Hebrews 6:12
That you become not slothful, but followers of them, who through faith and patience shall inherit the promises.
Open Hebrews 6:12 in the Motif Searcher, word by word across all five texts →Show on the spiral →The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- ut non segnes efficiamini, verum imitatores eorum, qui fide, et patientia hæreditabunt promissiones.
- Greek New Testament (SBLGNT)
- ἵνα μὴ νωθροὶ γένησθε, μιμηταὶ δὲ τῶν διὰ πίστεως καὶ μακροθυμίας κληρονομούντων τὰς ἐπαγγελίας.
Haydock's commentary
On verses 9 to 12
We trust better things of you, &c. That is, though I have admonished you in this manner, I hope the best, especially knowing how charitable many of you have been to your Christian brethren. (Witham)
Faith begins the work of salvation; good works from a principle of charity continue it; perseverance in virtue, and patience under afflictions complete it. To assert the contrary is not to derogate so much from the work of man, as from the grace of God, which is the cause and ground of all that is good in man. "Mark," says St. Augustine, "that he to whom our Lord gave grace, hath our Lord, also his debtor. He found him a giver in the time of mercy: he that him his debtor in the time of judgment." (In Psalm vi.)
It is certain God, who is not unjust, will reward these good works, if you continue in the same, to the accomplishing of hope even to the end.2 for the obtaining the happiness you hope for. Be not therefore slothful, and negligent; it is by faith, patience, and perseverance, that you will inherit God’s promises. (Witham)
From Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, 1859, in the transcription made by Todd Easton and kept online by John Paul Wohlschied at johnblood.gitlab.io/haydock.
The Fathers on this verse
Clement of Alexandria The Stromata, or Miscellanies, Chapter XXII. Plato’s Opinion, that the Chief Good Consists in Assimilation to God, and Its Agreement with Scripture
Further, Plato the philosopher says that the end is twofold: that which is communicable, and exists first in the ideal forms themselves, which he also calls “the good;” and that which partakes of it, and receives its likeness from it, as is the case in the men who appropriate virtue and true philosophy. Wherefore also Cleanthes, in the second book, On Pleasure , says that Socrates everywhere teaches that the just man and the happy are one and the same, and execrated the first man who separated the just from the useful, as having done an impious thing. For those are in truth impious who separate the useful from that which is right according to the law. Plato himself says that happiness ( εὐδαιμονία ) is to possess rightly the dæmon, and that the ruling faculty of the soul is called the dæmon; and he terms happiness ( εὐδαιμονία ) the most perfect and complete good. …
St John Chrysostom The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews, Argument
Moreover, he makes it plain that they had been a long time in the faith and in afflictions, saying, “When for the time ye ought to be teachers,” and, “Lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief,” and ye became “Followers of them who through patience inherit the promises.”
St John Chrysostom The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews, Hebrews 6.7,8
[5.] Why then did we say these things? ( Ver. 11, 12 ) “But we desire that everyone of you do show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end; that ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”
St John Chrysostom The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews, Hebrews 12.14
For how is it that he [the Apostle] said this? How did he exhort them again after they had become “sluggish” ( c. vi. 12 )? How, when they were become “lame”? How, when they were “paralyzed” ( ver. 13 )? How, when they were “relaxed” ( ver. 12 )? For this is the beginning of a fall. He seems to me to hint at some fornicators amongst them, but not to wish at that time to correct them: but feigns ignorance that they might correct themselves. For it is right at first indeed to pretend ignorance: but afterwards, when they continue [in sin], then to add reproof also, that so they may not become shameless. Which Moses also did in the case of Zimri and the daughter of Cosbi.
St Ambrose Epistle LXIII: To the Church at Vercellæ
50. Let there be in him faith and ripeness of character, not one without the other, but let both meet together in one with good works and deeds. For which reason the Apostle Paul wishes that we should be imitators of them, who, as he says, “by faith and patience” possess the promises made to Abraham, who by patience was found worthy to receive and to possess the grace of the blessing promised to him. David the prophet warns us that we should be imitators of holy Aaron, and has set him amongst the Saints of God to be imitated by us, saying: “Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among those that call upon His Name.”