Bible Strands
Hebrews 13:5
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, for God has said: “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.”
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — An anonymous author writes to Jewish Christians under pressure, closing the letter with practical exhortations. This verse sits between a call to honor marriage (13:4) and a declaration of confidence (13:6).
The words — ἀφιλἀργυρος (aphilargyros) is a rare coinage: "without love of silver," built from the prefix ἀ- (without) + φιλο- (love) + ἀργυρος (silver). It appears essentially only here in the New Testament.
The thread — The quoted promise echoes Deuteronomy 31:6, 8 and Joshua 1:5, where God assures Moses and Joshua of His presence. Hebrews transplants that covenant language to the present community.
Why it lands — The verse demands a concrete reordering: stop treating money as security and accept present sufficiency. The basis is not optimism but the claim that God's presence, not material surplus, is what actually sustains.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
Cross-references
- Deuteronomy 31:8 The LORD Himself goes before you; He will be with you. He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid or discouraged.”
- Joshua 1:5 No one shall stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so will I be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.
- Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid or terrified of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.”
- 1 Samuel 12:22 Indeed, for the sake of His great name, the LORD will not abandon His people, because He was pleased to make you His own.
- Isaiah 41:17 The poor and needy seek water, but there is none; their tongues are parched with thirst. I, the LORD, will answer them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.
- Psalms 37:25 I once was young and now am old, yet never have I seen the righteous abandoned or their children begging for bread.
- Isaiah 41:10 Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.
- 1 Chronicles 28:20 David also said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous, and do it. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will neither fail you nor forsake you before all the work for the service of the house of the LORD is finished.
- Matthew 6:25 Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?
- Genesis 28:15 Look, I am with you, and I will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”