Hebrews 13 9

Hebrews 13:9 kjv

Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.

Hebrews 13:9 nkjv

Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them.

Hebrews 13:9 niv

Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace, not by eating ceremonial foods, which is of no benefit to those who do so.

Hebrews 13:9 esv

Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them.

Hebrews 13:9 nlt

So do not be attracted by strange, new ideas. Your strength comes from God's grace, not from rules about food, which don't help those who follow them.

Hebrews 13 verses

Hebrews 13 9 Meaning

Hebrews 13:9 warns believers not to be led astray by diverse and alien doctrines. It underscores that true spiritual establishment and stability of heart come from God's grace, not from adherence to ceremonial observances, particularly those related to foods, which have proven to be of no spiritual profit to those who practiced them. The verse contrasts the fleeting nature of external rituals with the enduring power of God's unmerited favor for spiritual maturity and steadfastness.

Hebrews 13 9 Context

Hebrews chapter 13 serves as a series of exhortations, bringing to a close the epistle's extensive theological discourse on the supremacy of Christ and the New Covenant. The chapter shifts from doctrinal argument to practical Christian living, encouraging believers in various virtues such as brotherly love, hospitality, remembrance of prisoners, marital faithfulness, freedom from materialism, and submission to leaders. Verse 9 specifically addresses the danger of spiritual instability caused by "varied and strange teachings." This warning is crucial given that the original audience, Jewish Christians, faced pressures to revert to elements of the Old Covenant law or embrace other forms of religiosity. The mention of "foods" directly refers to adherence to Jewish dietary laws (kosher), cultic meals, or possibly ascetic practices associated with emerging Gnostic-like thought. The author emphasizes that these external practices cannot spiritually profit or strengthen the heart, in contrast to the saving and sustaining power of God's grace in Christ, which is the true source of inner stability.

Hebrews 13 9 Word analysis

• Do not be carried away (μὴ παραφέρɛσθɛ - mē parapheresthe): This is an imperative in the passive voice, implying that one might be passively affected or drifted without deliberate choice, like a ship being carried off course by currents or winds. It conveys a warning against spiritual instability and being easily swayed from truth.
• by varied (ποικίλαις - poikilais): Means "manifold," "diverse," "different kinds." It suggests that the false teachings are not monolithic but come in many forms, adding to their deceptive potential and making them harder to identify.
• and strange (καὶ ξέναις - kai xenais): Implies "foreign," "alien," "unusual," "unfamiliar." These teachings are not part of the Christian message based on Christ and the New Covenant; they originate from outside the true apostolic doctrine. They are not merely different, but alien to faith in Christ.
• teachings (διδαχαῖς - didachais): Refers to doctrines or instructions. It highlights that the threat is not just general worldliness but specific sets of beliefs that present themselves as spiritual truths.
• for it is good (καλὸν γὰρ - kalon gar): Introduces the positive reason or a sound principle for avoiding such doctrines. It is morally and spiritually beneficial.
• for the heart (τὴν καρδίαν - tēn kardian): In biblical terms, the heart signifies the inner person, the seat of intellect, will, emotions, and spiritual understanding. True strengthening affects one's deepest being.
• to be strengthened (βεβαιοῦσθαι - bebaousthai): Means "to be established," "confirmed," "made firm" or "secure." This is a spiritual permanence and stability that resists external pressures and deceptive teachings.
• by grace (χάριτι - chariti): Refers to God's undeserved favor and divine enabling power. It is the fundamental principle of the New Covenant and the true source of all spiritual growth and stability, directly contrasting human effort or ritual.
• not by foods (οὐ βρώμασιν - ou brōmasin): This negates external, ritualistic observances, specifically dietary rules. These "foods" would typically refer to the Mosaic dietary laws (kosher), sacrificial meats, or other ritualistic meals and abstinences that some believed were necessary for spiritual purity or merit. This clarifies the type of "strange teachings" the author had in mind, primarily emphasizing Old Covenant regulations or legalism.
• through which (ἐν οἷς - en hois): Refers back to "foods" or, more broadly, to the practices associated with such "strange teachings."
• those who were so occupied (οἱ περιπατήσαντες - hoi peripatēsantes): Literally "those who walked in these things" or "those who conducted themselves in them." It denotes a way of life or adherence to practices, implying sustained engagement.
• were not benefited (οὐκ ὠφελήθησαν - ouk ōfelēthēsan): Means "were not profited," "gained no advantage," or "received no help." It stresses the futility and ineffectiveness of these practices for true spiritual advancement or acceptance before God. The emphasis is on spiritual, not physical, benefit.

Word Group Analysis:

• "Do not be carried away by varied and strange teachings": This phrase encapsulates the danger of being passively swayed by numerous, diverse, and alien doctrines that seek to undermine the foundation of Christ's teaching. It highlights the deceptive nature of false doctrine that often appears novel or profound.
• "for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace": This is the positive counterpoint to the warning. True spiritual health and steadfastness stem from a deep, inner establishment that is rooted in the divine enabling power and unmerited favor of God, revealed supremely in Christ. This emphasizes internal spiritual reality over external ritual.
• "not by foods, through which those who were so occupied were not benefited": This specific negative example clarifies the nature of the "strange teachings," likely linking them to ritualistic dietary laws or ceremonial observances of the Old Covenant or related asceticisms. It underscores that such practices are ultimately barren for spiritual growth and do not secure favor with God. The past tense "were not benefited" draws upon historical and contemporary observation that adherence to these rules failed to produce spiritual profit.

Hebrews 13 9 Bonus section

The concept of "the heart being strengthened" speaks to an inner resolve and firmness of conviction that guards against spiritual compromise. This strength is passive, meaning it is received from God's grace, not generated by human will or effort alone. This echoes a central theme in Hebrews—the superiority and finality of Christ's work and the New Covenant, rendering Old Covenant rituals obsolete for obtaining spiritual merit or perfection. The "strange teachings" also serve as a timeless caution, reminding believers across generations that any doctrine which points away from Christ and His grace as the sole means of justification and spiritual growth, often by introducing human works, rituals, or esoteric knowledge, is indeed "strange" and ultimately unprofitable. The Epistle of Hebrews implicitly argues that such teachings subtly diminish the sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice, replacing spiritual reality with mere shadows.

Hebrews 13 9 Commentary

Hebrews 13:9 is a vital warning against apostasy, particularly concerning doctrinal purity. The author admonishes believers to resist "varied and strange teachings" that diverged from the simple, yet profound, truth of the Gospel. These teachings were "varied," meaning they came in different forms and shades, and "strange," indicating they were foreign to the established apostolic doctrine and the radical newness of Christ's New Covenant. The primary antidote to such instability is revealed as the heart being "strengthened by grace." This highlights a core theological truth: spiritual robustness comes from God's undeserved favor and divine enablement, which fundamentally reshapes and establishes the inner being, not from human effort or external adherence.

The contrast is sharply drawn with "foods." This reference almost certainly targets the Jewish ceremonial dietary laws or ritualistic meals. Some scholars also include emerging Gnostic asceticism. The point is not a condemnation of all eating, but the rejection of external regulations regarding diet as a means to achieve spiritual righteousness or favour with God. The historical observation provided—that "those who were so occupied were not benefited"—serves as powerful evidence. Adherence to such physical observances proved spiritually fruitless; they could not perfect the worshiper (Heb 9:9). True spiritual strength, peace, and steadfastness come through trusting in the finished work of Christ and relying on God's sustaining grace, not on external practices or a return to old, abrogated covenants. This verse calls believers to maintain Gospel simplicity, trusting solely in Christ's sufficient grace for true inner establishment and freedom from misleading doctrines.