The Meaning of Hebrews 6:10 Explained

Hebrews 6:10

KJV: For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.

YLT: for God is not unrighteous to forget your work, and the labour of the love, that ye shewed to His name, having ministered to the saints and ministering;

Darby: For God is not unrighteous to forget your work, and the love which ye have shewn to his name, having ministered to the saints, and still ministering.

ASV: for God is not unrighteous to forget your work and the love which ye showed toward his name, in that ye ministered unto the saints, and still do minister.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For  God  [is] not  unrighteous  to forget  your  work  and  labour  of love,  which  ye have shewed  {5625;1731:5669} toward  his  name,  in that ye have ministered  to the saints,  and  do minister. 

What does Hebrews 6:10 Mean?

Verse Meaning

God had taken note of the readers" commendable Christian conduct and would justly reward them for it. Therefore they should persevere in it and not turn aside from it (i.e, apostatize). "Not unjust" is understatement; God is eminently just. This is also litotes, a figure of speech that sets forth a positive idea by stating its negative opposite (cf. Acts 12:18; Acts 15:2; Acts 17:4; Acts 17:12; Acts 19:24; Acts 27:20; et al.). [1]

Context Summary

Hebrews 6:9-20 - "the Hope Set Before Us"
The keynote of this passage is patient continuance. We should seek not only faith but its accompaniments. It is not enough to manifest faith, hope and love, but to continue to do so unto the end. Notice that the two conditions on which the promises are inherited are faith and patience.
These truths are enforced by the example of Abraham. He believed God and patiently endured. Your prayers cannot be lost, as ships at sea; they will make harbor at last, laden with golden freight. God's promise and oath are a double door, behind which they who have fled for refuge are safe-a double window beyond which all noise dies down. The allusion is either to the cities of refuge, or to a ship safely riding out the storm. Hope is sure, because the anchor has fastened in a sure ground; steadfast, because its cable will not snap in the strain; and entering, etc., because it unites us to the unseen. Jesus has taken our anchor into the inner harbor, and has dropped it down into the clear, still water there. [source]

Chapter Summary: Hebrews 6

1  He exhorts not to fall back from the faith;
11  but to be steadfast,
12  diligent, and patient to wait upon God;
13  because God is most sure in his promise

Greek Commentary for Hebrews 6:10

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d He is encouraged in this confidence by the fact that they are still as formerly engaged in Christian ministries. [source]
Your work and labor of love [τοῦ ἔργου ὑμῶν καὶ τῆς ἀγάπης]
Omit labor. The A.V. follows T.R. τοῦ κόπου . Rend. your work and the love which ye shewed, etc. [source]
Which ye have shewed toward his name [ἧς ἐνεδείξασθε εἰς τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ]
The verb means, strictly, to show something in one's self; or to show one's self in something. similar praise is bestowed in Hebrews 10:32. They have shown both love and work toward God's name. That does not look like crucifying Christ. God is not unjust, as he would show himself to be if he were forgetful of this. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Hebrews 6:10

Hebrews 13:1 Let brotherly love continue [φιλαδελφία μενέτω]
Φιλαδελφία in Paul, Romans 12:10; 1 Thessalonians 4:9. As a proper name, Revelation 1:11; Revelation 3:7. It is not necessary to suppose that the admonition implies signs of estrangement among those addressed. Comp. Hebrews 3:13; Hebrews 6:10; Hebrews 10:24; Hebrews 12:12-15. [source]
Hebrews 13:1 Brotherly love [πιλαδελπια]
Late word from πιλαδελπος — philadelphos (1 Peter 3:8). See 1 Thessalonians 4:9. It is always in order in a church. To show love unto strangers Old word for hospitality, from πιλοχενος — philoxenos (1 Timothy 3:2), in N.T. only here and Romans 12:3. In genitive case with επιλαντανεστε — epilanthanesthe (present middle imperative, cf. Hebrews 6:10). Have entertained angels unawares Second aorist active indicative of λαντανω — lanthanō old verb to escape notice and first aorist active participle of χενιζω — xenizō old verb to entertain a guest (χενος — xenos stranger), according to a classic idiom seen with λαντανω τυγχανω πτανω — lanthanō class="translit"> tugchanō class="translit"> phthanō by which the chief idea is expressed by the participle (supplementary participle), here meaning, “some escaped notice when entertaining angels.” The reference is to Gen 18; 19 (Abraham and Sarah did this very thing). [source]
Hebrews 13:16 To do good [της ευποιιας]
Genitive case. Late compound from ευποιος — eupoios Genitive case. See 2 Corinthians 9:13 for use for contribution, beneficence. Moffatt notes that the three great definitions of worship and religious service in the N.T. (here, Romans 12:1.; James 1:27) are all inward and ethical. Forget not Prohibition with μη — mē and the present middle imperative of επιλαντανω — epilanthanō (Hebrews 6:10; Hebrews 13:2). Here with the genitive case. Is well pleased Present passive indicative of ευαρεστεω — euaresteō (Hebrews 11:5). With the associative instrumental case τυσιαις — thusiais (sacrifices). [source]
1 John 2:9 His brother [τὸν ἀδελφόν]
His fellow-Christian. The singular, brother, is characteristic of this Epistle. See 1 John 2:10, 1 John 2:11; 1 John 3:10, 1 John 3:15, 1 John 3:17; 1 John 4:20, 1 John 4:21; 1 John 5:16. Christians are called in the New Testament, Christians (Acts 11:26; Acts 26:28; 1 Peter 4:16), mainly by those outside of the Christian circle. Disciples, applied to all followers of Christ (John 2:11; John 6:61) and strictly to the twelve (John 13:5sqq.). In Acts 19:1, to those who had received only John's baptism. Not found in John's Epistles nor in Revelation. Brethren. The first title given to the body of believers after the Ascension (Acts 1:15, where the true reading is ἀδελφῶν brethrenfor μαθητῶν disciples). See Acts 9:30; Acts 10:23; Acts 11:29; 1 Thessalonians 4:10; 1 Thessalonians 5:26; 1 John 3:14; 3 John 1:5, 3 John 1:10; John 21:23. Peter has ἡ ἀδελφότης thebrotherhood (1 Peter 2:17; 1 Peter 5:9). The believers. Under three forms: The believers ( οἱ πιστοί ; Acts 10:45; 1 Timothy 4:12); they that believe ( οἱ πιστεύοντες ; 1 Peter 2:7; 1 Thessalonians 1:7; Ephesians 1:19); they that believed ( οἱ πιστεύσαντες ; Acts 2:44; Acts 4:32; Hebrews 4:3). The saints ( οἱ ἅγιοι ); characteristic of Paul and Revelation. Four times in the Acts (Acts 9:13, Acts 9:32, Acts 9:41; Acts 26:10), and once in Jude (Judges 1:3). Also Hebrews 6:10; Hebrews 13:24. In Paul, 1 Corinthians 6:1; 1 Corinthians 14:33; Ephesians 1:1, Ephesians 1:15, etc. In Revelation 5:8; Revelation 8:3, Revelation 8:4; Revelation 11:18, etc.|Until now ( ἕως ἄρτι )|Though the light has been increasing, and though he may claim that he has been in the light from the first. The phrase occurs in John 2:10; John 5:17; John 16:24; and is used by Paul, 1 Corinthians 4:13; 1 Corinthians 8:7; 1 Corinthians 15:6.| [source]

What do the individual words in Hebrews 6:10 mean?

Not for unjust [is] - God to forget the work of you and the love that you have shown toward the name of Him having ministered to the saints [still] ministering
οὐ γὰρ ἄδικος Θεὸς ἐπιλαθέσθαι τοῦ ἔργου ὑμῶν καὶ τῆς ἀγάπης ἧς ἐνεδείξασθε εἰς τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ διακονήσαντες τοῖς ἁγίοις διακονοῦντες

ἄδικος  unjust  [is] 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἄδικος 
Sense: descriptive of one who violates or has violated justice.
  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Θεὸς  God 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: θεός  
Sense: a god or goddess, a general name of deities or divinities.
ἐπιλαθέσθαι  to  forget 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Infinitive Middle
Root: ἐπιλανθάνομαι  
Sense: to forget.
ἔργου  work 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Neuter Singular
Root: ἔργον  
Sense: business, employment, that which any one is occupied.
ὑμῶν  of  you 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 2nd Person Plural
Root: σύ  
Sense: you.
ἀγάπης  love 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: ἀγάπη  
Sense: brotherly love, affection, good will, love, benevolence.
ἧς  that 
Parse: Personal / Relative Pronoun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: ὅς 
Sense: who, which, what, that.
ἐνεδείξασθε  you  have  shown 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Middle, 2nd Person Plural
Root: ἐνδείκνυμι  
Sense: to point out.
εἰς  toward 
Parse: Preposition
Root: εἰς  
Sense: into, unto, to, towards, for, among.
ὄνομα  name 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: ὄνομα  
Sense: name: univ.
αὐτοῦ  of  Him 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
διακονήσαντες  having  ministered 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: διακονέω  
Sense: to be a servant, attendant, domestic, to serve, wait upon.
τοῖς  to  the 
Parse: Article, Dative Masculine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἁγίοις  saints 
Parse: Adjective, Dative Masculine Plural
Root: ἅγιος  
Sense: most holy thing, a saint.
διακονοῦντες  [still]  ministering 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: διακονέω  
Sense: to be a servant, attendant, domestic, to serve, wait upon.