6:13 Now when God made his promise to Abraham, since he could swear by no one greater, he swore by himself, 6:14 saying, “Surely I will bless you greatly and multiply your descendants abundantly.” 2 6:15 And so by persevering, Abraham 3 inherited the promise. 6:16 For people 4 swear by something greater than themselves, 5 and the oath serves as a confirmation to end all dispute. 6 6:17 In the same way 7 God wanted to demonstrate more clearly to the heirs of the promise that his purpose was unchangeable, 8 and so he intervened with an oath, 6:18 so that we who have found refuge in him 9 may find strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us through two unchangeable things, since it is impossible for God to lie. 6:19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, sure and steadfast, which reaches inside behind the curtain, 10
1 tn Or “dull.”
2 tn Grk “in blessing I will bless you and in multiplying I will multiply you,” the Greek form of a Hebrew idiom showing intensity.
sn A quotation from Gen 22:17.
3 tn Grk “he”; in the translation the referent (Abraham) has been specified for clarity.
4 tn The plural Greek term ἄνθρωποι (anqrwpoi) is used here in a generic sense, referring to both men and women, and is thus translated “people.”
5 tn Grk “by something greater”; the rest of the comparison (“than themselves”) is implied.
6 tn Grk “the oath for confirmation is an end of all dispute.”
7 tn Grk “in which.”
8 tn Or “immutable” (here and in v. 18); Grk “the unchangeableness of his purpose.”
9 tn Grk “have taken refuge”; the basis of that refuge is implied in the preceding verse.
10 sn The curtain refers to the veil or drape in the temple that separated the holy place from the holy of holies.