Hebrews 6:13

Weymouth New Testament

For when God gave the promise to Abraham, since He had no one greater to swear by, He swore by Himself,

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater to swear by, he swore by himself:

King James Version (1611)
For when God made promise to Abraham, because hee could sweare by no greater, he sware by himselfe,

King James Version
For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself,

English Standard Version
For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself,

New American Standard Bible
For when God made the promise to Abraham, since He could swear an oath by no one greater, He swore by Himself,

New Century Version
God made a promise to Abraham. And as there is no one greater than God, he used himself when he swore to Abraham,

New American Standard Bible (1995)
For when God made the promise to Abraham, since He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself,

Legacy Standard Bible
For when God made the promise to Abraham, since He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself,

Berean Standard Bible
When God made His promise to Abraham, since He had no one greater to swear by, He swore by Himself,

Contemporary English Version
No one is greater than God. So he made a promise in his own name when he said to Abraham,

Complete Jewish Bible
For when God made his promise to Avraham, he swore an oath to do what he had promised; and since there was no one greater than himself for him to swear by, he swore by himself

Darby Translation
For God, having promised to Abraham, since he had no greater to swear by, swore by himself,

Easy-to-Read Version
God made a promise to Abraham. And there is no one greater than God, so he made the promise with an oath in his own name—an oath that he would do what he promised.

Geneva Bible (1587)
For when God made the promise to Abraham, because he had no greater to sweare by, he sware by himselfe,

George Lamsa Translation
For when God made a promise to A''braham, because there was none greater than himself by whom he could swear, he swore by himself,

Good News Translation
When God made his promise to Abraham, he made a vow to do what he had promised. Since there was no one greater than himself, he used his own name when he made his vow.

Lexham English Bible
For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater to swear by, he swore by himself,

Literal Translation
For God having made promise to Abraham, since He had no one greater to swear by, "He swore by Himself,"

Amplified Bible
For when God made the promise to Abraham, He swore [an oath] by Himself, since He had no one greater by whom to swear,

American Standard Version
For when God made promise to Abraham, since he could swear by none greater, he sware by himself,

Bible in Basic English
For when God made his oath to Abraham, because there was no greater oath, he made it by himself,

Hebrew Names Version
For when God made a promise to Avraham, since he could swear by none greater, he swore by himself,

International Standard Version
For when God made his promise to Abraham, he swore an oath by himself, since he had no one greater to swear by.Genesis 22:16-17; Psalm 105:9; Luke 1:73;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
For when to Abraham Aloha gave promise, because there was no one greater than himself to swear by, he sware by his own Self,

Murdock Translation
For when God made the promise to Abraham, because there was none greater than himself by whom he could swear, he swore by himself;

Bishop's Bible (1568)
For when God made promise to Abraham, because he had no greater to sweare by, he sware by hym selfe,

English Revised Version
For when God made promise to Abraham, since he could swear by none greater, he sware by himself,

World English Bible
For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he could swear by none greater, he swore by himself,

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
For when God made the promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater,

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
For God bihetinge to Abraham, for he hadde noon grettere, bi whom he schulde swere, swoor bi hym silf,

Update Bible Version
For when God made promise to Abraham, since he could swear by none greater, he swore by himself,

Webster's Bible Translation
For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he swore by himself,

New English Translation
Now when God made his promise to Abraham, since he could swear by no one greater, he swore by himself,

New King James Version
Genesis 12:1-3">[xr] For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself,

New Living Translation
For example, there was God's promise to Abraham. Since there was no one greater to swear by, God took an oath in his own name, saying:

New Life Bible
When God made a promise to Abraham, He made that promise in His own name because no one was greater.

New Revised Standard
When God made a promise to Abraham, because he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself,

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
For, when to Abraham God made promise, seeing he had no one greater by whom to swear, He sware, by himself, -

Douay-Rheims Bible
For God making promises to Abraham, because he had no one greater by whom he might swear, swore by himself,

Revised Standard Version
For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself,

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
For when god made promes to Abraham because he had no greater thinge to sweare by he sware by him silfe

Young's Literal Translation
For to Abraham God, having made promise, seeing He was able to swear by no greater, did swear by Himself,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
For whan God made promes to Abraham, because he had none greater to sweare by, he sware by himselfe,

Mace New Testament (1729)
For when God gave his promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself, saying,

THE MESSAGE
When God made his promise to Abraham, he backed it to the hilt, putting his own reputation on the line. He said, "I promise that I'll bless you with everything I have—bless and bless and bless!" Abraham stuck it out and got everything that had been promised to him. When people make promises, they guarantee them by appeal to some authority above them so that if there is any question that they'll make good on the promise, the authority will back them up. When God wanted to guarantee his promises, he gave his word, a rock-solid guarantee—God can't break his word. And because his word cannot change, the promise is likewise unchangeable. We who have run for our very lives to God have every reason to grab the promised hope with both hands and never let go. It's an unbreakable spiritual lifeline, reaching past all appearances right to the very presence of God where Jesus, running on ahead of us, has taken up his permanent post as high priest for us, in the order of Melchizedek.

Simplified Cowboy Version
We ain't talking about fairy tales. Remember the promise God made to Abe? God made a promise on his own name (there is nothing greater to swear by),

Contextual Overview

⁹ But we, even while we speak in this tone, have a happier conviction concerning you, my dearly-loved friends--a conviction of things which point towards salvation. ¹⁰ For God is not unjust so that He is unmindful of your labour and of the love which you have manifested towards Himself in having rendered services to His people and in still rendering them. ¹¹ But we long for each of you to continue to manifest the same earnestness, with a view to your enjoying fulness of hope to the very End; ¹² so that you may not become half-hearted, but be imitators of those who through faith and patient endurance are now heirs to the promises. ¹³ For when God gave the promise to Abraham, since He had no one greater to swear by, He swore by Himself, ¹⁴ saying, "Assuredly I will bless you and bless you, I will increase you and increase you." ¹⁵ And so, as the result of patient waiting, our forefather obtained what God had promised. ¹⁶ For men swear by what is greater than themselves; and with them an oath in confirmation of a statement always puts an end to a dispute. ¹⁷ In the same way, since it was God's desire to display more convincingly to the heirs of the promise how unchangeable His purpose was, ¹⁸ He added an oath, in order that, through two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for Him to prove false, we may possess mighty encouragement--we who, for safety, have hastened to lay hold of the hope set before us.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

he sware: Hebrews 6:16-18, Genesis 22:15-18, Ezekiel 32:13, Psalms 105:9, Psalms 105:10, Isaiah 45:23, Jeremiah 22:5, Jeremiah 49:13, Micah 7:20, Luke 1:73

Reciprocal: Genesis 15:15 - in peace Genesis 22:16 - General Exodus 32:13 - to whom Deuteronomy 7:8 - oath Deuteronomy 26:15 - as thou Deuteronomy 28:9 - sworn 1 Chronicles 16:16 - which he made Nehemiah 1:5 - keepeth Psalms 63:11 - sweareth Psalms 89:35 - Once Psalms 100:5 - and his truth Psalms 110:4 - Lord Isaiah 49:18 - As I live Jeremiah 32:40 - I will make Jeremiah 44:26 - I have sworn Jeremiah 51:14 - sworn Ezekiel 5:11 - as I live Daniel 9:27 - confirm Hosea 12:4 - spake Amos 6:8 - sworn Habakkuk 3:9 - according Luke 1:72 - perform Romans 3:3 - shall Romans 4:16 - the promise Romans 9:4 - promises Galatians 3:17 - that it Galatians 3:22 - that Hebrews 7:6 - had Hebrews 9:15 - promise Hebrews 10:14 - them 1 John 3:20 - God Revelation 10:5 - lifted

Cross-References

Hebrews 11:7
Through faith Noah, being divinely taught about things as yet unseen, reverently gave heed and built an ark for the safety of his family, and by this act he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which depends on faith.

1 Peter 4:7
But the end of all things is now close at hand: therefore be sober-minded and temperate, so that you may give yourselves to prayer.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For when God made promise to Abraham,.... The apostle proposes Abraham as a pattern, because he was the father of these Hebrews, and of all believers; and because they were interested in the promise made to him, and had a right to the same blessing with him; and because he was remarkable for his faith and patience: the promise made to him is not that in Genesis 12:1 nor that in

Genesis 15:1 but that in Genesis 22:16 for that only had an oath annexed to it: and this was made by Jesus Christ, there called the Angel of the Lord, and here God; and who is truly and properly so; and than whom there is none greater; and who elsewhere, as here, is said to swear by himself, Isaiah 45:23 as follows:

because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself; swearing is ascribed to a divine person after the manner of men, and in condescension to them; and who is never introduced swearing, but in matters of moment and of great importance; the note of Philo the Jew n on the passage in Genesis 22:16 from whence the following words are cited, is worthy of observation, being very near the apostle's words;

"well does he (God) confirm the promise with an oath, and with an oath that becomes God; for you see that God does not swear by another, for nothing is better than himself, but by himself, who is the best of all; but some have suggested as if it was inconvenient to swear, for an oath is taken for the sake of faith; but God alone is faithful, &c.''

n Leg. Allegor. l. 2. p. 98.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For when God made promise to Abraham - That he would bless him, and multiply his seed as the stars of heaven; Genesis 22:16-17. The object of introducing this example here is, to encourage those to whom the apostle was writing to persevere in the Christian life, This he does by showing that God had given the highest possible assurance of his purpose to bless his people, by an oath. Reference is made to Abraham in this argument, probably, for two reasons:

1. To show the nature of the evidence which Christians have that they will be saved, or the ground of encouragement - being the same as that made to Abraham, and depending, as in his case, on the promise of God; and,

(2)Because the “example” of Abraham was just in point. He had persevered. He had relied firmly and solely on the promise of God. He did this when appearances were much against the fulfillment of the promise, and he thus showed the advantage of perseverance and fidelity in the cause of God.

Because he could swear by no greater - There is no being greater than God. In taking an oath among people it is always implied that the appeal is to one of superior power, who is able to punish for its infraction. But this could not occur in the case of God himself. There was no greater being than himself, and the oath, therefore, was by his own existence.

He sware by himself - Genesis 22:16. “By myself have I sworn;” compare Isaiah 45:23. In an oath of this kind God pledges his veracity; declares that the event shall be as certain as his existence; and secures it by all the perfections of his nature. The usual form of the oath is, “As I live, saith the Lord;” see Numbers 14:21, Numbers 14:28; Ezekiel 33:11.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Hebrews 6:13. When God made promise to Abraham — The promise referred to is that made to Abraham when he had offered his son Isaac on the altar, Genesis 22:16-18: "By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord; for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thy only son; that in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the seashore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed." Of this promise the apostle only quotes a part, as is generally the case, because he knew that his readers were well acquainted with the Scriptures of the Old Testament, and particularly with the law.

He sware by himself — He pledged his eternal power and Godhead for the fulfilment of the promise; there was no being superior to himself to whom he could make appeal, or by whom he could be bound, therefore he appeals to and pledges his immutable truth and Godhead.