Hebrews 13:9 Meaning and Explanation
“Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Do not be swept away by novel teachings; the heart is steadied by grace, not by rules about food.
What Does Hebrews 13:9 Mean?
The warning targets fascination with ceremonial regulations, especially about food, that promised holiness but never delivered it. Such teachings carried people about like a current pulls a drifting boat.
What truly establishes the heart is grace, the unearned favor of God, not a diet or a ritual. Outward observances cannot give the inner stability the soul craves; only the gift of God in Christ can. The contrast is between being tossed and being grounded. To rest in grace is to be settled on something that has actually saved, rather than chasing practices that leave the heart as hungry as before.
Hebrews 13:9 in the Original Language
charis (χάρις), 'grace' -- God's freely given favor and kindness toward us.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hebrews 13:9
What does Hebrews 13:9 mean?
Do not be swept away by novel teachings; the heart is steadied by grace, not by rules about food.