Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse urges us to remember prisoners and the mistreated "as though in prison with them" and "as being yourselves also in the body." This isn't just about general sympathy, but about deeply identifying with them, recognizing that our shared humanity means we are all susceptible to suffering and confinement. It’s a call to a profound empathy that sees their plight as potentially our own.
Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This directive comes at the end of a long section where the author has been exhorting believers to live out their faith practically. After emphasizing love for fellow believers and hospitality, the focus shifts to those facing persecution and hardship, urging the readers to actively remember and empathize with those imprisoned or suffering, recognizing their shared humanity and susceptibility to pain.
What does it truly mean to 'remember' someone suffering? It's more than a fleeting thought.
The verse calls us to remember those in bonds and suffering 'as though in prison with them' and 'as if you also are in the body.' This isn't just about acknowledging their pain from a distance.
Shared Identity
The original language suggests a deep identification, almost as if their suffering is happening to you. This radical empathy stems from our shared humanity and, crucially for Christians, our shared membership in Christ's body.
Practical Compassion
This 'with-them' perspective moves beyond mere sympathy to practical compassion. It means praying for them as if you share their chains and caring for them as if you are subject to their same afflictions. It's about imagining yourself in their very real, often painful, circumstances.
Who are the 'prisoners' and 'mistreated' the author wants us to remember?
The call to 'remember those who are in prison' and 'those who are mistreated' is broad. While it can certainly include those imprisoned for their faith (a significant reality for early Christians), it's not limited to them.
All Forms of Bondage
The commentary suggests this includes anyone held captive, detained, or suffering wrongful treatment. The principle applies to all who are oppressed, regardless of the reason for their suffering. It’s about recognizing their humanity and their plight.
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The Principle of Shared Vulnerability
The core idea is our shared vulnerability. We are all 'in the body,' meaning we are all human beings susceptible to pain, mistreatment, and hardship. This shared condition is what compels us to extend compassion and actively remember those currently enduring such trials.
The call to remember prisoners and the mistreated in Hebrews 13:3 wasn't a general plea for a far-off problem; it was a direct, urgent reminder rooted in the very real and brutal persecutions faced by early Christians, especially during the intense reigns of emperors like Nero and Domitian.
c. AD 30-33
Crucifixion of Jesus Christ
The execution of Jesus by crucifixion marks the foundational event of Christianity, leading to the persecution of his followers.
c. AD 34-36
Stephen's Stoning and Early Persecution
The stoning of Stephen, a prominent early Christian leader, sparks a wave of persecution against the church in Jerusalem, scattering believers to other regions.
c. AD 40s
James' Execution and Peter's Imprisonment
The book of Acts records the beheading of James and the imprisonment of Peter by King Herod Agrippa I, showing Roman authorities actively targeting Christian leaders.
c. AD 64— this verse
Great Fire of Rome and Nero's Persecution
Emperor Nero blames Christians for the Great Fire of Rome, initiating a brutal persecution marked by widespread arrests, torture, and executions, including the likely martyrdom of Peter and Paul.
c. AD 60s
Publication of the Epistle to the Hebrews
The author of Hebrews, writing to a community facing severe trials and pressures, urges them to persevere in faith and to remember fellow believers who are suffering.
c. AD 90s
Persecution Under Emperor Domitian
Domitian's reign saw another significant period of Christian persecution, with many believers imprisoned or executed for refusing to worship the emperor.
This passage speaks to our unity in Christ, where distinctions like 'slave' and 'free' disappear. This concept underpins the idea in Hebrews 13:3 that we should identify with those suffering, as we are all fundamentally one in Him.
1 Corinthians 12:26This verse directly echoes the sentiment of Hebrews 13:3, stating that 'if one member suffers, all suffer together.' It highlights the deep interconnectedness of believers, making empathy for those in hardship a natural response.
Matthew 25:36Jesus says, 'I was naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you visited me. Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.' This directly connects caring for the suffering to caring for Christ Himself, amplifying the call in Hebrews 13:3.
Colossians 4:18This verse includes a specific request to 'Remember my chains.' This shows that remembering and sympathizing with those imprisoned for their faith was a practical concern for early Christians, mirroring the instruction in Hebrews 13:3.
Romans 8:17The idea of suffering alongside Christ is central here. If we are heirs with Christ and destined to share in His glory, it implies we will also share in His sufferings, making empathy for those currently experiencing hardship a core part of the Christian walk.
ellicottHebrews 13:3: "Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body."
(3) As bound with them. —Either (1) “As if ye yourselves were in bonds” (see Hebrews 10:33-34 ; 1Corinthians 12:26 )—by true fellow-feeling make yourselves sharers in their lot; or, (2) “mindful that ye too are in bonds”—like them ye are Christ’s prisoners, and their bonds are but one of the tokens of that service in which all Christians are bound. (Comp. 1…
wesleyHebrews 13:3: "Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body."
13:3 Remember - In your prayers, and by your help. Them that are in bonds, as being bound with them - Seeing ye are members one of another. And them that suffer, as being yourselves in the body - And consequently liable to the same.
The verse urges us to remember prisoners and the mistreated "as though in prison with them" and "as being yourselves also in the body." This isn't just about general sympathy, but about deeply identifying with them, recognizing that our shared humanity means we are all susceptible to suffering and confinement. It’s a call to a profound empathy that sees their plight as potentially our own.
This directive comes at the end of a long section where the author has been exhorting believers to live out their faith practically. After emphasizing love for fellow believers and hospitality, the focus shifts to those facing persecution and hardship, urging the readers to actively remember and empathize with those imprisoned or suffering, recognizing their shared humanity and susceptibility to pain.
This directive comes at the end of a long section where the author has been exhorting believers to live out their faith practically. After emphasizing love for fellow believers and hospitality, the focus shifts to those facing persecution and hardship, urging the readers to actively remember and empathize with those imprisoned or suffering, recognizing their shared humanity and susceptibility to pain.
"Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body." — The verse urges us to remember prisoners and the mistreated "as though in prison with them" and "as being yourselves also in the body." This isn't just about general sympathy, but about deeply identi…
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Last reviewed October 2026