Click
here to show/hide instructions.
Instructions on how to use the page:
The commentary for the selected verse is is displayed below.
All commentary was produced against the King James, so the same verse from that translation may appear as well. Hovering your mouse over a commentary's scripture reference attempts to show those verses.
Use the browser's back button to return to the previous page.
Or you can also select a feature from the Just Verses menu appearing at the top of the page.
Selected Verse: Hebrews 13:4 - Hebrew Names
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Heb 13:4 |
Hebrew Names |
Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the bed be undefiled: but God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers. |
| |
King James |
Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
is, &c.--Translate, "Let marriage be treated as honorable": as Heb 13:5 also is an exhortation.
in all--"in the case of all men": "among all." "To avoid fornication let EVERY MAN have his own wife" (Co1 7:2). Judaism and Gnosticism combined were soon about to throw discredit on marriage. The venerable Paphnutius, in the Council of Nice, quoted this verse for the justification of the married state. If one does not himself marry, he should not prevent others from doing so. Others, especially Romanists, translate, "in all things," as in Heb 13:18. But the warning being against lasciviousness, the contrast to "whoremongers and adulterers" in the parallel clause, requires the "in all" in this clause to refer to persons.
the bed undefiled--Translate, as Greek requires "undefiled" to be a predicate, not an epithet, "And let the bed be undefiled."
God will judge--Most whoremongers escape the notice of human tribunals; but God takes particular cognizance of those whom man does not punish. Gay immoralities will then be regarded in a very different light from what they are now. |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
Marriage is honorable in all - The object here is to state that "honor" is to be shown to the marriage relation. It is not to be undervalued by the pretence of the superior purity of a state of celibacy, as if marriage were improper for any class of people or any condition of life; and it should not be dishonored by any violation of the marriage contract. The course of things has shown that there was abundant reason for the apostle to assert with emphasis, that "marriage was an honorable condition of life." There has been a constant effort made to show that celibacy was a more holy state; that there was something in marriage that rendered it "dishonorable" for those who are in the ministry, and for those of either sex who would be eminently pure. This sentiment has been the cause of more abomination in the world than any other single opinion claiming to have a religious sanction. It is one of the supports on which the Papal system rests, and has been one of the principal upholders of all the corruptions in monasteries and nunneries. The apostle asserts, without any restriction or qualification, that marriage is honorable in all; and this proves that it is lawful for the ministers of religion to marry, and that the whole doctrine of the superior purity of a state of celibacy is false; see this subject examined in the notes on 1 Cor. 7.
And the bed undefiled - Fidelity to the marriage vow.
But whore mongers and adulterers God will judge - All licentiousness of life, and all violations of the marriage covenant, will be severely punished by God; see the notes on Co1 6:9. The sins here referred to prevailed everywhere, and hence, there was the more propriety for the frequent and solemn injunctions to avoid them which we find in the Scriptures. |
| Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886] |
Marriage is honorable in all (τίμιος ὁ γάμος ἐν πᾶσιν)
Γάμος everywhere else in N.T. a wedding or wedding feast, often in the plural, as Mat 22:2, Mat 22:3, Mat 22:4; Luk 12:36. Τίμιος honorable or held in honor. Often in N.T. precious, of gold, stones, etc., as Co1 3:12; Rev 17:4; Rev 18:12; of life, Act 20:24; the fruits of the earth, Jam 5:7; the blood of Christ, Pe1 1:19; the divine promises, Pe2 1:4. Rend. "let marriage be had in honor." The statement is hortatory, as suiting the character of the entire context, and especially the γὰρ for; "for whoremongers," etc. Ἑν πᾶσιν in all respects," as Ti1 3:11; Ti2 4:5; Tit 2:9; Col 1:18; Phi 4:12. If as A.V., the more natural expression would be παρὰ πᾶσιν as Mat 19:26; Act 26:8; Rom 2:13; Th2 1:6; Jam 1:27. Ἑν πᾶσιν in all things appears in this chapter, Heb 13:18. There are many points in which marriage is to be honored besides the avoidance of illicit connections. See on Th1 4:6.
God will judge (κρινεῖ ὁ θεός)
Note the emphatic position of ὁ θεός. He will judge and condemn infractions of the marriage-bond, however social sentiment may condone them. |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| Marriage is honourable in, or for all sorts of men, clergy as well as laity: though the Romanists teach otherwise. And the bed undefiled - Consistent with the highest purity; though many spiritual writers, so called, say it is only licensed whoredom. But whoremongers and adulterers God will judge - Though they frequently escape the sentence of men. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
Marriage is honorable in all - Let this state be highly esteemed as one of God's own instituting, and as highly calculated to produce the best interests of mankind. This may have been said against the opinions of the Essenes, called Therapeutae, who held marriage in little repute, and totally abstained from it themselves as a state of comparative imperfection. At the same time it shows the absurdity of the popish tenet, that marriage in the clergy is both dishonorable and sinful; which is, in fact, in opposition to the apostle, who says marriage is honorable in All; and to the institution of God, which evidently designed that every male and female should be united in this holy bond; and to nature, which in every part of the habitable world has produced men and women in due proportion to each other.
The bed undefiled - Every man cleaving to his own wife, and every wife cleaving to her own husband, because God will judge, i.e. punish, all fornicators and adulterers.
Instead of δε but, γαρ, for, is the reading of AD*, one other, with the Vulgate, Coptic, and one of the Itala; it more forcibly expresses the reason of the prohibition: Let the bed be undefiled, For whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. |
18 Pray for us, for we are persuaded that we have a good conscience, desiring to live honorably in all things.
2 But, because of sexual immoralities, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband.
5 Be free from the love of money, content with such things as you have, for he has said, "I will in no way leave you, neither will I in any way forsake you."
9 Or don't you know that the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don't be deceived. Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor male prostitutes, nor homosexuals,
6 that no one should take advantage of and wrong a brother or sister in this matter; because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as also we forewarned you and testified.
18 Pray for us, for we are persuaded that we have a good conscience, desiring to live honorably in all things.
27 Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this: to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.
6 Since it is a righteous thing with God to repay affliction to those who afflict you,
13 For it isn't the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law will be justified
8 Why is it judged incredible with you, if God does raise the dead?
26 Looking at them, Yeshua said, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
12 I know how to be humbled, and I know also how to abound. In everything and in all things I have learned the secret both to be filled and to be hungry, both to abound and to be in need.
18 He is the head of the body, the assembly, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
9 Exhort servants to be in subjection to their own masters, and to be well-pleasing in all things; not contradicting;
5 But you be sober in all things, suffer hardship, do the work of an evangelist, and fulfill your ministry.
11 Their wives in the same way must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things.
4 by which he has granted to us his precious and exceedingly great promises; that through these you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world by lust.
19 but with precious blood, as of a faultless and pure lamb, the blood of Messiah;
7 Be patient therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient over it, until it receives the early and late rain.
24 But these things don't count; nor do I hold my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Yeshua, to fully testify to the Good News of the grace of God.
12 merchandise of gold, silver, precious stones, pearls, fine linen, purple, silk, scarlet, all expensive wood, every vessel of ivory, every vessel made of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble;
4 The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of the sexual immorality of the earth.
12 But if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or stubble;
36 Be like men watching for their lord, when he returns from the marriage feast; that, when he comes and knocks, they may immediately open to him.
4 Again he sent out other servants, saying, 'Tell those who are invited, "Behold, I have prepared my dinner. My cattle and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the marriage feast!"'
3 and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the marriage feast, but they would not come.
2 "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a certain king, who made a marriage feast for his son,