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Selected Verse: Hebrews 12:13 - Strong Concordance
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Heb 12:13 |
Strong Concordance |
And [2532] make [4160] straight [3717] paths [5163] for your [5216] feet [4228], lest that [3363] which is lame [5560] be turned out of the way [1624]; but [1161] let it [2390] rather [3123] be healed [2390]. |
| |
King James |
And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. |
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] |
Quoted from Pro 4:26, Septuagint, "Make straight paths for thy feet."
straight--that is, leading by a straight road to joy and grace (Heb 12:1-2, Heb 12:15). Cease to "halt" between Judaism and Christianity [BENGEL].
paths--literally, "wheel tracks." Let your walk be so firm and so unanimous in the right direction that a plain track and "highway" may be thereby established for those who accompany and follow you, to perceive and walk in (Isa 35:8) [ALFORD].
that which is lame--those "weak in the faith" (Rom 14:1), having still Judaizing prejudices.
be turned out of the way-- (Pro 4:27); and, so missing the way, lose the prize of "the race" (Heb 12:1).
rather he healed--Proper exercise of itself contributes to health; the habit of walking straight onward in the right way tends to healing. |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
And make straight paths for your feet - Margin, "even." The word used here means properly straight, in the sense of upright, erect; Act 14:10; but it is used here in the sense of straight horizontally, that is, level, plain, smooth. The meaning is, that they were to remove all obstacles out of the way, so that they need not stumble and fail. There is probably an allusion here to Pro 4:25-27. "Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left; remove thy foot from evil." The idea is, that by every proper means they were to make the way to heaven as plain and easy as possible. They were to allow no obstructions in the path over which the lame and feeble might fall.
Lest that which is lame be turned out of the way - A lame man needs a smooth path to walk in. The idea is here, that everything which would prevent those in the church who were in any danger of falling - the feeble, the unestablished, the weak - from walking in the path to heaven, or which might be an occasion to them of falling, should be removed. Or it may mean, that in a road that was not level, those who were lame would be in danger of spraining, distorting, or wrenching a lame limb; and the counsel is, that whatever would have a tendency to this should be removed. Divested of the figure, the passage means, that everything should be removed which would hinder anyone from walking in the path to life.
But let it rather be healed - As in the case of lameness, pains should be taken to heal it rather than to suffer it to be increased by careless exposure to a new sprain or fracture, so it should be in our religious and moral character. Whatever is defective we should endeavor to restore to soundness, rather than to suffer the defect to be increased. Whatever is feeble in our faith or hope; whatever evil tendency there is in our hearts, we should endeavor to strengthen and amend, lest it should become worse, and we should entirely fall. |
| Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886] |
Make straight paths for your feet (τροχιὰς ὀρθὰς ποιεῖτε τοῖς ποσὶν ὑμῶν)
After the lxx of Pro 4:26. The corresponding Hebrew means to tear, to cut into: hence to cut through as a path; to make firm or plain. Ὁρθός N.T. Only here and Act 14:10; commonly straight or upright, but also right, safe, happy. Comp. Pro 8:6; Pro 15:14; Pro 21:8. here, not in the sense of straight as distinguished from crooked, but more generally, right, plain, by implication even or smooth. Τροχιά N.T.o is literally a wheel-track (τροχός a wheel). Very rare in profane Greek. Τοῖς ποσὶν ὑμῶν "for your feet," not with. That is, exert yourselves to make the course clear for yourselves and your fellow Christians, so that there be no stumbling and laming.
That which is lame (τὸ χωλὸν)
Χωλός lame, halting, only in Synoptic Gospels and Acts. Mostly in the literal sense. Proverbial in Isa 33:23. Metaphorically here, and partly Mat 18:8; Mar 9:45. The verb χωλαίνειν to be lame or to make lame (not in N.T.) is used metaphorically in lxx, Psa 18:45; Kg1 18:21, where the A.V. "how long halt ye between two opinions" is ἕως πότε ὐμεῖς χωλανεῖτε ἐπ' ἀμφοτέραις ταῖς ἰγνύαις how long do ye go lame on both your hams? Τὸ χωλὸν here signifies the lame part or limb.
Be turned out of the way (ἐκτραπῇ)
Rend. "be put out of joint." The A.V. is according to the more usual meaning of the verb, which, in N.T., is confined, with this exception, to the Pastoral Epistles. See Ti1 1:6; Ti1 5:15; Ti2 4:4. lxx only Amo 5:8. But it is also used by medical writers in the passive, with the meaning to be wrenched or dislocated. There is nothing strange in the use of this word in a medical sense by our writer, whose work bears the stamp of Alexandria. The Greeks received their knowledge of surgery from the Egyptians, and mural paintings and documents, and even hieroglyphic symbols, prove that that people had attained remarkable proficiency in the science. Herodotus (ch. iii. 131) mentions a medical school at Cyrene in Africa, and says that the pupils of that school were regarded as the second best physicians in all Greece. At the time of Galen (163 a.d.) the medical school of Alexandria was the most famous in the world, and Galen himself studied there. Celsus (first half of the first century a.d.), in the 7th book of his treatise De Artibius, treats of surgical operations according to the views of the Alexandrian schools. The commonly accepted rendering of the A.V., besides giving a conception which is very tame, presents two incongruities: the association of going astray with lameness, and of healing with straying. The other rendering gives a lively and consistent image. Make the paths smooth and even, so that the lame limb be not dislocated by stones or pitfalls. Do everything to avoid aggravating the weakness of a fellow-Christian. Rather try to heal it. Τὸ χωλὸν may refer either to an individual or to a section of the church which is weak and vacillating. |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| And make straight paths both for your own and for their feet - Remove every hinderance, every offence. That the lame - They who are weak, scarce able to walk. Be not turned out of the way - Of faith and holiness. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
| Make straight paths for your feet - That is, Take the straight path that is before you, do not go in crooked or rough ways, where are stones, briers, and thorns, by which you will be inevitably lamed, and so totally prevented from proceeding in the way; whereas, if you go in the even, proper path, though you have been wounded by getting into a wrong way, that which was wounded will be healed by moderate, equal exercise, all impediments being removed. The application of all this to a correct, holy deportment in religious life, is both natural and easy. |
1 Wherefore [5105] seeing we also [2532] are [2192] compassed about [4029] [2254] with so great [5118] a cloud [3509] of witnesses [3144], let [659] us [2249] lay aside [659] every [3956] weight [3591], and [2532] the sin [266] which doth so easily beset [2139] us, and let us run [5143] with [1223] patience [5281] the race [73] that is set before [4295] us [2254],
27 Turn [05186] not to the right hand [03225] nor to the left [08040]: remove [05493] thy foot [07272] from evil [07451].
1 Him that is weak [770] in the faith [4102] receive ye [4355], but [1161] not [3361] to [1519] doubtful [1261] disputations [1253].
8 And an highway [04547] shall be there, and a way [01870], and it shall be called [07121] The way [01870] of holiness [06944]; the unclean [02931] shall not pass over [05674] it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men [01980], though fools [0191], shall not err [08582] therein.
15 Looking diligently [1983] lest [3361] any man [5100] fail [5302] of [575] the grace [5485] of God [2316]; lest [3361] any [5100] root [4491] of bitterness [4088] springing [5453] up [507] trouble [1776] you, and [2532] thereby [1223] [5026] many [4183] be defiled [3392];
1 Wherefore [5105] seeing we also [2532] are [2192] compassed about [4029] [2254] with so great [5118] a cloud [3509] of witnesses [3144], let [659] us [2249] lay aside [659] every [3956] weight [3591], and [2532] the sin [266] which doth so easily beset [2139] us, and let us run [5143] with [1223] patience [5281] the race [73] that is set before [4295] us [2254],
2 Looking [872] unto [1519] Jesus [2424] the author [747] and [2532] finisher [5051] of our faith [4102]; who [3739] for [473] the joy [5479] that was set before [4295] him [846] endured [5278] the cross [4716], despising [2706] the shame [152], and [5037] is set down [2523] at [1722] the right hand [1188] of the throne [2362] of God [2316].
26 Ponder [06424] the path [04570] of thy feet [07272], and let all thy ways [01870] be established [03559].
25 Let thine eyes [05869] look [05027] right on [05227], and let thine eyelids [06079] look straight [03474] before thee.
26 Ponder [06424] the path [04570] of thy feet [07272], and let all thy ways [01870] be established [03559].
27 Turn [05186] not to the right hand [03225] nor to the left [08040]: remove [05493] thy foot [07272] from evil [07451].
10 Said [2036] with a loud [3173] voice [5456], Stand [450] upright [3717] on [1909] thy [4675] feet [4228]. And [2532] he leaped [242] and [2532] walked [4043].
8 Seek him that maketh [06213] the seven stars [03598] and Orion [03685], and turneth [02015] the shadow of death [06757] into the morning [01242], and maketh the day [03117] dark [02821] with night [03915]: that calleth [07121] for the waters [04325] of the sea [03220], and poureth them out [08210] upon the face [06440] of the earth [0776]: The LORD [03068] is his name [08034]:
4 And [2532] they shall turn away [3303] [654] their ears [189] from [575] the truth [225], and [1161] shall be turned [1624] unto [1909] fables [3454].
15 For [1063] some [5100] are [1624] already [2235] turned aside [1624] after [3694] Satan [4567].
6 From which [3739] some [5100] having swerved [795] have turned aside [1624] unto [1519] vain jangling [3150];
21 And Elijah [0452] came [05066] unto all the people [05971], and said [0559], How long [05921] halt [06452] ye between two [08147] opinions [05587]? if the LORD [03068] be God [0430], follow him: but if Baal [01168], then follow [03212] [0310] him. And the people [05971] answered [06030] him not a word [01697].
45 The strangers [01121] [05236] shall fade away [05034], and be afraid [02727] out of their close places [04526].
45 And [2532] if [1437] thy [4675] foot [4228] offend [4624] thee [4571], cut [609] it [846] off [609]: it is [2076] better [2570] for thee [4671] to enter [1525] halt [5560] into [1519] life [2222], than [2228] having [2192] two [1417] feet [4228] to be cast [906] into [1519] hell [1067], into [1519] the fire [4442] that never shall be quenched [762]:
8 Wherefore [1161] if [1487] thy [4675] hand [5495] or [2228] thy [4675] foot [4228] offend thee [4624], cut [1581] them [846] off [1581], and [2532] cast [906] them from [575] thee [4571] [4675]: it is [2076] better [2570] for thee [4671] to enter into [1525] [1519] life [2222] halt [5560] or [2228] maimed [2948], rather than [2228] having [2192] two [1417] hands [5495] or [2228] two [1417] feet [4228] to be cast [906] into [1519] everlasting [166] fire [4442].
23 Thy tacklings [02256] are loosed [05203]; they could not well [03653] strengthen [02388] their mast [08650], they could not spread [06566] the sail [05251]: then is the prey [05706] of a great [04766] spoil [07998] divided [02505]; the lame [06455] take [0962] the prey [0957].
8 The way [01870] of man [0376] is froward [02019] and strange [02054]: but as for the pure [02134], his work [06467] is right [03477].
14 The heart [03820] of him that hath understanding [0995] seeketh [01245] knowledge [01847]: but the mouth [06310] [06440] of fools [03684] feedeth [07462] on foolishness [0200].
6 Hear [08085]; for I will speak [01696] of excellent things [05057]; and the opening [04669] of my lips [08193] shall be right things [04339].
10 Said [2036] with a loud [3173] voice [5456], Stand [450] upright [3717] on [1909] thy [4675] feet [4228]. And [2532] he leaped [242] and [2532] walked [4043].
26 Ponder [06424] the path [04570] of thy feet [07272], and let all thy ways [01870] be established [03559].