Hebrews 6 5

Hebrews 6:5 kjv

And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,

Hebrews 6:5 nkjv

and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come,

Hebrews 6:5 niv

who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age

Hebrews 6:5 esv

and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come,

Hebrews 6:5 nlt

who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the power of the age to come ?

Hebrews 6 verses

Hebrews 6 5 Meaning

Hebrews 6:5 describes individuals who have genuinely experienced deep spiritual realities, specifically tasting "the goodness of the word of God" and "the powers of the coming age." This means they have not merely heard about God's revealed truth, but have experientially partaken in its beneficial nature. They have also witnessed or participated in the supernatural demonstrations and transformative capabilities that belong to the age of the Messiah, which, though fully future, has already begun to intrude into the present through Christ and the Holy Spirit's work. This verse, following verse 4, portrays profound engagement with divine revelation and power, laying the groundwork for the author's severe warning against falling away after such an experience.

Hebrews 6 5 Context

Hebrews 6:5 is part of a crucial passage (6:4-8) containing one of the most sobering warnings in the New Testament. The author addresses a group of believers who, despite having received significant spiritual experiences, were demonstrating spiritual immaturity (5:12-14) and risking apostasy—a deliberate turning away from Christ.

The verses immediately preceding (6:4) describe four core experiences: "enlightened," "tasted the heavenly gift," "shared in the Holy Spirit," and "tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age." These experiences are presented as deep and undeniable encounters with divine reality, making a willful rejection of Christ after such knowledge an act of severe spiritual rebellion that is "impossible... to renew again to repentance" (6:6).

In the broader context of Hebrews chapter 6, the author is urging these believers to "go on to maturity" (6:1) and not regress to "elementary doctrines." This warning is presented not to discourage genuine believers, but to stir up perseverance and spiritual progress by highlighting the gravity of falling away. The author contrasts the severe fate of apostates (likened to land producing thorns for burning in 6:7-8) with his confident hope for the genuine faith and perseverance of his audience (6:9-12). The chapter continues by offering encouragement through God's unwavering promises and the surety of Christ's high priestly ministry.

Historically, the original audience was Jewish Christians potentially facing persecution or social pressure, tempting them to revert to Judaism. The entire book of Hebrews argues for the superiority of Christ over Old Covenant institutions, rites, and figures, showing that reverting to Judaism would be a grave step backwards, turning away from a greater revelation and a better covenant.

Hebrews 6 5 Word analysis

• and have tasted (γευσαμένους - geusamenous): This is a participle from the verb geuomai, meaning "to taste, try, experience." It denotes a genuine, personal sensory encounter. It is more than intellectual understanding; it signifies a direct participation in, or reception of, something. While it can imply full consumption (like tasting food for a meal), in contexts of spiritual experience it often denotes a real sampling or foretaste that may or may not lead to full appropriation. The depth of this "tasting" is crucial; it’s a tangible, impactful experience of the divine.

• the goodness (καλοῦ - kalou): Derived from kalos, meaning "good, noble, excellent, beautiful." It speaks to the intrinsic positive quality and beneficial nature of that which is tasted. It’s not just a taste of "the word," but of its goodness—its beneficial, excellent, and life-giving attributes.

• of the word of God (Θεοῦ ῥῆμα - rhema Theou): The term rhema here refers to God's uttered, spoken word, or a specific divine utterance, as opposed to logos which can encompass the broader concept of God's eternal Word or wisdom. This emphasizes the active, proclaimed, and experienced dimension of God’s revelation. It implies the effective proclamation of the Gospel message and the personal experience of its power and truth in one's life. This is not just theoretical knowledge but living divine truth applied.

• and the powers (δυνάμεις - dynameis): The plural of dynamis, meaning "power, strength, ability," often specifically refers to "miraculous powers," "mighty works," or "signs." It speaks of supernatural demonstrations of God's might. These are divine capabilities, operations, or manifestations.

• of the coming age (μέλλοντος αἰῶνος - mellontos aionos): This refers to the eschatological future, the age of the Messiah's full reign, the consummated Kingdom of God. Biblical eschatology teaches that this "coming age" has already been inaugurated through Christ's first advent, resurrection, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, its "powers" (miracles, spiritual gifts, transforming grace) are experienced in the present as a foretaste or down payment of the full blessings to come. It underscores the profound eschatological reality impacting the believers' current experience.

Words-group analysis

• tasted the goodness of the word of God: This phrase highlights a genuine and beneficial personal encounter with the revealed truth of God. It implies more than mere intellectual assent; it speaks of an experienced spiritual nourishment and a recognition of the inherent excellence and beneficence of God's truth as it impacts one's life. This "word" can be the Gospel message itself, bringing conviction, light, and a sense of God's presence and goodness.

• and the powers of the coming age: This refers to the supernatural manifestations that accompany the dawning of God's Kingdom through Christ. These are tangible, often miraculous, displays of divine authority and energy (like healings, exorcisms, prophecies, and other spiritual gifts). The "coming age" denotes the Messianic era, and these "powers" are concrete proofs that God’s future, victorious reign is actively breaking into and transforming the present, validating the New Covenant reality. Those who "tasted" these powers were directly exposed to the supernatural confirmation of Christ's dominion and the Spirit's activity.

Hebrews 6 5 Bonus section

The experiences described in Hebrews 6:4-5 are a composite picture of the initial and ongoing encounter that individuals can have with the living God, primarily through the preaching of the Gospel and the work of the Holy Spirit. While profound, the text uses "tasted" (γευσαμένους), a word that can sometimes imply a genuine, yet not necessarily fully salvific or enduring, partaking. This serves to underscore that a rich experience of spiritual realities and participation in the outward manifestations of the Spirit, though vital and powerful, must be accompanied by persistent faith and ongoing obedience to truly "go on to maturity." These initial profound encounters with God are meant to lead to deep and abiding commitment, not to be viewed as an end in themselves. The very reality of "powers of the coming age" indicates an overlap of the 'already' and the 'not yet' aspects of God's Kingdom—future glory has invaded the present through Christ, empowering His people.

Hebrews 6 5 Commentary

Hebrews 6:5 builds upon the description of profound spiritual experience given in verse 4, highlighting two additional, interconnected dimensions: tasting the inherent excellence of God's word and participating in the miraculous capabilities belonging to the future age. "Tasting" signifies an experiential acquaintance—not a mere theoretical understanding, but a real, personal apprehension of divine reality. This "word of God" is presented as "good," implying its beneficial, life-giving, and morally upright character, as directly encountered by the individuals.

Furthermore, they have experienced "the powers of the coming age." This refers to the miraculous and supernatural demonstrations that serve as irrefutable signs of God's active presence and the dawning of the Messianic era. While the fullness of God's kingdom is yet to come, its power and reality have decisively broken into the present through the advent of Christ, His resurrection, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. These "powers" include healings, exorcisms, spiritual gifts, and other divine operations that authenticate the gospel message and signal the reign of God.

Therefore, the individuals described in Hebrews 6:4-5 are portrayed as having been brought into intimate contact with the divine. They have known and personally felt the goodness of God's truth, and they have witnessed or been recipients of extraordinary supernatural phenomena. These experiences are not superficial; they involve a deep exposure to the glory and transforming power of God. The gravity of the subsequent warning (6:6) derives precisely from the profound nature of these preceding experiences. It implies that to turn back from Christ after such a rich, authentic encounter with God's word and the demonstrable power of His Kingdom is an act of ultimate betrayal against clear revelation and divine grace. It is a willful rejection of spiritual realities that are genuinely heavenly and demonstrably true.