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The Holy Bible, Berean Study Bible

Hebrews 12:13

Make straight paths for your feet, so that the lame may not be debilitated, but rather healed.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Despondency;   Lameness;   Perseverance;   Straight;   Thompson Chain Reference - Paths, Right;   Right;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Feet, the;  

Dictionaries:

- Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Endurance;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Wisdom of God;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Hebrews;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Children (Sons) of God;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Discipline;   Discipline (2);   Feet;   Hebrews Epistle to the;   Sin;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Lame;   Path;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Jehoiada;   Lame;   Path;   Straight;  

Devotionals:

- Daily Light on the Daily Path - Devotion for September 17;   Every Day Light - Devotion for May 6;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated but healed instead.
King James Version (1611)
And make straight paths for your feete, lest that which is lame bee turned out of the way, but let it rather bee healed.
King James Version
And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
English Standard Version
and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed.
New American Standard Bible
and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is impaired may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.
New Century Version
Keep on the right path, so the weak will not stumble but rather be strengthened.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed.
Legacy Standard Bible
and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed.
Contemporary English Version
and walk a straight path. Then lame people will be healed, instead of getting worse.
Complete Jewish Bible
and make a level path for your feet; so that what has been injured will not get wrenched out of joint but rather will be healed.
Darby Translation
and make straight paths for your feet, that that which is lame be not turned aside; but that rather it may be healed.
Easy-to-Read Version
Live in the right way so that you will be saved and your weakness will not cause you to be lost.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And make straight steppes vnto your feete, lest that which is halting, be turned out of the way, but let it rather be healed.
George Lamsa Translation
And make straight the paths for your feet, so that the weak do not go astray but are healed.
Good News Translation
Keep walking on straight paths, so that the lame foot may not be disabled, but instead be healed.
Lexham English Bible
and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame will not be dislocated, but rather be healed.
Literal Translation
"and make straight tracks for your feet," that the lame not be turned aside, but rather healed. Isa. 35:3; Prov. 4:26
Amplified Bible
Cut through and make smooth, straight paths for your feet [that are safe and go in the right direction], so that the leg which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather may be healed.
American Standard Version
and make straight paths for your feet, that that which is lame be not turned out of the way, but rather be healed.
Bible in Basic English
And make straight roads for your feet, so that the feeble may not be turned out of the way, but may be made strong.
Hebrew Names Version
and make straight paths for your feet, that that which is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.
International Standard Version
and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not become worse but rather be healed.Proverbs 4:26-27; Galatians 6:1;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
and right ways make for your feet, that the member which is lame may not wander, but be healed.
Murdock Translation
and make straight paths for your feet, that the limb which is lame may not be wrenched, but may be healed.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And make ryght steppes vnto your feete, lest that which is haltyng, turne you out of the way: but let it rather be healed.
English Revised Version
and make straight paths for your feet, that that which is lame be not turned out of the way, but rather be healed.
World English Bible
and make straight paths for your feet, that that which is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And make strait paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way, but let it rather be healed.
Weymouth's New Testament
and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put entirely out of joint
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and knees vnboundun, and make ye riytful steppis to youre feet; that no man haltinge erre, but more be heelid.
Update Bible Version
and make straight paths for your feet, that that which is lame not be turned out of the way, but rather be healed.
Webster's Bible Translation
And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
New English Translation
and make straight paths for your feet , so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but be healed.
New King James Version
and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.
New Living Translation
Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong.
New Life Bible
Walk straight ahead so the weak leg will not be turned aside, but will be healed.
New Revised Standard
and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, straight tracks, be making for your feet - that the lame member may not be dislocated, but, be healed rather.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And make straight steps with your feet: that no one, halting, may go out of the way; but rather be healed.
Revised Standard Version
and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
and se that ye have strayght steppes vnto youre fete lest eny haltinge turne out of ye waye: yee let it rather be healed.
Young's Literal Translation
and straight paths make for your feet, that that which is lame may not be turned aside, but rather be healed;
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
and se that ye haue straight steppes vnto youre fete, lest eny haltinge turne you out of the waye, yee let it rather be healed.
Mace New Testament (1729)
clear the way for your feet, lest that which is lame should be quite out of joint, instead of being redress'd."
Simplified Cowboy Version
Keep your eyes on the trail so you will not wander off like a weakling into the brush, briars, and box canyons.

Contextual Overview

4In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: "My son, do not take lightly the discipline of the Lord, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you. 6For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises every son He receives." 7Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? 8If you do not experience discipline like everyone else, then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. 9Furthermore, we have all had earthly fathers who disciplined us, and we respected them. Should we not much more submit to the Father of our spirits and live? 10Our fathers disciplined us for a short time as they thought best, but God disciplines us for our good, so that we may share in His holiness. 11No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields a peaceful harvest of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. 12Therefore strengthen your limp hands and weak knees. 13Make straight paths for your feet, so that the lame may not be debilitated, but rather healed.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

make: Proverbs 4:26, Proverbs 4:27, Isaiah 35:3, Isaiah 35:8-10, Isaiah 40:3, Isaiah 40:4, Isaiah 42:16, Isaiah 58:12, Jeremiah 18:15, Luke 3:5

straight: or, even

lame: Isaiah 35:6, Jeremiah 31:8, Jeremiah 31:9

but let: Galatians 6:1, Jude 1:22, Jude 1:23

Reciprocal: Leviticus 11:22 - General Deuteronomy 19:3 - General Deuteronomy 20:3 - let not Deuteronomy 22:4 - thou shalt surely 1 Samuel 23:16 - strengthened Ezra 10:4 - be of good Psalms 5:8 - make Psalms 31:24 - Be of Isaiah 57:14 - take Isaiah 62:10 - go through Micah 4:6 - will I Zephaniah 3:19 - and I will save Matthew 12:20 - bruised Matthew 18:14 - one Luke 22:32 - strengthen John 14:1 - not John 21:15 - lambs Acts 18:23 - strengthening Acts 20:35 - how that Romans 14:21 - whereby Hebrews 5:2 - them Hebrews 6:1 - let James 5:19 - and one

Cross-References

Genesis 11:29
And Abram and Nahor took wives for themselves. Abram's wife was named Sarai, and Nahor's wife was named Milcah; she was the daughter of Haran, the father of both Milcah and Iscah.
Genesis 12:3
I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you; and all the families of the earth will be blessed through you."
Genesis 12:5
And Abram took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, and all the possessions and people they had acquired in Haran, and set out for the land of Canaan. When they came to the land of Canaan,
Genesis 12:6
Abram traveled through the land to the site of the Oak of Moreh at Shechem. And at that time the Canaanites were in the land.
Genesis 12:8
From there Abram moved on to the hill country east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel to the west and Ai to the east. There he built an altar to the LORD, and he called on the name of the LORD.
Genesis 12:12
and when the Egyptians see you, they will say, 'This is his wife.' Then they will kill me but will allow you to live.
Genesis 12:13
Please say you are my sister, so that I will be treated well for your sake, and on account of you my life will be spared."
Genesis 20:2
Abraham said of his wife Sarah, "She is my sister." So Abimelech king of Gerar had Sarah brought to him.
Genesis 20:5
Didn't Abraham tell me, 'She is my sister'? And she herself said, 'He is my brother.' I have done this in the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands."
Genesis 26:7
But when the men of that place asked about his wife, he said, "She is my sister." For he was afraid to say, "She is my wife," since he thought to himself, "The men of this place will kill me on account of Rebekah, because she is so beautiful."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And make straight paths for your feet,.... By "feet" are meant the walk and conversation of the saints, both in the church, and in the world, Song of Solomon 7:1 and there are paths made ready for these feet to walk in; as the good old paths of truth, of the word and worship of God, of faith and holiness: and to make these paths "straight", is to make the word of God the rule of walking; to avoid carefully joining anything with it as a rule; to attend constantly on the ordinances of Christ; to go on evenly in a way of believing on him; to walk in some measure worthy of the calling wherewith we are called, and by way of example to others.

Lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; a lame member, as the Syriac version, a lame member of the body of Christ, the church; or a lame person, as the Arabic version, a weak believer; one that is ready to halt, either through the corruption of nature, or through the weakness of grace, or through want of light and judgment, and through instability and inconstancy; lest such an one should, through the irregular walk and conversation of others, be stumbled and offended, and go out of the way, and leave the paths of righteousness and truth. God takes care of, and has a regard to such, and he would have others also, Micah 4:6. The Ethiopic version reads, "that your halting may be healed, and not offended": that you yourselves may not halt and stumble.

But let it rather be healed; the fallen believer be restored, the weak brother be confirmed, the halting professor be strengthened, and everyone be built up and established upon the most holy faith, and in the pure ways of the Gospel.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And make straight paths for your feet - Margin, “even.” The word used here means properly straight, in the sense of upright, erect; Acts 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 Proverbs 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.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Hebrews 12:13. 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.


 
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