For everyone who lives on milk is not experienced in the word of righteousness, for he is a baby.
Parallel Translations
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For everyone who lives on milk is not experienced in the word of righteousness, for he is a baby.
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For every man that is feed with mylke is inexperte in the worde of rightewesnes. For he is but a babe.
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For euery one that vseth milke, is inexpert in the worde of righteousnes: for he is a babe.
Cross-references (14)
Passages linked to Hebrews 5:13 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- 1 Corinthians 14:20 Brothers, don’t be children in thoughts, yet in malice be babies, but in thoughts be mature.
- 1 Peter 2:2 as newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the Word, that with it you may grow,
- 2 Timothy 3:16 Every Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness,
- Isaiah 28:9 Whom will he teach knowledge? To whom will he explain the message? Those who are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts?
- Ephesians 4:14 that we may no longer be children, tossed back and forth and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error;
- 1 Corinthians 3:1 Brothers, I couldn’t speak to you as to spiritual, but as to fleshly, as to babies in Christ.
- 1 Corinthians 13:11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child. Now that I have become a man, I have put away childish things.
- 2 Corinthians 3:9 For if the service of condemnation has glory, the service of righteousness exceeds much more in glory.
- Psalms 119:123 My eyes fail looking for your salvation, for your righteous word.
- Matthew 11:25 At that time, Jesus answered, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you hid these things from the wise and understanding, and revealed them to infants.
- Romans 10:5-6 For Moses writes about the righteousness of the law, “The one who does them will live by them.” But the righteousness which is of faith says this, “Don’t say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ (that is, to bring Christ down);
- Mark 10:15 Most certainly I tell you, whoever will not receive God’s Kingdom like a little child, he will in no way enter into it.”
- Romans 1:17-18 For in it is revealed God’s righteousness from faith to faith. As it is written, “But the righteous shall live by faith.” For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
- Romans 2:20 a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of babies, having in the law the form of knowledge and of the truth.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (15 sources)
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John Calvin 1540 · Public Domain 13. For every one who uses milk, or, who…
13. For every one who uses milk, or, who partakes of milk, etc. He means those who from tenderness or weakness as yet refuse solid doctrine; for otherwise he who is grown up is not averse to milk. But he reproves here an infancy in understanding, such as constrains God even to prattle with us. He then says, that babes are not fit to receive the word of righteousness, understanding by righteousness the perfection of which he will presently speak. For the Apostle does not here, as I think, refer to the question, how we are justified before God, but takes the word in a simpler sense, as denoting that completeness of knowledge which leads to perfection, which office Paul ascribes to the Gospel in his epistle to the Colossians, 1:28; as though he had said, that those who indulge themselves in their ignorance preclude themselves from a real knowledge of Christ, and that the doctrine of the Gospel is unfruitful in them, because they never reach the goal, nor come even near it.
John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain In the word that teacheth righteousness.
In the word that teacheth righteousness.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful…
13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
Ver. 13. In the word of righteousness] That is, in the more solid doctrine of the gospel concerning Christ, who is our righteousness.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain The Spirit proves these Hebrews such infants by describing…
The Spirit proves these Hebrews such infants by describing the state of them, and of their contrary, and tacitly applying it to them under a metaphor or allegory started by him before.
For every one that useth milk; for, saith he, every one of you who take in nothing but the elements and weakest kind of doctrines, and can bear no other, have not digested the first principles of the oracles of God.
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Is unskilful in the word of righteousness; are απειρος, not truly knowing, not proving nor experiencing, never exercised or practised in, the word of righteousness, the gospel doctrine, which is in itself an eternal certain truth, the revelation of the righteousness of God to faith, Rom 1:16,17, and the instrumental conveyer of it to faith; a perfect rule of righteousness, making Christians conform exactly to the mind and will of God, and so reaching the state of strong and perfect ones, Col 1:25-29.
For he is a babe; he is but a new-born Christian, a child in Christ’s school, one that cannot be experienced in the perfections of God’s word, because he is weak in knowledge, ignorant and unconstant like an infant, 1Co 14:20; compare Eph 4:14.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
William Burkitt 1703 · Public Domain Our apostle here speaks of the difference of doctrines…
Our apostle here speaks of the difference of doctrines under the metaphor of meats: From whence we may gather,
1. That the Word of God, in the dispensation of it, is food provided for the souls of men.
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2. That the Word, as food, will not profit the soul until it be eaten, and digested: It is not food prepared, but food received, that nourishes. When manna was gathered and eaten, it nourished the Israelites: But when gathered and laid by, it putrified and bred worms.
Lord! What pains do some take to gather manna, to hear the Word, but alas! it lies by them, and is of no use.
Learn, 3. That as the gospel is the word of righteousness, so God requires and expects that all those who live under the dispensation of the gospel should be skillful in the word of righteousness. The gospel is a word of righteousness; it is so declaratively, as the severity of God against sin is hereby more fully revealed, and as the righteousness which God requireth, approveth, and accepteth for our justification, is therein declared; and the righteousness which God requireth in us, and expecteth from us, is hereby discovered also; and as it is the great instrument of working holiness in us, and making us inherently righteous, so it is the word of righteousness efficiently as well as declaratively; our justification is wrought in us thereby, Joh 17:17.
Learn, 4. That the spiritual senses of believers, well exercised in the word of righteousness, are the best and most undeceiving helps in judging of what is good or evil, what is true or false, that is proposed to them: Such, by reason of use, have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
William Burkitt's Expository Notes on the New Testament (1700–1703) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain But strong meat belongeth to them that are of…
But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age,.... Or perfect; see Co1 2:6. This does not intend a perfection of justification; for though some have a greater degree of faith than others, and a clearer discovery of their justification, yet babes in Christ are as perfectly justified as more grown and experienced believers; nor a perfection of sanctification, for there is no perfection of holiness but in Christ; and though the work of sanctification may be in greater perfection in one saint than in another, yet all are imperfect in this life; and as to a perfection of parts, babes have this as well as adult persons: but it designs a perfection of knowledge; for though none are entirely perfect, yet some have arrived to a greater degree of the knowledge of Gospel mysteries than others, and to these the strong meat of the Gospel belongs; they are capable of understanding the more mysterious parts of the Gospel; of searching into the deep things of God; and of receiving and digesting the more sublime truths of the Christian religion:
even those who by reason of use, have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil; that is, their spiritual senses, the internal senses of the understanding and judgment, signified by external ones; as by seeing the Son; hearing the voice of Christ; savouring or smelling a sweet odour in the things of God, and Christ; tasting that the Lord is gracious; feeling and handling the word of life, as these are held forth in the everlasting Gospel: and these being exercised on their proper object, by use, an habit is contracted; and such are qualified for discerning, as between moral good and evil, and the worse and better state of the church, and between law and Gospel, so between the doctrines of Christ, and the doctrines of men; who find they differ: the doctrines of Christ such experienced persons find to be good, wholesome, nourishing, and salutary; and the doctrines of men to be evil, to eat, as does a canker, and to be pernicious, poisonous, and damnable; and the discernment they make, and the judgment they form, are not according to the dictates of carnal reason, but according to the Scriptures of truth, and their own experience.
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Next: Hebrews Chapter 6
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain Everyone that useth milk - That neither desires, nor…
Everyone that useth milk - That neither desires, nor can digest, anything else: otherwise strong men use milk; but not milk chiefly, and much less that only. Is unexperienced in the word of righteousness - The sublimer truths of the gospel. Such are all who desire and can digest nothing but the doctrine of justification and imputed righteousness.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 13. For every one that useth milk] It…
Verse 13. For every one that useth milk] It is very likely that the apostle, by using this term, refers to the doctrines of the law, which were only the rudiments of religion, and were intended to lead us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
The word of righteousness] αογος δικαιοσυνης. The doctrine of justification. I believe this to be the apostle's meaning. He that uses milk-rests in the ceremonies and observances of the law, is unskilful in the doctrine of justification; for this requires faith in the sacrificial death of the promised Messiah.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain For every one that useth milk - Referring to…
For every one that useth milk - Referring to the food of children. The apostle has in view here those Christians who resemble children in this respect, that they are not capable of receiving the stronger food adapted to those of mature age.
Is unskilful - Inexperienced; who has not skill to perform anything. The word is properly applied to one who has not experience or skill, or who is ignorant. Here it does not mean that they were not true Christians - but that they had not the experience or skill requisite to enable them to understand the higher mysteries of the Christian religion.
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In the word of righteousness - The doctrine respecting the way in which men become righteous, or the way of salvation by the Redeemer; see the notes on Rom 1:17.
For He is a babe - That is, in religious matters. He understands the great system only as a child may. It is common to speak of “babes in knowledge,” as denoting a state of ignorance.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain useth--Greek, "partaketh," that is, taketh as his portion. Even…
useth--Greek, "partaketh," that is, taketh as his portion. Even strong men partake of milk, but do not make milk their chief, much less their sole, diet.
the word of righteousness--the Gospel wherein "the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith" (Rom 1:17), and which is called "the ministration of righteousness" (Co2 3:9). This includes the doctrine of justification and sanctification: the first principles, as well as the perfection, of the doctrine of Christ: the nature of the offices and person of Christ as the true Melchisedec, that is, "King of righteousness" (compare Mat 3:15).
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 13. Every one that useth milk—The milk, or first…
13. Every one that useth milk—The milk, or first principles, are indicated by specimens, in Heb_6:1-2.
Is a babe—Spiritually ignorant and weak.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 13. that useth milk] The meaning is “who feeds…
13. that useth milk] The meaning is “who feeds on milk.”
unskilful] “Inexperienced.”
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for he is a babe] This is a frequent metaphor in St Paul, who also contrasts “babes” (nçpioi) with the mature (teleioi), Gal_4:3; 1Co_2:6; Eph_4:13-14. We are only to be “babes” in wickedness (1Co_14:20).
the word of righteousness] i.e. the Scriptures, and especially the Gospel (see 2Ti_3:16; Rom_1:17, “therein is the righteousness of God revealed”).
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (13) The change of expression from having need of…
(13) The change of expression from having need of milk to partaking of milk (that is, making it the solo food) is significant. Those who are addressed had lost interest in the deeper truths of Christianity, those truths which alone expressed and explained its proper nature. Their temptation apparently was towards mingling a rudimentary Christian doctrine with the teaching of the synagogue. Yielding to this they would lose all real Knowledge of the very elements of Christian truth, and with this all true knowledge of the Old Testament itself. The connection between this verse and the last may probably be, Ye have come to need milk, for—making it by choice your sole food—ye stand self-confessed as babes.
Unskilful.—Rather, without experience. The “word of righteousness” evidently must signify complete, properly-developed Christian teaching. The only question is, Why is this particular designation chosen? In the Epistle to the Romans such a description would be natural (see especially Rom_1:17; Rom_9:31); but “righteousness” is not the direct and manifest subject of this Epistle. Still, the expressions of which the writer makes use in Heb_10:38; Heb_11:7, together with the general similarity between his teaching and St. Paul’s, go very far towards explaining his choice of this special expression as descriptive of the religion of Christ. In like manner another phrase, “law of liberty,” is characteristic of St. James.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain For every one that partaketh of milk is unskillful…
For every one that partaketh of milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. Reason for saying that they are such as have need of milk; for milk is the nourishment of infants, and he that is an infant in respect of spiritual growth is apeirov logou dikaiosunhv : not of necessity unacquainted with it altogether, but still not versed in it; he is but a tyro. "Word of righteousness" may be taken as a general term to denote what we might call religious lore; referring here especially to the gospel, which is eminently the revelation of the "righteousness of God"; (Rom_1:17; cf. 2Co_3:9, h diakonia thv dikaiosunhv : and 2Co_11:15, diakonoi dikaiosunhv) but not excluding a more general conception. There is no need to suppose an exclusive reference to the more perfect doctrine in opposition to the elements, since, of the whole subject of religious knowledge, the nhpiov may be said to be apeirov in the sense of being without the matured skill that experience gives. Hence, too, we are certainly not justified in finding in the phrase a specific allusion to the Pauline doctrine of justification by faith only, which is not suggested by the context or by what follows. Still less may we (with Delitzsch) so ignore the notable significance of dikaiosunh as to reduce the expression to a synonym for "rightly framed, that is sound and orthodox discourse."
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
B. W. Johnson 1891 · Public Domain 13. Every one that useth milk, etc. Those who…
13. Every one that useth milk, etc. Those who only understand the A B C's of Christianity are only babes in Christ, like the babes whose food is milk. Such an one cannot handle the word of righteousness skillfully.
B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.