Hebrews 13:4 (ASV)

Passage

[Let] marriage [be] had in honor among all, and [let] the bed [be] undefiled: for fornicators and adulterers God will judge.

Nearby Context

Hebrews 13:2 Forget not to show love unto strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

Hebrews 13:3 Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; them that are illtreated, as being yourselves also in the body.

Hebrews 13:4 [Let] marriage [be] had in honor among all, and [let] the bed [be] undefiled: for fornicators and adulterers God will judge.

Hebrews 13:5 Be ye free from the love of money; content with such things as ye have: for himself hath said, I will in no wise fail thee, neither will I in any wise forsake thee.

Hebrews 13:6 So that with good courage we say, The Lord is my helper; I will not fear: What shall man do unto me?

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "marriage", "honor", "undefiled", "fornicators", "adulterers", and "judge". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "marriage" and "honor", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 3's "Remember them that are in bonds as..." into verse 5's "Be ye free from the love of...", so "marriage" and "honor" belong inside that flow. In Hebrews context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "marriage" and "honor" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.