Hebrews 13:9

NET Bible® (New English Translation)

Do not be carried away by all sorts of strange teachings. For it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not ritual meals, which have never benefited those who participated in them.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

Διδαχαῖς ποικίλαις καὶ ξέναις μὴ περιφέρεσθε. Καλὸν γὰρ χάριτι βεβαιοῦσθαι τὴν καρδίαν· οὐ βρώμασιν, ἐν οἷς οὐκ ὠφελήθησαν οἱ περιπατήσαντες.

Transliteration

Didachais poikilais kai xenais mē peripheresthe. Kalon gar by chariti bebaiousthai the kardian; ou by brōmasin, in which ouk ōphelēthēsan the ones having peripatēsantes.

Grammar Details

• *didachais*: dative, feminine, plural - teachings/doctrines
• *poikilais*: dative, feminine, plural, adjective - various/diverse
• *kai*: conjunction - and
• *xenais*: dative, feminine, plural, adjective - strange/foreign
• *mē*: negative particle with imperative - not
• *peripheresthe*: imperative, present, passive, 2nd person, plural - be carried about/led astray
• *kalon*: nominative, neuter, singular, adjective - good/excellent
• *gar*: postpositive conjunction - for/because
• *chariti*: dative, feminine, singular - grace/favor
• *bebaiousthai*: present, passive, infinitive - to be established/strengthened
• *kardian*: accusative, feminine, singular - heart
• *ou*: negative particle - not
• *brōmasin*: dative, neuter, plural - foods/meats
• *ouk*: negative particle - not
• *ōphelēthēsan*: aorist, passive, indicative, 3rd person, plural - were benefited/profited
• *peripatēsantes*: aorist, active, participle, nominative, masculine, plural - having walked/lived

Word Meanings

• *didachais*: teachings/doctrines/instructions
• *poikilais*: various/diverse/different kinds
• *xenais*: strange/foreign/unfamiliar
• *peripheresthe*: be carried about/led astray/tossed to and fro
• *kalon*: good/excellent/beneficial
• *chariti*: grace/favor/kindness
• *bebaiousthai*: be established/strengthened/confirmed/made firm
• *kardian*: heart/mind/inner self
• *brōmasin*: foods/meats/dietary rules
• *ōphelēthēsan*: were benefited/profited/helped
• *peripatēsantes*: having walked/lived/conducted themselves

Referenced Verses

• Eph 4:14 : 14 So we are no longer to be children, tossed back and forth by waves and carried about by every wind of teaching by the trickery of people who craftily carry out their deceitful schemes.
• Rom 14:6 : 6 The one who observes the day does it for the Lord. The one who eats, eats for the Lord because he gives thanks to God, and the one who abstains from eating abstains for the Lord, and he gives thanks to God.
• Eph 5:6 : 6 Live in the Light Let nobody deceive you with empty words, for because of these things God’s wrath comes on the sons of disobedience.
• 2 Cor 1:21 : 21 But it is God who establishes us together with you in Christ and who anointed us,
• Acts 20:30 : 30 Even from among your own group men will arise, teaching perversions of the truth to draw the disciples away after them.
• Heb 9:9-9 : 9 This was a symbol for the time then present, when gifts and sacrifices were offered that could not perfect the conscience of the worshiper. 10 They served only for matters of food and drink and various ritual washings; they are external regulations imposed until the new order came.
• Jude 1:12 : 12 These men are dangerous reefs at your love feasts, feasting without reverence, feeding only themselves. They are waterless clouds, carried along by the winds; autumn trees without fruit– twice dead, uprooted;
• 1 John 4:1 : 1 Testing the Spirits Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to determine if they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
• Jude 1:3 : 3 Condemnation of the False Teachers Dear friends, although I have been eager to write to you about our common salvation, I now feel compelled instead to write to encourage you to contend earnestly for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints.
• Acts 20:32 : 32 And now I entrust you to God and to the message of his grace. This message is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
• Rom 14:2 : 2 One person believes in eating everything, but the weak person eats only vegetables.
• 2 Cor 11:11-15 : 11 Why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do! 12 And what I am doing I will continue to do, so that I may eliminate any opportunity for those who want a chance to be regarded as our equals in the things they boast about. 13 For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is not surprising his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will correspond to their actions.
• Gal 1:6-9 : 6 Occasion of the Letter I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are following a different gospel– 7 not that there really is another gospel, but there are some who are disturbing you and wanting to distort the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we(or an angel from heaven) should preach a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be condemned to hell! 9 As we have said before, and now I say again, if any one is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, let him be condemned to hell!
• Gal 6:1 : 1 Support One Another Brothers and sisters, if a person is discovered in some sin, you who are spiritual restore such a person in a spirit of gentleness. Pay close attention to yourselves, so that you are not tempted too.
• Col 2:4 : 4 I say this so that no one will deceive you through arguments that sound reasonable.
• Col 2:7-8 : 7 rooted and built up in him and firm in your faith just as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. 8 Be careful not to allow anyone to captivate you through an empty, deceitful philosophy that is according to human traditions and the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.
• Col 2:16-20 : 16 Therefore do not let anyone judge you with respect to food or drink, or in the matter of a feast, new moon, or Sabbath days– 17 these are only the shadow of the things to come, but the reality is Christ! 18 Let no one who delights in false humility and the worship of angels pass judgment on you. That person goes on at great lengths about what he has supposedly seen, but he is puffed up with empty notions by his fleshly mind. 19 He has not held fast to the head from whom the whole body, supported and knit together through its ligaments and sinews, grows with a growth that is from God. 20 If you have died with Christ to the elemental spirits of the world, why do you submit to them as though you lived in the world?
• 2 Thess 2:2 : 2 not to be easily shaken from your composure or disturbed by any kind of spirit or message or letter allegedly from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord is already here.
• 2 Thess 2:17 : 17 encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good thing you do or say.
• 1 Tim 4:1-5 : 1 Timothy’s Ministry in the Later Times Now the Spirit explicitly says that in the later times some will desert the faith and occupy themselves with deceiving spirits and demonic teachings, 2 influenced by the hypocrisy of liars whose consciences are seared. 3 They will prohibit marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. 4 For every creation of God is good and no food is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving. 5 For it is sanctified by God’s word and by prayer.
• 1 Tim 6:3-5 : 3 If someone spreads false teachings and does not agree with sound words(that is, those of our Lord Jesus Christ) and with the teaching that accords with godliness, 4 he is conceited and understands nothing, but has an unhealthy interest in controversies and verbal disputes. This gives rise to envy, dissension, slanders, evil suspicions, 5 and constant bickering by people corrupted in their minds and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a way of making a profit.
• 1 Tim 6:20 : 20 Conclusion O Timothy, protect what has been entrusted to you. Avoid the profane chatter and absurdities of so-called“knowledge.”
• 2 Tim 2:1-2 : 1 Serving Faithfully Despite Hardship So you, my child, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 And what you heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful people who will be competent to teach others as well.
• Titus 1:14-15 : 14 and not pay attention to Jewish myths and commands of people who reject the truth. 15 All is pure to those who are pure. But to those who are corrupt and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their minds and consciences are corrupted.
• Rom 14:17 : 17 For the kingdom of God does not consist of food and drink, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.
• Rom 16:17-18 : 17 Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who create dissensions and obstacles contrary to the teaching that you learned. Avoid them! 18 For these are the kind who do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By their smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of the naive.
• 1 Cor 6:13 : 13 “Food is for the stomach and the stomach is for food, but God will do away with both.” The body is not for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.
• 1 Cor 8:8 : 8 Now food will not bring us close to God. We are no worse if we do not eat and no better if we do.
• Lev 11:1-9 : 1 Clean and Unclean Land Creatures The LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying to them, 2 “Tell the Israelites:‘This is the kind of creature you may eat from among all the animals that are on the land. 3 You may eat any among the animals that has a divided hoof(the hooves are completely split in two) and that also chews the cud. 4 However, you must not eat these from among those that chew the cud and have divided hooves: The camel is unclean to you because it chews the cud even though its hoof is not divided. 5 The rock badger is unclean to you because it chews the cud even though its hoof is not divided. 6 The hare is unclean to you because it chews the cud even though its hoof is not divided. 7 The pig is unclean to you because its hoof is divided(the hoof is completely split in two), even though it does not chew the cud. 8 You must not eat from their meat and you must not touch their carcasses; they are unclean to you. 9 Clean and Unclean Water Creatures“‘These you can eat from all creatures that are in the water: Any creatures in the water that have both fins and scales, whether in the seas or in the streams, you may eat. 10 But any creatures that do not have both fins and scales, whether in the seas or in the streams, from all the swarming things of the water and from all the living creatures that are in the water, are detestable to you. 11 Since they are detestable to you, you must not eat their meat and their carcass you must detest. 12 Any creature in the water that does not have both fins and scales is detestable to you. 13 Clean and Unclean Birds“‘These you are to detest from among the birds– they must not be eaten, because they are detestable: the griffon vulture, the bearded vulture, the black vulture, 14 the kite, the buzzard of any kind, 15 every kind of crow, 16 the eagle owl, the short-eared owl, the long-eared owl, the hawk of any kind, 17 the little owl, the cormorant, the screech owl, 18 the white owl, the scops owl, the osprey, 19 the stork, the heron of any kind, the hoopoe, and the bat. 20 Clean and Unclean Insects“‘Every winged swarming thing that walks on all fours is detestable to you. 21 However, this you may eat from all the winged swarming things that walk on all fours, which have jointed legs to hop with on the land. 22 These you may eat from them: the locust of any kind, the bald locust of any kind, the cricket of any kind, the grasshopper of any kind. 23 But any other winged swarming thing that has four legs is detestable to you. 24 Carcass Uncleanness“‘By these you defile yourselves; anyone who touches their carcass will be unclean until the evening, 25 and anyone who carries their carcass must wash his clothes and will be unclean until the evening. 26 Inedible Land Quadrupeds“‘All animals that divide the hoof but it is not completely split in two and do not chew the cud are unclean to you; anyone who touches them becomes unclean. 27 All that walk on their paws among all the creatures that walk on all fours are unclean to you. Anyone who touches their carcass will be unclean until the evening, 28 and the one who carries their carcass must wash his clothes and be unclean until the evening; they are unclean to you. 29 Creatures that Swarm on the Land“‘Now this is what is unclean to you among the swarming things that swarm on the land: the rat, the mouse, the large lizard of any kind, 30 the Mediterranean gecko, the spotted lizard, the wall gecko, the skink, and the chameleon. 31 These are the ones that are unclean to you among all the swarming things. Anyone who touches them when they die will be unclean until evening. 32 Also, anything they fall on when they die will become unclean– any wood vessel or garment or article of leather or sackcloth. Any such vessel with which work is done must be immersed in water and will be unclean until the evening. Then it will become clean. 33 As for any clay vessel they fall into, everything in it will become unclean and you must break it. 34 Any food that may be eaten which becomes soaked with water will become unclean. Anything drinkable in any such vessel will become unclean. 35 Anything their carcass may fall on will become unclean. An oven or small stove must be smashed to pieces; they are unclean, and they will stay unclean to you. 36 However, a spring or a cistern which collects water will be clean, but one who touches their carcass will be unclean. 37 Now, if such a carcass falls on any sowing seed which is to be sown, it is clean, 38 but if water is put on the seed and such a carcass falls on it, it is unclean to you. 39 Edible Land Quadrupeds“‘Now if an animal that you may eat dies, whoever touches its carcass will be unclean until the evening. 40 One who eats from its carcass must wash his clothes and be unclean until the evening, and whoever carries its carcass must wash his clothes and be unclean until the evening. 41 Every swarming thing that swarms on the land is detestable; it must not be eaten. 42 You must not eat anything that crawls on its belly or anything that walks on all fours or on any number of legs of all the swarming things that swarm on the land, because they are detestable. 43 Do not make yourselves detestable by any of the swarming things. You must not defile yourselves by them and become unclean by them, 44 for I am the LORD your God and you are to sanctify yourselves and be holy because I am holy. You must not defile yourselves by any of the swarming things that creep on the ground, 45 for I am the LORD who brought you up from the land of Egypt to be your God, and you are to be holy because I am holy. 46 This is the law of the land animals, the birds, all the living creatures that move in the water, and all the creatures that swarm on the land, 47 to distinguish between the unclean and the clean, between the living creatures that may be eaten and the living creatures that must not be eaten.’”
• Deut 14:3-9 : 3 You must not eat any forbidden thing. 4 These are the animals you may eat: the ox, the sheep, the goat, 5 the ibex, the gazelle, the deer, the wild goat, the antelope, the wild oryx, and the mountain sheep. 6 You may eat any animal that has hooves divided into two parts and that chews the cud. 7 However, you may not eat the following animals among those that chew the cud or those that have divided hooves: the camel, the hare, and the rock badger.(Although they chew the cud, they do not have divided hooves and are therefore ritually impure to you). 8 Also the pig is ritually impure to you; though it has divided hooves, it does not chew the cud. You may not eat their meat or even touch their remains. 9 These you may eat from among water creatures: anything with fins and scales you may eat, 10 but whatever does not have fins and scales you may not eat; it is ritually impure to you. 11 All ritually clean birds you may eat. 12 These are the ones you may not eat: the eagle, the vulture, the black vulture, 13 the kite, the black kite, the dayyah after its species, 14 every raven after its species, 15 the ostrich, the owl, the seagull, the falcon after its species, 16 the little owl, the long-eared owl, the white owl, 17 the jackdaw, the carrion vulture, the cormorant, 18 the stork, the heron after its species, the hoopoe, the bat. 19 And any swarming winged thing is impure to you– they may not be eaten. 20 You may eat any clean winged creature. 21 You may not eat any corpse, though you may give it to the resident foreigner who is living in your villages and he may eat it, or you may sell it to a foreigner. You are a people holy to the LORD your God. Do not boil a young goat in its mother’s milk.
• Matt 24:4 : 4 Jesus answered them,“Watch out that no one misleads you.
• Matt 24:24 : 24 For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
• Acts 10:14-16 : 14 But Peter said,“Certainly not, Lord, for I have never eaten anything defiled and ritually unclean!” 15 The voice spoke to him again, a second time,“What God has made clean, you must not consider ritually unclean!” 16 This happened three times, and immediately the object was taken up into heaven.