Hebrews 13:5–6

Context

The Epistle to the Hebrews is a letter whose author is not identified. It is generally held to have been written to a Christian community facing persecution and the temptation to abandon the faith. Chapter 13 gathers practical exhortations after the doctrinal argument of the preceding chapters has concluded. Following exhortations on brotherly love and hospitality (13:1–2), care for those in prison (13:3), and the purity of marriage (13:4), this passage turns to the subject of money. Hebrews 10:34 mentions that the readers had suffered the seizure of their property, and on this basis many interpreters conclude that material loss and insecurity were part of their actual circumstances.

The phrase rendered in the KJV "Let your conversation be without covetousness" translates a single Greek word, aphilargyros ("not loving money"). It is the same word used in 1 Timothy 3:3 among the qualifications for an overseer. The quotation of God's words that follows, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee," does not correspond word for word to any single Old Testament verse. It is therefore understood to reflect promises such as Deuteronomy 31:6, 8; Joshua 1:5; and Genesis 28:15. Verse 6, "The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me," quotes Psalm 118:6 in a form close to the Septuagint (the ancient Greek translation of the Old Testament).

Interpretation

• Contentment grounded in God's presence: Most commentaries locate the basis for the command to be content not in one's possessions but in the presence of God. On this reading, attachment to money becomes an expression of a failure to trust God.
• Emphasis on the promise: The Greek text of the quotation in verse 5 piles up negatives to express emphatically the sense of "never … by any means." The Korean Revised Version (Gaeyeok Hangeul), which inserts the word gwayeon ("indeed") twice, can be seen as a translation that preserves this emphasis.
• A communal reading: Chapter 13 as a whole addresses the life of the community. Accordingly, some read this exhortation not merely as a matter of personal disposition but as an attitude that makes possible doing good and sharing with others (13:16).

Questions of Application

There is little disagreement about the meaning of the passage itself. Emphases diverge, however, when it is connected with other doctrines.

• Connection with the doctrine of perseverance: Within Calvinism, the promise "I will never … forsake thee" is cited as one of the grounds for the perseverance of the saints (the doctrine that true believers will never finally fall away from salvation). By contrast, the Arminian and Wesleyan traditions read it alongside the warnings against apostasy in Hebrews (chapters 6 and 10). In these traditions, the promise is understood as God's covenant faithfulness toward those who remain in the faith.
• The prosperity theology debate: Critics of prosperity theology, which emphasizes material blessing, sometimes appeal to this passage. At the same time, many interpreters note that the passage targets not the possession of wealth as such but the love of money.

In the Korean Church

The New Korean Revised Version (Gaeyeok Gaejeong) renders verse 5 as "Do not love money, and be content with what you have." The passage is frequently cited in sermons on the Christian view of material possessions and on stewardship. It is also commonly used in sermons offering comfort amid anxiety and fear.

Related Passages

• Deuteronomy 31:6–8
• Joshua 1:5
• Psalm 118:6
• 1 Timothy 6:6–9
• Philippians 4:11–13