Hebrews 13:4 (DBY)

Passage

[Let] marriage [be held] every way in honour, and the bed [be] undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers will God judge.

Nearby Context

Hebrews 13:2 Be not forgetful of hospitality; for by it some have unawares entertained angels.

Hebrews 13:3 Remember prisoners, as bound with [them]; those that are evil-treated, as being yourselves also in [the] body.

Hebrews 13:4 [Let] marriage [be held] every way in honour, and the bed [be] undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers will God judge.

Hebrews 13:5 [Let your] conversation [be] without love of money, satisfied with [your] present circumstances; for *he* has said, I will not leave thee, neither will I forsake thee.

Hebrews 13:6 So that, taking courage, we may say, The Lord [is] my helper, and I will not be afraid: what will man do unto me?

Study Lenses

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

The nearby context moves from verse 3's "Remember prisoners as bound with them those..." into verse 5's "Let your conversation be without love of...", so "marriage" and "held" 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 "held" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.