Hebrews 6:10

 

Hebrews 6:10

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

(1611 KJV) For God is not vnrighteous, to forget your worke and labour of loue, which yee haue shewed toward his Name, in that yee haue ministred to the Saints, and doe minister.

(1587 Geneva Bible) For God is not vnrighteous, that hee should forget your worke, and labour of loue, which ye shewed toward his Name, in that ye haue ministred vnto the Saints, and yet minister.

(1526 Tyndale) For god is not vnrighteous that he shuld forget youre worke and laboure that procedeth of love which love shewed in his name which have ministred vnto the saynctes and yet minister

 

Counterfeit Versions

(CSB) For God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you demonstrated for his name by serving the saints ​— ​and by continuing to serve them.

(NIV) God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.

(NASB) For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints.

(THE MESSAGE) God doesn't miss anything. He knows perfectly well all the love you've shown him by helping needy Christians, and that you keep at it.

(NLT) For God is not unfair. He will not forget how hard you have worked for him and how you have shown your love to him by caring for other Christians, as you still do.

(ESV) For God is not so unjust as to overlook your work and the love that you showed for his sake in serving the saints, as you still do.

(1901 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.

(HCSB) For God is not unjust; He will not forget your work and the love you showed for His name when you served the saints—and you continue to serve them.

(RSV) For God is not so unjust as to overlook your work and the love which you showed for his sake in serving the saints, as you still do.

(NAB-Roman Catholic) For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love you have demonstrated for his name by having served and continuing to serve the holy ones.

(NWT-Jehovah’s Witnesses) For God is not unrighteous so as to forget YOUR work and the love YOU showed for his name, in that YOU have ministered to the holy ones and continue ministering.

 

Textus Receptus - Traditional Text

ou gar adikoV o qeoV epilaqesqai tou ergou umwn kai tou kopou thV agaphV hV enedeixasqe eiV to onoma autou diakonhsanteV toiV agioiV kai diakonounteV

 

Hort-Westcott - Critical Text

ou gar adikoV o qeoV epilaqesqai tou ergou umwn kai thV agaphV hV enedeixasqe eiV to onoma autou diakonhsanteV toiV agioiV kai diakonounteV

 

Corrupted Manuscripts

This verse is corrupted in the following manuscripts:

Aleph 01 - Sinaiticus - Nineteenth Century Counterfeit

A 02 - Alexandrinus - Fifth century

B 03 - Vaticanus - Fourth century

C 04 - Ephraemi Rescriptus - Fifth century

D 06 - Claromontanus - Sixth century (original)

P 025 - Ninth century

33 (Minuscule) - Ninth Century

 

Manuscripts which agree with the Textus Receptus for this verse

Byzantine Text (450-1450 A.D.)

D 06 - Paris: Claromontanus - Sixth century (corrected)

K 018 - Ninth century

L 020 - Ninth century

 

Published Critical Greek Texts with Corruptions

Omit “labor of”

Greisbach, Johann - 1805

Lachmann, Karl - 1842

Tischendorf, Constantine - 1869

Tregelles, Samuel - 1857

Alford, Henry - 1849 revised in 1871

Westcott and Hort - 1881

Weiss, Bernhard - 1894

Nestle - 1927 as revised in seventeenth edition in 1941

Nestle-Aland - 1979 - Twenty Sixth Edition

Nestle-Aland - 1993 - Twenty Seventh Edition

United Bible Societies - 1983 - Fourth Edition

Von Soden, Freiherr - 1902

 

Affected Teaching

The word “labour of” has been omitted in the Greek text as well as the English text. The word “labour” carries with the meaning of “toil, weariness, and trouble.” The writer to the Hebrews is assuring his readers that those who toil and become weary in the service of the Lord, especially toward the household of Faith, will not be forgotten by the Lord for all their work. In Galatians 6:10, the Apostle Paul states: (Gal 6:10 KJV) As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. It is the believer’s responsibility to not only do good to those outside the body of Christ, but we are to minister to the body of believers also. In other words, God is basically stating that we must not neglect those who are in the body of Christ. Sometimes in churches, those that have needs in the local congregation are neglected in favor of those who are unsaved. This is biased ministry in that the unbelievers are being ministered to but the believers are being neglected. We must always be prepared to evangelize the lost but we must also continue to minister to those who are within the body of Christ.

 

Hebrews 6:10 teaches a great principle in that love is not just words or a state of mind but true Christian love is action. When the Gnostics and their modern counterparts omitted the words “labour of” they were omitting the major standard of true love and that is action and involvement. According to the modern versions, in this verse love has no ingredients and that is teaching a false notion of true Christian love. The word “labour” tells us that love contains action and that believers must not only love in word but in deed. The Apostle John sums up this principle. (1 John 3:18 KJV) My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. Love is something which is way beyond words. Actions which we do for someone demonstrates the love we have for them and the love we have coming from our hearts because of our transformation in Christ. Non-action and non-involvement only shows apathy and not love. In fact, it may also show that a person is unsaved because our faith is confirmed by our works (James 2:14-26) and so is our love.

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