Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant,
English Standard Version (ESV)
It's easy to read this as God raising Jesus and then appointing Him shepherd. But the text actually links the blood of the covenant to both His resurrection and His role as the Great Shepherd. Jesus became our Great Shepherd precisely because He shed His blood to establish the eternal covenant, and it was through that same covenant's power that God raised Him from the dead.
Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant,
English Standard Version (ESV)
This blessing comes at the very end of the letter, following exhortations for the community to obey their leaders and live in peace. It's a prayer that invokes God's power to establish harmony, drawing directly from the foundational events of Christ's resurrection and His sacrificial death that ratified the eternal covenant.
Ever feel like there's strife in your life, whether internal or external? This ancient blessing reminds us where true harmony comes from.
The phrase 'God of peace' isn't just a poetic title; it's a theological declaration. It points to God as the ultimate source and sustainer of peace. In the context of Hebrews, which deals with internal struggles and the need for spiritual stability, calling God the 'God of peace' is profoundly relevant. It assures believers that peace isn't a fleeting emotion but a divine gift rooted in God's very nature. He is the one who can bring order out of chaos and reconciliation where there is division.
Jesus is called the 'Great Shepherd,' but how did He gain that ultimate authority? This verse points to a pivotal event.
Jesus' resurrection from the dead is the bedrock of our faith and the source of His authority as the 'Great Shepherd.' The verse highlights that God 'brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus.' This act of bringing Him back to life demonstrates God's supreme power. It validates Jesus' sacrifice and establishes Him as the one who has conquered death. As the Great Shepherd, He now has the authority and power to protect, guide, and give eternal life to His flock.
What makes a covenant 'eternal'? And how does blood fit into a relationship with God that lasts forever?
The phrase 'through the blood of the eternal covenant' is crucial. It connects Jesus' resurrection and His role as Shepherd to the ultimate sacrifice that ratified God's new covenant with humanity. This covenant isn't temporary like the Old Testament Mosaic covenant; it's 'eternal' because it was planned before time and its effects are everlasting. Jesus' blood, shed for us, is the seal of this covenant. It’s through this sacrifice that God reconciles us to Himself, grants forgiveness, and secures our eternal peace and salvation. His resurrection confirms the efficacy of this blood and the everlasting nature of the covenant it represents.
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Understand the original words
eirēnē · Greek Noun
The title given to God because He is the source of inner harmony, reconciliation, and the cessation of hostility between God and humanity through Jesus Christ.
poimēn · Greek Noun
The One who cares for, guides, and protects His people; an image used for Jesus to describe His sacrificial love and authority over His church.
haima · Greek Noun
The sacrificial death of Jesus, which serves as the formal foundation for the New Covenant, ensuring its validity and its everlasting nature before God.
diathēkē · Greek Noun
A solemn, binding agreement between God and His people, which is 'eternal' because it is based on the finished, unchangeable work of Christ and cannot be revoked.
This benediction draws deeply from Old Testament promises of an everlasting covenant and a future shepherd, but anchors them in the historical reality of Christ's resurrection. It assures the readers that the God who brought peace through the ultimate sacrifice is the one now empowering them to live lives pleasing to Him.
c. 1446 BC
Giving of the Mosaic Covenant
God establishes the Mosaic Covenant with Israel at Mount Sinai, sealed by animal sacrifice. This covenant, though foundational, was temporary and subject to human failure.
c. 586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Temple Destruction
The Babylonians conquer Jerusalem and destroy the Temple, marking a devastating exile for the Jewish people. This event highlights the failure of the old covenant to secure lasting peace and presence with God.
c. 5th-4th century BC
Prophetic Visions of a New Covenant
Prophets like Jeremiah and Zechariah foretell a future, 'everlasting covenant' that God will establish with His people, marked by forgiveness and an internal transformation of the heart.
c. AD 30-33— this verse
Jesus' Crucifixion and Resurrection
Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah, is crucified, and His blood seals the New Covenant. God then raises Him from the dead, confirming the efficacy of His sacrifice and His role as the Great Shepherd.
c. AD 60-65
Authorship of the Epistle to the Hebrews
The author of Hebrews writes to a community facing potential apostasy, urging them to persevere in faith by emphasizing Christ's superiority over the Old Covenant and His role as the perfect High Priest and Shepherd.
This passage, referencing Moses as a shepherd leading Israel, is echoed in Hebrews 13:20's description of Christ as the 'great shepherd,' highlighting the continuity of God's shepherding care through different leaders.
Zechariah 9:11The promise 'by the blood of your covenant I have sent out your prisoners' directly parallels the 'blood of the eternal covenant' in Hebrews 13:20, emphasizing how Christ's sacrifice secures liberation and peace.
Ezekiel 34:11-16This prophetic vision of God Himself as the shepherd who rescues, feeds, and restores His flock deeply informs the identity of Jesus as the 'great shepherd' in Hebrews 13:20, showcasing God's active care for His people.
John 10:11Jesus' own declaration, 'I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep,' directly connects to the concept of the 'great shepherd' in Hebrews 13:20, underscoring that Christ's shepherding is defined by His sacrificial love.
1 Peter 2:25Peter calls believers 'sheep who were scattered,' but who have now returned to the 'Shepherd and Overseer of your souls,' mirroring the idea in Hebrews 13:20 of Christ's role in gathering and caring for His flock.
vincentHebrews 13:20: "Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,"
The God of peaceNot an O.T. phrase, and found only in Paul and Hebrews. See Romans 15:33; Romans 16:20; 1 Corinthians 14:33; Philippians 4:9, 1 Thessalonians 5:23; 2 Thessalonians 3:16. The phrase signifies God who is the author and giver of peace.Who brought again from the dead (ὁ ἀναγαγὼν ἐκ νεκρῶν)The only direct referen…
barnesHebrews 13:20: "Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,"
Now the God of peace - God who is the Author, or the source of peace; notes, 1 Thessalonians 5:23 . The word "peace" in the New Testament is used to denote every kind of blessing or happiness. It is opposed to all that would disturb or trouble the mind, and may refer, therefore, to reconciliation with God; to a quiet conscience;…
It's easy to read this as God raising Jesus and then appointing Him shepherd. But the text actually links the blood of the covenant to both His resurrection and His role as the Great Shepherd. Jesus became our Great Shepherd precisely because He shed His blood to establish the eternal covenant, and it was through that same covenant's power that God raised Him from the dead.
This blessing comes at the very end of the letter, following exhortations for the community to obey their leaders and live in peace. It's a prayer that invokes God's power to establish harmony, drawing directly from the foundational events of Christ's resurrection and His sacrificial death that ratified the eternal covenant.
This blessing comes at the very end of the letter, following exhortations for the community to obey their leaders and live in peace. It's a prayer that invokes God's power to establish harmony, drawing directly from the foundational events of Christ's resurrection and His sacrificial death that ratified the eternal covenant.
"Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant," — It's easy to read this as God raising Jesus and then appointing Him shepherd. But the text actually links the blood of the covenant to both His resurrection and His role as the Great Shepherd.…
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Last reviewed October 2026