Hebrews 12:13

Heb 12:13. Καὶ τροχιὰς) paths, tracks, which are conspicuous. A Hexameter verse, very appropriate. Pro 4:26, ὀρθὰς τροχιὰς ποίει σοῖς ποσίν, make straight paths for thy feet.—[77] τοῖς ποσὶν, for the feet) The dative suitably answering to the Hebrew genitive in Prov., quoted above. The feet, because they are lame, require help, not less than the hands and knees.—τὸ χωλὸν) This, in the case of the feet, is what πάρεσις, hanging down, is in the case of the hands. Cease to halt between Judaism and Christianity. Comp. 1Ki 18:21, and Isa. already quoted, Heb 12:6.—ἐκτραπῂ, be turned out of the way) to the right or left hand from the straight path; Prov. already quoted, Heb 12:27. Τὸ ἐκτρέπεσθαι adds a new defect to lameness.—ἰαθῇ, be healed) Proper exercise of itself contributes to health.

[77] Ὀρθὰς, straight) leading by a straight road to joy and grace, Heb 12:1-2; Heb 12:15.—V. g.

Heb 12:13. In short, the precious blood of Christ is applied to us in sprinkling, in washing, in drinking, on account of the personal union, in a manner real, yet supernatural, and therefore quite incomprehensible. “That (saying respecting the blood of Jesus Christ, 1Jn 1:7) is to be understood, not only of the MERIT of the blood of Christ perfected once for all upon the cross, but John there treats of that subject, because in the business of justification, not merely the divine nature in Christ, but also His blood, in the way of EFFICACY, is to cleanse us from all sin. Thus the flesh of Christ is life-giving food.”—Form. Conc., Art. 8, de Persona Christi, p. 776.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Heb_12:13. Καὶ τροχιὰς ὀρθὰς ποιήσατε τοῖς ποσὶν ὑμῶν] and make straight tracks with your feet, i.e. advance with straight course upon the Christian path of life you have once entered upon, without bending aside to the right or to the left; that is to say, without mingling up that which is Jewish with that which is Christian, or suffering yourselves to be enticed to a relapse into Judaism. Incorrectly do Ebrard, Delitzsch, Riehm (Lehrbegr. des Hebräerbr. p. 789), Alford, Kluge, Moll, Kurtz, Ewald, MCaul, Hofmann, and others explain τοῖς ποσὶν ὑμῶν: for your feet. For, apart from the fact that this interpretation destroys the harmony with the figure employed at Heb_12:12, that of the παρειμέναι χεῖρες and παραλελυμένα γόνατα, the author cannot possibly intend to say that the readers themselves have first to prepare the way for themselves. The way has already been prepared for them by Christ (Heb_10:20), and it is now only a question of their making advance upon the same in the right way.

For the expression, which accidentally forms a hexameter[118] (see Winer, Gramm., 7 Aufl. p. 595), comp. LXX. Pro_4:26 : ὀρθὰς τροχιὰς ποίει σοῖς ποσί.

ἵνα μὴ τὸ χωλὸν ἐκτρπῇ, ἰαθῇ δὲ μᾶλλον] that not (even) that which is lame may turn aside from the way, but rather he healed. τὸ χωλόν denotes not the suffering member in an individual, but within the larger community, thus the member of the Christian communion who is lame or halting, i.e. who makes only a tottering progress in Christianity, and falls away from the same if he does not gain a support in the rest of the community advancing in a straight course [Gal_2:14]. On τὸ χωλόν, as figurative designation of the wavering between two different bents of belief, comp. LXX. 1Ki_18:21 : ἕως πότε ὑμεῖς χωλανεῖτε ἐπʼ ἀμφωτέραις ταῖς ἰγνύαις; how long do ye halt upon both knee-joints (sides), i.e. do ye hesitate between the service of Jehovah and that of Baal?

To the verb ἐκτρέπεσθαι, Fr. Junius, Grotius, Wolf, Carpzov, Heinrichs, and many others, finally Bleek, de Wette, Ebrard, Kurtz, Ewald, on account of the opposition ἰαθῇ δὲ μᾶλλον, assign the passive signification: to be dislocated. But justified by the usage of the language (see Wetstein at 1Ti_1:6) is the middle signification alone: bend aside (from the way), turn aside. This signification is therefore to be maintained here also, and ἰαθῇ δὲ μᾶλλον continues in an abbreviated form the figure employed, in that its meaning is: but rather through the animating example given by the whole body, may he cured of his wavering, and briskly advance with the rest.

[118] Quite improbable is the supposition of Ewald (pp. 139, 172), that the words consist of a verse which was derived from some one of the many Hellenistic poets (?), whose books were at that time greatly read even by Christians.

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Keep a right course, and so, that you show example of good life for others to follow.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Quoted from Pro 4:26, Septuagint, "Make straight paths for thy feet."

straight--that is, leading by a straight road to joy and grace (Heb 12:1-2, Heb 12:15). Cease to "halt" between Judaism and Christianity [BENGEL].

paths--literally, "wheel tracks." Let your walk be so firm and so unanimous in the right direction that a plain track and "highway" may be thereby established for those who accompany and follow you, to perceive and walk in (Isa 35:8) [ALFORD].

that which is lame--those "weak in the faith" (Rom 14:1), having still Judaizing prejudices.

be turned out of the way-- (Pro 4:27); and, so missing the way, lose the prize of "the race" (Heb 12:1).

rather he healed--Proper exercise of itself contributes to health; the habit of walking straight onward in the right way tends to healing.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 13. Make straight paths for your feet] That is, Take the straight path that is before you, do not go in crooked or rough ways, where are stones, briers, and thorns, by which you will be inevitably lamed, and so totally prevented from proceeding in the way; whereas, if you go in the even, proper path, though you have been wounded by getting into a wrong way, that which was wounded will be healed by moderate, equal exercise, all impediments being removed. The application of all this to a correct, holy deportment in religious life, is both natural and easy.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

13. And make straight paths, etc. He has been hitherto teaching us to lean on God’s consolations, so that we may be bold and strenuous in doing what is right, as his help is our only support; he now adds to this another thing, even that we ought to walk prudently and to keep to a straight course; for indiscreet ardor is no less an evil than inactivity and softness. At the same time this straightness of the way which he recommends, is preserved when a man’s mind is superior to every fear, and regards only what God approves; for fear is ever very ingenious in finding out byways. As then we seek circuitous courses, when entangled by sinful fear; so on the other hand every one who has prepared himself to endure evils, goes on in a straight way wheresoever the Lord calls him, and turns not either to the right hand or to the left. In short, he prescribes to us this rule for our conduct, — that we are to guide our steps according to God’s will, so that neither fear nor the allurements of the world, nor any other things, may draw us away from it.

Hence be adds, Lest that which is lame be turned out of the way, or, lest halting should go astray; that is, lest by halting ye should at length depart far from the way. He calls it halting, when men’s minds fluctuate, and they devote not themselves sincerely to God. So spoke Elijah to the double-minded who blended their own superstitions with God’s worship, “How long halt ye between two opinions?” (1 Kings 18:21.) And it is a befitting way of speaking, for it is a worse thing to go astray than to halt. Nor they who begin to halt do not immediately turn from the right way, but by degrees depart from it more and more, until having been led into a diverse path so they remain entangled in the midst of Satan’s labyrinth. Hence the apostle warns us to strive for the removal of this halting in due time; for if we give way to it, it will at length turn us far away from God.

The words may indeed be rendered, “Lest halting should grow worse,” or turn aside; but the meaning would remain the same; for what the Apostle intimates is, that those who keep not a straight course, but gradually though carelessly turn here and there, become eventually wholly alienated from God.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(13) And make straight paths.—Quoted with some slight changes from the Greek translation of Pro_4:26, “ponder” (or, more probably, make even) “the path of thy feet.”

Be turned out of the way.—The difficulty in these words is concealed to some extent when they are separated from the following clause, as in the Authorised version; this separation, however, the Greek will not allow. If the words be rendered, “that what is lame may not be turned out of the way, but may rather be healed,” we cannot but feel that the two members are somewhat incongruous. It is probable, therefore, that the first verb here bears the meaning which it not unfrequently has in medical writers, be put out of joint. Let the paths (or tracks) which you follow be straight, for crooked and uneven paths will make the limbs which are lame more helpless still; should nothing aggravate the hurt that has been received, it may soon be healed. In the application, the words are a warning against the shifting courses of men who are ready to turn aside from strict duty when persecution threatens, and seek to avert the danger by compliance with what they do not in heart approve. Whatever may be the result in the case of “the strong” (Rom_14:1; 1 Corinthians 8), the example brings destruction on “the weak.”

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

13. lest that which is lame be turned out of the way] Lit. “that the lame (i.e. lameness) may not be quite out of joint, but may rather be cured.” The verb ἐκτραπῇ may mean “be turned out of the way,” as in 1Ti_1:6; 1Ti_5:15; 2Ti_4:4; but as it is a technical term for “spraining,” or “dislocation,” it may have that meaning here, especially as he has used two medical terms in the previous verse, and has the metaphor of “healing” in his thoughts. The writer may have met with these terms in ordinary life, or in his intercourse with St Luke, with whose language he shews himself familiar throughout the Epistle. Intercourse with the beloved physician is perhaps traceable in some of the medical terms of St Paul’s later Epistles (see Dean Plumptre’s papers on this subject in the Expositor, iv. 134 (first series)).

let it rather be healed] Isa_57:17-19.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Follow peace with all men,.... That are in a natural and domestic relation to one another, being of the same family; and that are in a civil and political one, being of the same nation, city, or society; and that are in a spiritual one, being members of the same church; or, if not, yet being saints, and though in some things different in judgment; yea, even peace is to be followed with enemies, as much as in us lies: and perhaps by "all men", the Gentiles may be more especially designed, whose peace the Hebrews thought they were not to seek, Deu 23:6 mistaking the sense of the text, by applying it to the Gentiles in general: to "follow peace", signifies an eager pursuit after it, in the use of proper means; exerting the utmost of a man's power to attain it, in all things possible: many things serve to enforce this upon the saints; this is most agreeable to all the three divine Persons; to God, who is the God of peace; to Christ, the Prince of peace; and to the Spirit, one of whose fruits is peace; and to the characters of the saints, who are sons of peace, and who are called to peace, and who make a profession of the Gospel of peace; and to the privileges they enjoy, being interested in the covenant of peace, partaking of spiritual peace now, and being entitled to eternal peace hereafter: and this agrees with the sayings and counsels of the ancient Jews. It was a saying of Hillell (r), who lived about the times of Christ;

"be thou one of the disciples of Aaron, who loved peace, , "and followed peace".''

This is said of Aaron in the Talmud (s), that

"he loved peace, and followed peace, and made peace between a man and his neighbour, as is said, Mal 2:6.''

They recommend peace on many accounts, and say, great is peace, and among the rest, because it is one of the names of God (t):

and holiness: this being added to peace, shows that peace is no further to be followed than is consistent with holiness; and holiness here does not design any particular branch of holiness, as chastity of the body and mind, but the whole of holiness, inward and outward; and intends true holiness, in opposition to ceremonial holiness, which the Hebrews were fond of, and pursued after: it means even perfect holiness; for though holiness is not perfect in this life, yet it will be in heaven; and there is a perfection of it in Christ; and it is to be followed after, by going to Christ for more grace, and exercising faith upon him, as our sanctification; and by eager desires that the Spirit of God would sanctify us more and more, and enable us, by his grace and strength, to walk in the way of holiness, till we get safe to heaven:

without which no man shall see the Lord; or "God", as the Vulgate Latin and Ethiopic versions read; that is, with the beatific vision in heaven: or the Lord Jesus Christ, "our Lord", as the Syriac version reads; even in this life, so as to have communion with him; and hereafter, so as to behold his glory, both intellectually and corporeally: to such a sight holiness is necessary; for God is holy, and Christ is holy, and so is heaven, and so are the angels, and the souls of men in it.

(r) Pirke Abot, c. 1. sect. 12. (s) T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 6. 2. & Gloss. in T. Bab. Yoma, fol. 71. 2. (t) Vajikra Rabba, sect. 9. fol. 153. 1, 2.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.

Ver. 13. Make straight paths] Seek not byways (those highways to hell), leap not over the hedge of any commandment, so to escape any piece of foul way; but as those kine of the Philistines held straight on their way to Bethshemesh, 1Sa 6:12, though they had calves at home; so let us to heaven, though we have various things to divert us. "Let thine eyes look right on; and let thine eyelids look straight before thee," Pro 4:25.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And make straight paths for your feet - Margin, “even.” The word used here means properly straight, in the sense of upright, erect; Act 14:10; but it is used here in the sense of straight horizontally, that is, level, plain, smooth. The meaning is, that they were to remove all obstacles out of the way, so that they need not stumble and fail. There is probably an allusion here to Pro 4:25-27. “Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left; remove thy foot from evil.” The idea is, that by every proper means they were to make the way to heaven as plain and easy as possible. They were to allow no obstructions in the path over which the lame and feeble might fall.

Lest that which is lame be turned out of the way - A lame man needs a smooth path to walk in. The idea is here, that everything which would prevent those in the church who were in any danger of falling - the feeble, the unestablished, the weak - from walking in the path to heaven, or which might be an occasion to them of falling, should be removed. Or it may mean, that in a road that was not level, those who were lame would be in danger of spraining, distorting, or wrenching a lame limb; and the counsel is, that whatever would have a tendency to this should be removed. Divested of the figure, the passage means, that everything should be removed which would hinder anyone from walking in the path to life.

But let it rather be healed - As in the case of lameness, pains should be taken to heal it rather than to suffer it to be increased by careless exposure to a new sprain or fracture, so it should be in our religious and moral character. Whatever is defective we should endeavor to restore to soundness, rather than to suffer the defect to be increased. Whatever is feeble in our faith or hope; whatever evil tendency there is in our hearts, we should endeavor to strengthen and amend, lest it should become worse, and we should entirely fall.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Make straight, smooth ways, such as have all stones of stumbling and rocks of offence removed, so as themselves may be set right in comfort, and duty, and walking; lest being lame or halting in their minds between Judaism and Christianity, because of the violent persecution of them by their infidel brethren, they should be turned aside out of God’s way, erring, and deviating from the truth of the gospel; but that they be restored to it, so as no sufferings upon that account, under God’s hand, might make them suppress the truth, or expose them to apostacy, or to walk as stumbling-blocks to others, and wounding their own souls, Act 15:1; Gal 2:11-15; 6:12.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but that it rather be healed. The ideas in this verse correspond to, and may be suggested by, those that follow in Isaiah the passage above referred to. For there too the prophet goes on to speak, among other things, of the lame leaping, and of a way of holiness along which none should err. But the words themselves are suggested by Pro_4:26, Aoto oryasei tav sou (LXX), the verb diastrefesyai having been previously used for turning out of the way. It is observable that the words, kai trociav , etc., are arranged so as to form a hexameter line. This may have been unintentional, but it is at any rate effective. Delitzsch remarks on it. "The duty to which the writer urges, his, readers is courageous self-recovery m Gods strength. The tone and language are elevated accordingly, and ver. 12 is like a trumpet-blast. It need not surprise us, then, if our author here turns poet, and proceeds in heroic measures." With regard to the purport of this verse, we observe that, while the figure of running is still continued, a new idea is introduced that of pursuing a straight course with a view to others who are to follow on the same track. "That which is lame (to cwlon)" denotes the weak and wavering brethren the asyenountev , such as are referred to in Ro 14 and 1Co 8. The expression well suits (specially those among the Hebrew Christians who halted between two opinions between the Church and the synagogue. (cf. 1Ki_18:21, Ewv pote umeiv cwlaneite ep amfoteraiv taiv ignuaiv) The strong in faith ought to desire and aim at the healing of such lame ones, i.e. their being strengthened in the faith, rather than expose them to the risk of apostasy by any wavering of their own.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And make straight paths both for your own and for their feet - Remove every hindrance, every offense. That the lame - They who are weak, scarce able to walk. Be not turned out of the way - Of faith and holiness.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

13. ἐκτραπῇ. Lit., “that the lame (i.e. lameness) may not be quite out of joint, but may rather be cured.” The verb ἐκτραπῆ may mean “be turned out of the way,” as in 1Ti 1:6; 1Ti 5:15; 2Ti 4:4; but as it is a technical term for “spraining” or “dislocation” it may have that meaning here, especially as he has used two medical terms in the previous verse, and has the metaphor of “healing” in his thoughts. The writer may have met with these terms in ordinary life, or in his intercourse with St Luke, with whose language he shews himself familiar throughout the Epistle. Intercourse with the beloved physician is perhaps traceable in some of the medical terms of St Paul’s later Epistles (see Dean Plumptre’s papers on this subject in the Expositor, IV. 134 (first series). But τὸ χωλὸν is a natural metaphor for weakness, and may be derived from the curious translation of the LXX. in 1Ki 18:21, ἕως πότε ὑμεῖς χωλανεῖτε ἐπὶ ἀμφοτέραις ταῖς ἰγνύαις;

ἰαθῇ δὲ μᾶλλον. Isa 57:17-19.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

13.] and make straight tracks for your feet (Carpzov appears first to have noticed that these words, καὶ τροχιὰς ὀρθὰς ποιήσατε τοῖς ποσὶν ὑμῶν, constituted an hexameter line. They are quoted in substance from Pro 4:26, ὀρθὰς τροχιὰς ποίει σοῖς ποσίν.

τροχιά is properly the mark left by the τροχός, the rut or wheel-mark, indicating a track or road. See reff. τοῖς ποσίν is best taken dative, ‘for your feet,’ not ablative (Schulz, Thol., Bleek, De Wette, Lünem., al.) “with your feet” as instrumental: see on the following clause. And the meaning seems to be, Let your walk be so firm and so unanimous in the right direction, that a plain track and highway may be thereby established for those who accompany and follow you to perceive and walk in. Cf. Isa 35:8), that that which is lame be not turned out of the way, but rather be healed (τὸ χωλόν indicates that part of the church which was wavering between Christianity and Judaism: answering to the ἀσθενεῖς of the Epistle to the Romans. If the whole congregation, by their united and consistent walk, trod a plain and beaten path for men’s feet, these lame ones, though halting, would be easily able to keep in it, and by keeping in the τροχιὰ ὀρθή, would even acquire the habit of walking straight onward, and so be healed: but if the tracks were errant and confused, their erratic steps would deviate more and more, till at length they fell away out of the right way altogether. This connexion between the clauses only subsists entire when τοῖς ποσίν is taken as dative: if as ablative, with your feet, it is not easy to say what sequence there would be between the making of such tracks and the healing of the lame without a very harsh ellipsis between the two clauses, ‘in which others may walk,’ or the like. ἐκτραπῇ is rendered by many of the ancient and some modern expositors, “be dislocated.” So Œc. (ἵνα μὴ τὸ ἐναρχθὲν κακόν, τοῦτο γὰρ τὸ χωλόν, εἰς ἀνήκεστον ἔλθῃ, μᾶλλον δὲ διορθωθῇ), Thl. (ἔτι προσπλάγητε καὶ ἐκτραπῶσιν οἱ πόδες ὑμῶν, τουτέστι παντελῶς στρεβλοὶ γένωνται), Schlichting, Grot., Wolf, Carpzov, Cramer, Michaelis, Ernesti, Schleusner, Heinrichs, Bretschn., Klee, De Wette, Stuart, al. But against this there are two objections: 1. the common usage of the word; which (see Wetst. on 1Ti 1:6, and reff.) is, to be turned aside: and even in the place quoted from Galen by Carpzov to justify the other meaning, it far more likely has this one: τῆς ὑγιεινῆς ἔργον, τὸ κατὰ μικρὰ τὴν εἰς τὸ παρὰ φύσιν ἐκτροπὴν (deviation) ἐπανορθοῦσθαι: 2. the μᾶλλον δέ, introducing the second clause, which seems to shew, that more is contained in the contrast than was in the member with which it was contrasted, and thus fully justifies the falling short in the meaning of ἐκτραπῇ from that of ἰαθῇ: q. d. ‘should not be turned out of the way; nay rather than suffer any the least increase of its infirmity, should be healed of it.’ It should be noticed that the Writer has still the image of a race before him. The making a beaten track for all is, that they may not miss the way and lose the prize).

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Make straight paths for your feet [τροχιας ορθας ποιειτε τοις ποσιν υμων] . After the LXX of Pro 4:26. The corresponding Hebrew means to tear, to cut into : hence to cut through as a path; to make firm or plain. Orqov N. T. Only here and Act 14:10; commonly straight or upright, but also right, safe, happy. Comp. Pro 8:6; Pro 14:14; Pro 21:8. here, not in the sense of straight as distinguished from crooked, but more generally, right, plain, by implication even or smooth. 239 Trocia N. T. o is literally a wheel - track (trocov a wheel). Very rare in profane Greek. Toiv posin uJmwn "for your feet," not with. That is, exert yourselves to make the course clear for yourselves and your fellow Christians, so that there be no stumbling and laming.

That which is lame [το χωλον] . Cwlov lame, halting, only in Synoptic Gospels and Acts. Mostly in the literal sense. Proverbial in Isa 33:23. Metaphorically here, and partly Mt 18:8; Mr 9:45. The verb cwlainein to be lame or to make lame (not in N. T.) is used metaphorically in LXX, Psa 18:45; 1Ki 18:21, where the A. V. "how long halt ye between two opinions" is ewv pote ujmeiv cwlaneite ejp' ajmfoteraiv taiv ijgnuaiv how long do ye go lame on both your hams? To cwlon here signifies the lame part or limb.

Be turned out of the way [εκτραπη] . Rend. "be put out of joint." The A. V. is according to the more usual meaning of the verb, which, in N. T., is confined, with this exception, to the Pastoral Epistles. See 1Ti 1:6; 1Ti 5:15; 2Ti 4:4. LXX only Amo 5:8. But it is also used by medical writers in the passive, with the meaning to be wrenched or dislocated. 240 There is nothing strange in the use of this word in a medical sense by our writer, whose work bears the stamp of Alexandria. The Greeks received their knowledge of surgery from the Egyptians, and mural paintings and documents, and even hieroglyphic symbols, prove that that people had attained remarkable proficiency in the science. Herodotus (ch. 3 131) mentions a medical school at Cyrene in Africa, and says that the pupils of that school were regarded as the second best physicians in all Greece. At the time of Galen (163 A. D.) the medical school of Alexandria was the most famous in the world, and Galen himself studied there. Celsus (first half of the first century A. D.), in the 7th book of his treatise De Artibius, treats of surgical operations according to the views of the Alexandrian schools. The commonly accepted rendering of the A. V., besides giving a conception which is very tame, presents two incongruities : the association of going astray with lameness, and of healing with straying. The other rendering gives a lively and consistent image. Make the paths smooth and even, so that the lame limb be not dislocated by stones or pitfalls. Do everything to avoid aggravating the weakness of a fellow - Christian. Rather try to heal it. To cwlon may refer either to an individual or to a section of the church which is weak and vacillating.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

13. καὶ rpoy....] Vulg. ef gressus rectos facite podibue vestris. The phrase is taken from Prov. iv. 26 ὀρθὰς τροχιὰς ποίει σοῖς ποσὶ καὶ τὰς

ὁδούς σου κατεύθυνε (4732 bay pba Le.

make plain (straight) the path of thy foot). The words may be rendered

‘make straight paths jor your feet,’

(2) 14—17. The necessity of peace and purity.

Tho special exhortations which arose directly from circumstances of trial and discipline lead on to directions of a general character. The duty of mutual help (v. 13) naturally suggests the consideration of the power of mutual influence (ev. 14—18); and this, in the actual state of society, gives occasion to a solemn warning as to the irremediable conseqyences of faithlessness (v. 17).

“Follow after peace with all men, and the sanctification without which noman shall see the Lord ; ‘Slooking carefully lest there be any man that Salleth back from the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and through this the many be defiled ; **lest there be any Jornicator, or profane person as Esau, who for one mess of meat sold his own birthright. "For ye know that even afterward, when he wished to inherit the blessing, he was rejected —for he found no place for repentance—though he sought it diligently with tears.

Brooke Foss Westcott (1825–1901), The Epistle to the Hebrews (1889) and The Epistles of St John (1883) — public domain (pre-1929). Text recovered from Internet Archive / Google Books OCR scans. Westcott’s Gospel of John commentary is not included (its OCR lost the chapter running-heads required for reliable verse-keying). Some Greek quoted in the Hebrews volume is imperfectly rendered by the OCR.