Commentaries:
Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)
Be not carried away (mh paraferesqe). Prohibition with mh and present passive imperative of paraferw, old verb to lead along (Judges 1:12), to carry past (Mark 14:36), to lead astray as here.
By divers and strange teachings (didaxaiv poikilaiv kai cenaiv). For poikilov (many coloured) see Hebrews 2:4. Cenov for guest we have had in Hebrews 11:13, but here as adjective meaning unheard of (I Peter 4:12) as in older Greek also. The new is not always wrong any more than the old is always right (Matthew 13:52). But the air was already full of new and strange teachings that fascinated many by their very novelty. The warning here is always needed. Cf. Galatians 1:6-9; II Timothy 3:16.
That the heart be established by grace (xariti bebaiousqai thn kardian). Present passive infinitive of bebaiow (from bainw) to make stable with the instrumental case xariti (by grace) and the accusative of general reference (thn kardian). How true it is that in the atmosphere of so many windy theories only the heart is stable that has an experience of God's grace in Christ.
That occupied themselves (oi peripatountev). "That walked" in the ritualistic Jewish rules about meats.
Were not profited (ouk wfelhqhsan). First aorist passive indicative of wfelew, to help. Mere Jewish ceremonialism and ritualism failed to build up the spiritual life. It was sheer folly to give up Christ for Pharisaism or for Moses.
Other Robertson's Word Pictures (NT) entries containing Hebrews 13:9:
Acts 17:18
1 Peter 4:12
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