By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.

HEBREWS 13:15KJV
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Hebrews 13:15 (KJV)

What does Hebrews 13:15 mean?

Hebrews 13:15 calls its readers to praise God continually through Jesus. It describes that praise as a sacrifice: an offering made with words that give thanks to God and honor his name.

The picture of a sacrifice would have been familiar to the first readers from worship in the Jewish temple. Here, the offering is described as “the fruit of our lips”: words spoken in praise. After the reference to Jesus’ suffering in verse 12, “by him” identifies Jesus as the one through whom this praise is offered.

The Greek behind Hebrews 13:15

  • “thanks” — ὁμολογέω (homologeō): The Greek here can carry the sense of openly acknowledging or declaring something. The KJV’s “giving thanks” presents this as an expressed response directed toward God’s name.
  • “continually” — διαπαντός (diapantos): This word means continually or throughout. It gives the offering of praise an ongoing character rather than limiting it to a single occasion.

Why Hebrews 13:15 matters

  • The verse connects praise with the language of offerings, even though the offering named here is spoken. “The fruit of our lips” explains what the “sacrifice of praise” consists of.
  • The words “to his name” focus the praise on God himself. In biblical language, a person’s name can stand for the person and all that the person is known for.
  • Praise is not the only offering mentioned in this part of Hebrews. Verse 16 also speaks of doing good and sharing with others as sacrifices that please God, placing spoken praise alongside acts of generosity.

Where else these words appear

“continually” Greek G1275 · used in 7 verses

  • Mark 5:5 And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.
  • Acts 10:2 A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway.
  • Romans 11:10 Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway.

“lips” Greek G5491 · used in 7 verses

  • Matthew 15:8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
  • Romans 3:13 Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:
  • Hebrews 11:12 Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.

“offer” Greek G399 · used in 9 verses

  • Matthew 17:1 And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,
  • Luke 24:51 And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.
  • James 2:21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?

“is” Greek G5123 · used in 17 verses

  • Matthew 27:46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
  • Romans 9:8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.
  • Hebrews 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;