Hebrews 12:15
Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;
Study Note
Study Note
'See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled' — the 'root of bitterness' allusion to Deuteronomy 29:18 places the warning in the context of communal accountability: individual bitterness defiles the whole assembly. The pastoral urgency of 'see to it' (episkopountes, 'exercising oversight') assigns communal responsibility for mutual care — a function the author distributes to the whole community, not only to leaders. The pairing with the Esau warning (verses 16–17) — who 'found no place of repentance' despite seeking it with tears — intensifies the danger: bitterness may crystallize into a hardening from which no reversal is possible. The verse belongs to Hebrews 12's extended exhortation to endurance drawing on the Father-son discipline analogy (verses 5–11) and the eschatological contrast between Sinai and Zion (verses 18–24).
Other Translations
looking carefully lestthere beany man that falleth short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby the many be defiled;
looking diligently over lest any one be failing of the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness springing up may give trouble, and through this many may be defiled;
Looking with care to see that no man among you in his behaviour comes short of the grace of God; for fear that some bitter root may come up to be a trouble to you, and that some of you may be made unclean by it;
Cross References
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