The Meaning of Hebrews 13:23 Explained

Hebrews 13:23

KJV: Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty; with whom, if he come shortly, I will see you.

YLT: Know ye that the brother Timotheus is released, with whom, if he may come more shortly, I will see you.

Darby: Know that our brother Timotheus is set at liberty; with whom, if he should come soon, I will see you.

ASV: Know ye that our brother Timothy hath been set at liberty; with whom, if he come shortly, I will see you.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Know ye  {5720} that [our] brother  Timothy  is set at liberty;  with  whom,  if  he come  shortly,  I will see  you. 

What does Hebrews 13:23 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The writer obviously composed this epistle during the lifetime of Timothy and after some confinement that Timothy had experienced. Evidently the writer and Timothy were close associates in the Lord"s work. This is almost certainly a reference to the Timothy referred to elsewhere in the New Testament. This is the only Christian that the writer mentioned by name in the entire epistle.

Context Summary

Hebrews 13:14-25 - Praise, Prayer, And Peace
Notice that though the ancient sacrifices have been abolished, there is one which can never grow old-the sacrifice of praise. This incense must ever ascend from the heart-altar. And to this we must add the sacrifices of doing good and distributing our goods.
Perfection in the closing paragraph, Hebrews 13:21, means adjustment, the setting of a dislocated bone. We may be in the body of which Jesus is the Head, and yet be out of touch with Him. We need setting; and this is work which God will delegate to no angel, however exalted. He will do it Himself as tenderly and gently as possible, because He is the God of peace. Do you doubt it? Did He not bring the Shepherd to glory, and is He not able to bring the sheep also? Never rest until you are in living organic union with Jesus, that He may be able to work His will through you to your own great joy and for the hastening of the Kingdom [source]

Chapter Summary: Hebrews 13

1  Various admonitions as to love;
4  to honest life;
5  to avoid covetousness;
7  to regard God's preachers;
9  to take heed of strange doctrines;
10  to confess Christ;
16  to give alms;
17  to obey governors;
18  to pray for the apostles
20  The conclusion

Greek Commentary for Hebrews 13:23

Hath been set at liberty [απολελυμενον]
Perfect passive participle of απολυω — apoluō to set free, in indirect discourse after γινωσκετε — ginōskete Possibly from prison if he came to Rome at Paul‘s request (2 Timothy 4:11, 2 Timothy 4:21). Shortly Same comparative as in Hebrews 13:19, “sooner” than I expect (?). [source]
Our brother Timothy [τὸν ἀδελφὸν ἡμῶν Τιμόθεον]
Paul's habit, when using ὁ ἀδελφός brotherwith a proper name, is to put the proper name first. See Romans 16:23; 1 Corinthians 1:1; 1 Corinthians 16:12; 2 Corinthians 1:1; 2 Corinthians 2:13; Philemon 2:25. [source]
Set at liberty [ἀπολελυμένον]
Nothing is known of the fact referred to. Ἁπολύειν of releasing from confinement, Matthew 27:15; John 19:10; Acts 3:13; Acts 4:21, Acts 4:23; Acts 5:40. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Hebrews 13:23

John 13:27 Then entered Satan into him [τοτε εισηλτεν εις εκεινον ο Σατανας]
The only time the word Satan occurs in the Gospel. As he had done before (John 13:2; Luke 22:3) until Christ considered him a devil (John 6:70). This is the natural outcome of one who plays with the devil. That thou doest, do quickly Aorist active imperative of ποιεω — poieō “Do more quickly what thou art doing.” Ταχειον — Tacheion is comparative of ταχεως — tacheōs (John 11:31) and in N.T. only here, John 20:4; Hebrews 13:19, Hebrews 13:23. See the eagerness of Jesus for the passion in Luke 12:50. [source]
Hebrews 13:19 That I may be restored to you the sooner [ινα ταχειον αποκαταστατω υμιν]
Purpose clause with ινα — hina and the first aorist passive subjunctive of αποκατιστημι — apokathistēmi an old double compound as in Matthew 12:13. What is meant by ταχειον — tacheion (John 13:27; John 20:4) we do not know, possibly sickness. See Hebrews 13:23 also for ταχειον — tacheion f0). [source]
Hebrews 6:3 If God permit [εανπερ επιτρεπηι ο τεος]
Condition of the third class with εανπερ — eanper (note περ — per indeed). See 1 Corinthians 16:7 It is not an idle form with the author. He means that he will go on with the argument and not attempt to lay again the foundation (the elements). Moffatt takes him to mean that he will teach them the elements at a later time (Hebrews 13:23) if the way opens, a less probable interpretation. [source]

What do the individual words in Hebrews 13:23 mean?

You know the brother of us Timothy has been released with whom if sooner he should come I will see you
Γινώσκετε τὸν ἀδελφὸν ἡμῶν Τιμόθεον ἀπολελυμένον μεθ’ οὗ ἐὰν τάχιον ἔρχηται ὄψομαι ὑμᾶς

Γινώσκετε  You  know 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 2nd Person Plural
Root: γινώσκω  
Sense: to learn to know, come to know, get a knowledge of perceive, feel.
ἀδελφὸν  brother 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: ἀδελφός  
Sense: a brother, whether born of the same two parents or only of the same father or mother.
ἡμῶν  of  us 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 1st Person Plural
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
Τιμόθεον  Timothy 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: Τιμόθεος  
Sense: a resident of Lystra, apparently, whose father was a Greek and mother a Jewess; he was Paul’s travelling companion and fellow labourer.
ἀπολελυμένον  has  been  released 
Parse: Verb, Perfect Participle Middle or Passive, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: ἀπολύω  
Sense: to set free.
οὗ  whom 
Parse: Personal / Relative Pronoun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: ὅς 
Sense: who, which, what, that.
τάχιον  sooner 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Neuter Singular, Comparative
Root: ταχέως  
Sense: more swiftly, more quickly.
ἔρχηται  he  should  come 
Parse: Verb, Present Subjunctive Middle or Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἔρχομαι  
Sense: to come.
ὄψομαι  I  will  see 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Middle, 1st Person Singular
Root: εἶδον 
Sense: to see with the eyes.