gain the mastery over evil desire, and make it subject to you even as you wish.
— Shepherd of Hermas, Shepherd of Hermas, Commandment 12

"Solid food is for the mature," that is, the passion written in the new gospel, and about them it was written, "make ready for the Lord a people prepared." In their own taste, thanks to the right measure of their faith, "they have been trained to distinguish good from evil," that is, by themselves and not by the law.
— Ephrem the Syrian, COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS

And he speaks of the word of righteousness, which concerns the divinity of the Lord. "solid food." The lofty word, and the high doctrines concerning Christ. "by constant practice." He refers to habit, perfection, the well-trained, having their senses exercised, such as hearing, tongue, eyes. Indeed, he speaks of the senses of the soul. To distinguish, he says, what is good, and high doctrines, and what are the spurious and corrupt. He hints at those who teach anything to everyone, giving themselves and being persuaded. For he who receives everything simply, has indiscriminately both good and evil.
— Oecumenius, The Pseudo-Oecumenian Catena on Hebrews

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

Hebrews 5:14

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Hebrews 5:10–end

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Hebrews 5:14

Adam Clarke on Hebrews 5:14

The Church Fathers

Hebrews 5:14

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Hebrews 5:10–end

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Hebrews 5:14

Adam Clarke on Hebrews 5:14

The Church Fathers

John Gill on Hebrews 5:14

John Calvin on Hebrews 5:12–end

Tyndale Open Study Notes on Hebrews 5:14