Hebrews 13 21

Hebrews 13:21 kjv

Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Hebrews 13:21 nkjv

make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Hebrews 13:21 niv

equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Hebrews 13:21 esv

equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Hebrews 13:21 nlt

may he equip you with all you need
for doing his will.
May he produce in you,
through the power of Jesus Christ,
every good thing that is pleasing to him.
All glory to him forever and ever! Amen.

Hebrews 13 verses

Hebrews 13 21 Meaning

This verse concludes a profound benediction, praying that God, the source of peace who resurrected Jesus, would divinely enable believers. It seeks for God to make them fully competent and prepared for every good action. This enabling is specifically to align their lives with God's will, actively working within them that which finds favor in His sight. All this divine work and resulting human response is solely accomplished through Jesus Christ, to whom all eternal glory rightfully belongs, affirmed by the "Amen."

Hebrews 13 21 Context

Hebrews 13:21 is the climax of a concluding prayer, a profound benediction, that begins in verse 20. The preceding verses of chapter 13 offer practical exhortations for Christian living, covering various aspects like love, hospitality, supporting prisoners, valuing marriage, contentment, and submitting to leaders. This prayer, specifically including verse 21, transitions from human responsibility to divine enablement, emphasizing that faithful Christian living is not achievable merely by human effort but by God's empowering grace. The prayer to the "God of peace" directly connects to Jesus' role in establishing the New Covenant through His sacrifice, bringing reconciliation and peace. This petition invokes God to provide the readers with all necessary equipping to embody the very commands and admonitions presented throughout the letter, highlighting God's ultimate sovereignty and Christ's indispensable role in the spiritual maturity and obedience of believers.

Hebrews 13 21 Word analysis

• Make you perfect / Equip you (καταρτίσαι, katartisai): This key verb signifies a divine act of thoroughly equipping, mending, or preparing someone for a specific purpose. It implies completing or restoring believers to a state of being fully suitable and competent for God's intended functions and service.
• in every good work (ἐν παντὶ ἔργῳ ἀγαθῷ, en panti ergō agathō): "Every" conveys universality. "Good work" denotes actions that are inherently righteous, morally sound, and beneficial, aligning with God's standards and character in all facets of life.
• to do his will (εἰς τὸ ποιῆσαι τὸ θέλημα αὐτοῦ, eis to poiēsai τὸ thelēma autou): This phrase states the precise purpose of God's equipping: enabling believers to actively fulfill God's sovereign desires and revealed commands. It implies active obedience to His divine plan.
• working (ἐνεργῶν, energōn): A dynamic participle, depicting God as continuously, effectively, and powerfully operating or exerting divine energy within believers. This denotes the internal, supernatural source of all genuinely good actions performed by God's people.
• in you (ἐν ὑμῖν, en hymin): Points to God's work as an internal empowerment, a transformative process originating from within the believer, rather than merely external commands.
• that which is wellpleasing (τὸ εὐάρεστον, to euareston): Refers to whatever is agreeable, acceptable, or deeply satisfying to God. This sets God's pleasure as the ultimate standard and desired outcome of all actions.
• in his sight (ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ, enōpion autou): Literally "before Him" or "in His presence." This emphasizes that all actions are performed under God's direct and omniscient observation, to be assessed by His perfect standard.
• through Jesus Christ (διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, dia Iēsou Christou): Crucially, this identifies Jesus Christ as the exclusive means, agent, and mediator through whom God’s work of equipping and enabling takes place. All actions that are truly pleasing to God flow from and are made acceptable by His redemptive work and ongoing mediation.
• to whom (ᾧ, hō): Directly refers to Jesus Christ. The ensuing doxology is unequivocally directed toward Him.
• be glory (ἡ δόξα, hē doxa): An expression of honor and worship, calling for all praise, splendor, and rightful recognition to be attributed. It acknowledges His inherent worth and supreme exaltation.
• for ever and ever (εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων, eis tous aiōnas tōn aiōnōn): A Hebraic idiom denoting eternal, boundless duration, signifying Christ's unending sovereignty and His perpetual worthiness of praise.
• Amen (Ἀμήν, Amēn): A transliterated Hebrew word meaning "so be it," "truly," or "firmly." It functions as a solemn affirmation and emphatic agreement with the preceding prayer and doxology, serving as a certain and conclusive statement.

Hebrews 13 21 Bonus section

This verse acts as a profound synthesis, integrating the theological message of Hebrews (especially Christ's high priesthood and the new covenant) with the call to live out faith practically. The phrase "perfect you" implies not only spiritual maturation but also restoration to proper function, as if setting a broken limb or mending a net. It is God's initiative to complete what is lacking or mend what is amiss in the believers, enabling them to fulfill His purpose. The internal "working" by God directly counteracts human weakness and reliance on self-effort, reinforcing divine grace as the sole source of effective service. This benediction also implicitly serves as a powerful encouragement for perseverance, given the strong warnings against spiritual drift and falling away earlier in the letter, affirming God’s faithfulness to sustain His people for enduring obedience. The comprehensive scope of "every good work" underscores that Christian living permeates all aspects of life, not just religious duties.

Hebrews 13 21 Commentary

Hebrews 13:21 stands as the magnificent conclusion to the book's final benediction, bridging doctrinal instruction with practical exhortation. It portrays a divine collaboration where God the Father, the "God of peace," acts; the Spirit works internally ("in you"); and all is made possible and acceptable through God the Son, Jesus Christ. This verse highlights that living a life characterized by "every good work" and adherence to "His will" is not achieved by human self-effort. Rather, it is the result of God's powerful, continuous, and supernatural "working in" believers, equipping them from within. The ultimate objective is to live a life that finds favor "in His sight." The indispensable role of Jesus Christ is central; all spiritual equipping, enablement, and the very possibility of pleasing God flow exclusively through Him. The final doxology rightly directs all eternal praise and honor to Christ, for He is the origin and sustainer of salvation, spiritual transformation, and righteous living. Practically, this truth liberates believers from relying on their own strength, encouraging confident reliance on God's active power to live lives that genuinely honor Him. For example, when faced with an overwhelming task for ministry, a believer finds strength and enablement not in personal capacity, but in God's promise to "equip" and "work in" them through Christ to accomplish His will.