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Wednesday, November 27th, 2024
the Week of Christ the King / Proper 29 / Ordinary 34
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Read the Bible

Revised Standard Version

Hebrews 3:14

For we share in Christ, if only we hold our first confidence firm to the end,

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Assurance;   Blessing;   Contingencies;   Decision;   Perseverance;   Procrastination;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Assurance;   Perseverance;   Steadfastness;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Moses;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Apostacy;   Endurance;   Exodus;   Fellowship;   Perseverance;   Type, typology;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Moses;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Hebrews;   Perseverance;   Security of the Believer;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Hebrews, Epistle to;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Confidence;   Elect, Election ;   Hebrews Epistle to the;   Justification;   Perseverance;   Regeneration;   Substance ;   Union;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Confidence;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Mo'ses;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Christ, Offices of;   Confidence;   Hebrews, Epistle to the;  

Devotionals:

- Daily Light on the Daily Path - Devotion for May 18;  

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
We have the honor of sharing in all that Christ has if we continue until the end to have the sure faith we had in the beginning.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
We are partetakers of Christ yf we kepe sure vnto the ende the fyrst substance
Hebrew Names Version
For we have become partakers of Messiah, if we hold fast the beginning of our confidence firm to the end:
New American Standard Bible
For we have become partakers of Christ if we keep the beginning of our commitment firm until the end,
New Century Version
We all share in Christ if we keep till the end the sure faith we had in the beginning.
Update Bible Version
for we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our confidence firm to the end:
Webster's Bible Translation
For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end;
English Standard Version
For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.
World English Bible
For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our confidence firm to the end:
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
(For we are made partakers of Christ, if
Weymouth's New Testament
For we have, all alike, become sharers with Christ, if we really hold our first confidence firm to the End;
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
For we ben maad parceneris of Crist, if netheles we holden the bigynnyng of his substaunce sad in to the ende.
English Revised Version
for we are become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our confidence firm unto the end:
Berean Standard Bible
We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly to the end the assurance we had at first.
Contemporary English Version
We were sure about Christ when we first became his people. So let's hold tightly to our faith until the end.
Amplified Bible
For we [believers] have become partakers of Christ [sharing in all that the Messiah has for us], if only we hold firm our newborn confidence [which originally led us to Him] until the end,
American Standard Version
for we are become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our confidence firm unto the end:
Bible in Basic English
For if we keep the substance of the faith which we had at the start, even till the end, we have a part with Christ;
Complete Jewish Bible
For we have become sharers in the Messiah, provided, however, that we hold firmly to the conviction we began with, right through until the goal is reached.
Darby Translation
For we are become companions of the Christ if indeed we hold the beginning of the assurance firm to the end;
International Standard Version
For we are Christ's partners only if we hold on to our original confidence to the end.to the end">[fn]Hebrews 3:6;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
For we are made participators with [fn] the Meshiha, if, from the beginning and unto the end, in this very standing we steadfastly persist.
Murdock Translation
For we have part with the Messiah, if we persevere in this firm confidence, from the beginning to the end:
King James Version (1611)
For wee are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast vnto the end.
New Living Translation
For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ.
New Life Bible
For we belong to Christ if we keep on trusting Him to the end just as we trusted Him at first.
New Revised Standard
For we have become partners of Christ, if only we hold our first confidence firm to the end.
Geneva Bible (1587)
For we are made partakers of Christ, if we keepe sure vnto the ende that beginning, wherewith we are vpholden,
George Lamsa Translation
For we are made partakers of Christ, if from the beginning to the very end we hold steadfast to this true covenant,
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
For, partners of the Christ, have we become, - if, at least, the beginning of the confidence, throughout, firm, we hold fast:
Douay-Rheims Bible
For we are made partakers of Christ: yet so, if we hold the beginning of his substance firm unto the end.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
For we are made partakers of Christe, yf we kepe sure vnto the ende the begynnyng of the substaunce,
Good News Translation
For we are all partners with Christ if we hold firmly to the end the confidence we had at the beginning.
Christian Standard Bible®
For we have become participants in Christ if we hold firmly until the end the reality that we had at the start.
King James Version
For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;
Lexham English Bible
For we have become partners of Christ, if indeed we hold fast the beginning of our commitment steadfast until the end,
Literal Translation
For we have become partakers of Christ, if truly we hold the beginning of the assurance firm to the end;
Young's Literal Translation
for partakers we have become of the Christ, if the beginning of the confidence unto the end we may hold fast,
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
For we are become partakers of Christ, yf we kepe sure vnto ye ende the begynnynge of the substace,
Mace New Testament (1729)
for we were receiv'd into the communion of Christ, upon condition of inviolably maintaining the hope we had at the beginning even unto the end,
New English Translation
For we have become partners with Christ, if in fact we hold our initial confidence firm until the end.
New King James Version
For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end,
Simplified Cowboy Version
If we can stay in the saddle until our ride is over, believing and trusting in God the way we did at first, we will share in all the things that belong to Jesus.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end,
Legacy Standard Bible
For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end,

Contextual Overview

7 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, "Today, when you hear his voice, 8 do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness, 9 where your fathers put me to the test and saw my works for forty years. 10 Therefore I was provoked with that generation, and said, 'They always go astray in their hearts; they have not known my ways.' 11 As I swore in my wrath, 'They shall never enter my rest.'" 12 Take care, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. 13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called "today," that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we share in Christ, if only we hold our first confidence firm to the end, 15 while it is said, "Today, when you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion." 16 Who were they that heard and yet were rebellious? Was it not all those who left Egypt under the leadership of Moses?

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

we are: Hebrews 3:1, Hebrews 6:4, Hebrews 12:10, Romans 11:17, 1 Corinthians 1:30, 1 Corinthians 9:23, 1 Corinthians 10:17, Ephesians 3:6, 1 Timothy 6:2, 1 Peter 4:13, 1 Peter 5:1, 1 John 1:3

if: Hebrews 3:6, Hebrews 6:11

Reciprocal: Leviticus 8:32 - General Numbers 29:25 - General Numbers 35:28 - he should Lamentations 3:26 - hope Hosea 6:3 - if Matthew 10:22 - but Matthew 24:13 - General Mark 13:13 - but John 8:31 - If John 13:1 - unto Romans 11:22 - if thou 1 Corinthians 1:9 - the fellowship 1 Corinthians 10:16 - the communion of the blood 1 Corinthians 15:2 - keep in memory 1 Corinthians 15:58 - be ye Galatians 5:1 - Stand Galatians 6:9 - if Philippians 1:5 - General Philippians 3:8 - win Philippians 4:1 - so Colossians 1:12 - partakers Colossians 1:23 - ye continue Colossians 2:5 - and the Colossians 2:6 - received 1 Thessalonians 3:8 - if 1 Timothy 1:19 - Holding 1 Timothy 3:2 - the husband 1 Timothy 6:12 - lay Philemon 1:17 - thou count Hebrews 4:3 - we Hebrews 4:14 - let Hebrews 10:23 - hold Hebrews 10:35 - Cast Hebrews 11:1 - substance James 5:11 - we count 2 Peter 3:17 - from 1 John 2:24 - abide 1 John 5:12 - that hath the 1 John 5:14 - this 2 John 1:9 - He that

Cross-References

Genesis 3:1
Now the serpent was more subtle than any other wild creature that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God say, 'You shall not eat of any tree of the garden'?"
Genesis 3:15
I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel."
Genesis 3:20
The man called his wife's name Eve, because she was the mother of all living.
Genesis 9:6
Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for God made man in his own image.
Leviticus 20:25
You shall therefore make a distinction between the clean beast and the unclean, and between the unclean bird and the clean; you shall not make yourselves abominable by beast or by bird or by anything with which the ground teems, which I have set apart for you to hold unclean.
Psalms 72:9
May his foes bow down before him, and his enemies lick the dust!
Isaiah 29:4
Then deep from the earth you shall speak, from low in the dust your words shall come; your voice shall come from the ground like the voice of a ghost, and your speech shall whisper out of the dust.
Isaiah 65:25
The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, the lion shall eat straw like the ox; and dust shall be the serpent's food. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain, says the LORD."
Micah 7:17
they shall lick the dust like a serpent, like the crawling things of the earth; they shall come trembling out of their strongholds, they shall turn in dread to the LORD our God, and they shall fear because of thee.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For we are made partakers of Christ,.... Being loved by him, given to him, and chosen in him before the foundation of the world; and so participate of all spiritual blessings in him; for this respects something past, and may be rendered, "we have been made". The phrase is expressive of union to Christ, which is not by faith on man's part, and by the Spirit on Christ's part, but by his everlasting love, taking his people into an oneness with himself; thereby becoming their head, surety, and representative, which is the ground and foundation of all the blessings of grace being imparted to them: hence arises communion; as this is a conjugal union, there is communion of names, of persons, of goods, of honour and dignity, and of everlasting glory; as it is a federal or representative union, hence a non-imputation of sin, justification, and freedom from condemnation; and as it is an union of head and members; hence a communication of life, and the security of it, and of all grace and strength; hence holiness, fruitfulness, and perseverance, and everlasting happiness both of soul and body:

if we hold fast the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end; by "confidence" is meant faith, which is an hypostasis, or subsistence, which is the word here used; and is so called, because it gives a kind of subsistence, substance, or being, to things it is concerned with, Hebrews 11:1 and because it is a great support to believers, under their various exercises; and is that by which they have an open, spiritual, and comfortable subsistence, and abiding in Christ: the "beginning" of it, which is to be held fast, is either Christ himself, who is the αρχη, "the beginning", the author, and finisher of faith; and so this shows from whom, and in what way, this grace is distributed; and is expressive of communion with Christ, and is an evidence of the participation of him: or else the Gospel, which is the means of implanting faith, and directs to that which is the ground and foundation of it; and this is to be held fast, and never to be departed from: or else the grace of faith itself, which is a grace but begun, not yet finished, but shall continue, and is to be held fast, and constantly exercised; and perseverance in believing on Christ is an evidence of union to him.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For we are made partakers of Christ - We are spiritually united to the Saviour. We become one with him. We partake of his spirit and his allotments. The sacred writers are accustomed to describe the Christian as being closely united to the Saviour, and as being one with him see the John 15:1-7; John 17:21, John 17:23 notes; Ephesians 5:30 note; 1 Corinthians 12:27 note. The idea is, that we participate in all that pertains to him. It is a union of feeling and affection; a union of principle and of congeniality; a union of dependence as well as love; a union where nothing is to be imparted by us, but everything gained; and a union, therefore, on the part of the Redeemer of great condescension. It is the union of the branch to the vine, where the branch is supported and nourished by the vine, and not the union of the ivy and the oak, where the ivy has its own roots, and merely clings around the oak and climbs up upon it. What else can be said so honorable of man as that he is a “partaker of Christ;” that he shares his feelings here, and that he is to share his honors in a brighter world? Compared with this, what is it to participate with the rich and the frivolous in their pleasures; what would it be to share in the honors of conquerors and kings?

μετοχοι του Χριστου metochoi tou Christou cannot signify, as some explain, participation merely in the blessings of Christ’s death, but must be referred, as our author here affirms, to the spiritual union which subsists between Christ and his people. That union doubtless involves, as necessary consequents, “a union of feeling and affection, a union of principle and congeniality, a union of dependence and love.” Yet, we think, it is something more. It is a “real” and vital union, formed by the one Spirit of Christ, pervading the head and the members of the mystical body. And this is the “foundation” of all union of affection, etc. For a condensed view of the subject, see the supplementary note on Romans 8:10.)

If we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast - see the note at Hebrews 3:6. If we continue to maintain the same confidence which we had in the beginning, or which we showed at the commencement of our Christian life. At first, they had been firm in the Christian hope. They evinced true and strong attachment to the Redeemer. They were ardent and devoted to his cause. If they continued to maintain that to the end, that is, the end of life; if in the midst of all temptations and trials they adhered inflexibly to the cause of the Saviour, they would show that they were true Christians, and would partake of the blessedness of the heavenly world with the Redeemer. The idea is, that it is only perseverance in the ways of religion that constitutes certain evidence of piety. Where piety is manifested through life, or where there is an untiring devotion to the cause of God, there the evidence is clear and undoubted.

But where there is at first great ardor, zeal, and confidence, which soon dies away, then it is clear that they never had any real attachment to him and his cause. It may be remarked here, that the “beginning of the confidence” of those who are deceived, and who know nothing about religion at heart, is often as bold as where there is true piety. The hypocrite makes up in ardor what he lacks in sincerity; and he who is really deceived, is usually deceived under the influence of some strong and vivid emotion, which he mistakes for true religion. Often the sincere convert is calm, though decided, and sometimes is even timorous and doubting; while the self-deceiver is noisy in profession, and clamorous in his zeal, and much disposed to blame the lukewarmness of others. Evidence of piety, therefore, should not be built on that early zeal; nor should it be concluded that because there is ardor, there is of necessity genuine religion. Ardor is valuable, and true religion is ardent; but there is other ardor than what the gospel inspires. The evidence of genuine piety is to be found in what will bear us up under trials, and endure amidst persecution and opposition. The doctrine here is, that it is necessary to persevere if we would have the evidence of true piety. This doctrine is taught everywhere in the Scriptures. Persevere in what? I answer, not:

(1)Merely in a profession of religion. A man may do that and have no piety.

(2)Not in zeal for party, or sect. The Pharisees had that to the end of their lives.

(3)Not in mere honesty, and correctness of external deportment. A man may do that in the church, as well as out of it, and yet have no religion.

But we should persevere:

(1)In the love of God and of Christ - in conscious, ardent, steady attachment to Him to whom our lives are professedly devoted.

(2)In the secret duties of religion. In that watchfulness over the heart; that communion with God; that careful study of the Bible; that guardianship over the temper; and in that habitual contact with God in secret prayer which is appropriate to a Christian, and which marks the Christian character.

(3)In the performance of the public duties of religion; in leading a “Christian” life - as distinguished from a life of worldliness and vanity; a life of mere morality, and honesty; a life such as thousands lead who are out of the church.

There is something which distinguishes a Christian from one who is not a Christian; a religious from an irreligious man. There is “something” in religion; “something” which serves to characterize a Christian, and unless that something is manifested, there can be no evidence of true piety. The Christian is to be distinguished in temper, feeling, deportment, aims, plans, from the people of this world - and unless those characteristics are shown in the life and deportment, there can be no well-founded evidence of religion.

Learn:

(1)That it is not mere “feeling” that furnishes evidence of religion.

(2)That it is not mere “excitement” that constitutes religion.

(3)That it is not mere ardor.

(4)That it is not mere zeal.

All these may be temporary. Religion is something that lasts throughout life. It goes with a person everywhere. It is with him in trial. It forms his plans; regulates his temper; suggests his words; prompts to his actions. It lives with him in all his external changes, and goes with him through the dark valley of death, and accompanies him up to the bar of God, and is with him forever.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 14. For we are made partakers of Christ — Having believed in Christ as the promised Messiah, and embraced the whole Christian system, they were consequently made partakers of all its benefits in this life, and entitled to the fulfilment of all its exceeding great and precious promises relative to the glories of the eternal world. The former they actually possessed, the latter they could have only in case of their perseverance; therefore the apostle says, If we hold fast the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end, i.e. of our life. For our participation of glory depends on our continuing steadfast in the faith, to the end of our Christian race.

The word υποστασις, which we here translate confidence, from υπο, under, and ιστημι, to place or stand, signifies properly a basis or foundation; that on which something else is builded, and by which it is supported. Their faith in Christ Jesus was this hypostasis or foundation; on that all their peace, comfort, and salvation were builded. If this were not held fast to the end, Christ, in his saving influences, could not be held fast; and no Christ, no heaven. He who has Christ in him, has the well-founded hope of glory; and he who is found in the great day with Christ in his heart, will have an abundant entrance into eternal glory.


 
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