Hebrews 6:12

Hebrews 6:12

That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

a. NLT: Then you will not become spiritually dull and indifferent. Instead, you will follow the example of those who are going to inherit God’s promises because of their faith and endurance.

b. NIV: We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.

c. YLT: that ye may not become slothful, but followers of those who through faith and patient endurance are inheriting the promises.

d. Amplified Bible: In order that you may not grow disinterested and become [spiritual] sluggards, but imitators, behaving as do those who through faith (by their leaning of the entire personality on God in Christ in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness) and by practice of patient endurance and waiting are [now] inheriting the promises.

e. Worrell Translation: that ye may not become slothful, but imitators of those who, through faith and long-suffering, inherit the promises.

1.”That ye be not slothful…”

a. That…not [3363 * hina] [Strong: 2443 and 3361; in order (or so) that not:--albeit not, lest, that, no(-t, (-thing)).]

b. ye be [1096 * ginomai] [Strong: a prolongation and middle voice form of a primary verb; to cause to be ("gen"-erate), i.e. (reflexively) to become (come into being), used with great latitude (literal, figurative, intensive, etc.):--arise, be assembled, be(-come, -fall, -have self), be brought (to pass), (be) come (to pass), continue, be divided, draw, be ended, fall, be finished, follow, be found, be fulfilled, + God forbid, grow, happen, have, be kept, be made, be married, be ordained to be, partake, pass, be performed, be published, require, seem, be showed, X soon as it was, sound, be taken, be turned, use, wax, will, would, be wrought.]

c. slothful [3576 * nothros] [Zodhiates: sluggish, dull, lazy.] [Strong: from a derivative of 3541; sluggish, i.e. (literally) lazy, or (figuratively) stupid:--dull, slothful.]

1). As previously mentioned in Hebrews 5:11, Paul rebuked these Messianic Jews for being spiritually lazy which leads to being spiritually asleep.

2. “…but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”

a. but [1161 * de] [Strong:  a primary particle (adversative or continuative); but, and, etc.:--also, and, but, moreover, now (often unexpressed in English).]

b. followers [3402 * mimetes] [Zodhiates: a follower, an imitator.] [Strong: from 3401; an imitator:--follower.]

c. of them who through [1223 * dia] [Strong: a primary preposition denoting the channel of an act; through (in very wide applications, local, causal, or occasional):--after, always, among, at, to avoid, because of (that), briefly, by, for (cause) ... fore, from, in, by occasion of, of, by reason of, for sake, that, thereby, therefore, X though, through(-out), to, wherefore, with (-in). In composition it retains the same general importance.]

d. faith [4102 * pistis] [W.E.Vine: 1. A firm conviction, producing a full acknowledgment of God’s revelation, or truth[His word!] 2. A personal surrender to Him. 3. A conduct inspired by such surrender.] [Strong: from 3982; persuasion, i.e. credence; moral conviction (of religious truth, or the truthfulness of God or a religious teacher), especially reliance upon Christ for salvation; abstractly, constancy in such profession; by extension, the system of religious (Gospel) truth itself:--assurance, belief, believe, faith, fidelity.]

e. and [2532 * kai] [Strong: apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

f. patience  [3115 * makrothumia] Forebearance, long suffering, self-restraint before proceeding to action.] [Strong: from the same as 3116; longanimity, i.e. (objectively) forbearance or (subjectively) fortitude:--longsuffering, patience.] [Webster: the quality of enduring with calmness, quiet perseverance.]

1). From the time we begin to believe God for a promise until the manifestation of that promise, there is usually a period of time.  During that time, our hearts need to exercise patience, i.e., enduring with calmness, exercising self-restraint and not proceeding to action until the promise is manifested.

a). James 1:3-5 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

1:4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraided not, and it shall be given him.

b). 1 Peter 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.

c). 1 Peter 5:8-10 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

5:9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

5:10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

g. inherit [2816 * kleronomeo] [Strong: from 2818; to be an heir to (literally or figuratively):--be heir, (obtain by) inherit(-ance).]

h. the promises [1860 * epaggelia] [Strong: from 1861; an announcement (for information, assent or pledge; especially a divine assurance of good):--message, promise.]