For everyone who lives on milk is not experienced in the word of righteousness, for he is a baby.
Parallel translations
- KJV For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
- BSB For everyone who lives on milk is still an infant, inexperienced in the message of righteousness.
- NKJV For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe.
- NASB For everyone who partakes only of milk is unacquainted with the word of righteousness, for he is an infant.
- NLT For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Anyone living only on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness and remains spiritually an infant. Lack of growth leaves believers immature and undiscerning.
Overview
The writer uses the image of an infant to describe Christians who never advance beyond basic teaching. Such immaturity leaves them unable to handle the deeper 'word of righteousness.' The point urges progress in understanding and practical godliness, not contentment with spiritual infancy.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- 1 Pet 2:2as newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the Word, that with it you may grow,
- 1 Cor 14:20Brothers, don’t be children in thoughts, yet in malice be babies, but in thoughts be mature.
- 2 Tim 3:16Every Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness,
- Eph 4:14that we may no longer be children, tossed back and forth and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error;
- Isa 28:9Whom will he teach knowledge? To whom will he explain the message? Those who are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts?
- 1 Cor 3:1Brothers, I couldn’t speak to you as to spiritual, but as to fleshly, as to babies in Christ.
- 1 Cor 13:11When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child. Now that I have become a man, I have put away childish things.
- 2 Cor 3:9For if the service of condemnation has glory, the service of righteousness exceeds much more in glory.
- Ps 119:123My eyes fail looking for your salvation, for your righteous word.
- Matt 11:25At that time, Jesus answered, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you hid these things from the wise and understanding, and revealed them to infants.
- Rom 10:5–6For Moses writes about the righteousness of the law, “The one who does them will live by them.”
- Rom 1:17–18For in it is revealed God’s righteousness from faith to faith. As it is written, “But the righteous shall live by faith.”
- Mark 10:15Most certainly I tell you, whoever will not receive God’s Kingdom like a little child, he will in no way enter into it.”
- Rom 2:20a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of babies, having in the law the form of knowledge and of the truth.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Hebrews is sustained worship of Christ: better than angels, Moses, and the priests; the great High Priest after Melchizedek who by one sacrifice perfects forever those he saves.
How Hebrews 5:13 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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