Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse highlights that the heart finds true stability not through adherence to external rules about food, but by being "strengthened by grace." This emphasizes that our spiritual firmness comes from God's favor and power working within us, rather than through outward practices that ultimately "have not benefited" those who rely on them.
Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The author is urging believers to stay firm in their faith, warning against being swayed by teachings that focus on external rules, like those surrounding food laws. These strict regulations, remnants of the old covenant, offered no true spiritual benefit and were being twisted by some into complex, burdensome requirements that distracted from God's grace. The ultimate point is that true spiritual strength and assurance come from God's grace in Christ, not from humanly devised regulations.
Ever feel like you're being pulled in a million different directions by conflicting advice or new trends? The writer of Hebrews knew this feeling well.
The author warns believers not to be "carried away by diverse and strange teachings." This wasn't just about abstract ideas; it likely referred to a blend of Jewish ceremonial laws and human traditions that were creeping into the early church. These teachings were "diverse" – a confusing variety – and "strange" – foreign to the pure gospel message. The danger was that these external rules and regulations would distract them from the core truth of God's grace through Jesus Christ. It’s a warning against letting anything other than Christ's finished work become the foundation of our faith.
What truly stabilizes your inner life when everything else is shaking? The answer is surprisingly simple.
The verse offers a powerful contrast: instead of being swayed by external rules (like dietary laws), the heart needs to be "established by grace." Grace is God's unmerited favor, His divine enablement that transforms us from the inside out. When our hearts are firmly rooted in God's grace, we find stability, security, and a deep-seated confidence that doesn't depend on our performance or adherence to a list of regulations. This grace, flowing from Christ, is what truly strengthens and assures us, offering a far more profound and lasting benefit than any set of external observances.
Ask a follow-up
Why would certain foods or rules be specifically mentioned as not benefiting those who follow them?
The "meats" referenced here likely point to the specific dietary laws of Judaism, and perhaps other ritualistic practices that were being imposed on believers. The writer states plainly that these practices "have not benefited those devoted to them." This doesn't mean the Old Testament Law was inherently bad, but that focusing on its external regulations instead of the transforming power of grace offered no true spiritual advantage. These rules could not cleanse the heart, atone for sin, or provide the inner strength that comes from God's favor. Devoting oneself to such externalism ultimately proved to be a dead end for spiritual growth and salvation.
Understand the original words
chariti · Greek Noun
Unmerited divine favor and power given to believers, enabling their spiritual transformation, endurance, and heart-stability. It stands in contrast to legalistic systems of ritual observance.
The author warns Jewish Christians against returning to the complex food laws and rituals of Judaism, which were being further elaborated by Rabbis at the time. These external practices offered no true benefit, unlike the inner strength and assurance provided by God's grace through Christ.
c. 70 BC - c. AD 70
Rabbinic Judaism Elaborates Food Laws
During this period, particularly after the destruction of the Temple, Jewish leaders significantly expanded and codified the laws concerning clean and unclean foods and other ritualistic practices.
c. AD 50-65
Paul's Epistles Address Dietary Laws
Apostle Paul writes letters like Romans, 1 Corinthians, and Colossians, warning against over-emphasis on food laws and ritualistic practices, which he contrasts with the freedom found in Christ.
c. AD 65-70
Destruction of the Jerusalem Temple
The destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem by the Romans marked a major turning point for Judaism and had profound implications for Jewish Christians.
c. AD 80-90— this verse
Writing of the Book of Hebrews
The author of Hebrews writes to a community of Jewish Christians, likely facing internal pressures and external persecution, urging them to remain steadfast in their faith in Jesus.
This passage warns against accepting a 'different gospel,' just as Hebrews warns against 'diverse and strange teachings,' highlighting the persistent danger of straying from the core truth.
Colossians 2:16-17Similar to Hebrews, this passage contrasts spiritual grounding in Christ with external regulations like food laws, showing that these 'shadows' point to a reality found in grace.
Romans 14:1This chapter directly addresses disputes over 'foods and drinks,' mirroring the concern in Hebrews about being established by grace rather than such distinctions, and emphasizing acceptance rather than condemnation.
1 Timothy 4:3This verse speaks of forbidding marriage and abstaining from foods, connecting to the 'strange teachings' and 'meats' mentioned in Hebrews as human-made rules that lack true spiritual benefit.
Hebrews 10:14This verse speaks of Christ's perfect and final sacrifice, which 'perfected for all time those who are being made holy,' underscoring the sufficiency of His grace that Hebrews contrasts with the ineffectiveness of external food laws.
ellicottHebrews 13:9: "Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein."
(9) Be not carried about. —The better reading of the Greek gives a meaning somewhat different, Be not carried away by divers and strange teachings. The ordinary reading may have come in from Ephesians 4:14 . The “teachings” by which they were in danger of being led astray were variou…
wesleyHebrews 13:9: "Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein."
13:9 Be not carried about with various doctrines - Which differ from that one faith in our one unchangeable Lord. Strange - To the ears and hearts of all that abide in him. For it is good - It is both honourable before God and pleasant and profitable That the heart be stablished with…
The verse highlights that the heart finds true stability not through adherence to external rules about food, but by being "strengthened by grace." This emphasizes that our spiritual firmness comes from God's favor and power working within us, rather than through outward practices that ultimately "have not benefited" those who rely on them.
The author is urging believers to stay firm in their faith, warning against being swayed by teachings that focus on external rules, like those surrounding food laws. These strict regulations, remnants of the old covenant, offered no true spiritual benefit and were being twisted by some into complex, burdensome requirements that distracted from God's grace. The ultimate point is that true spiritual strength and assurance come from God's grace in Christ, not from humanly devised regulations.
The author is urging believers to stay firm in their faith, warning against being swayed by teachings that focus on external rules, like those surrounding food laws. These strict regulations, remnants of the old covenant, offered no true spiritual benefit and were being twisted by some into complex, burdensome requirements that distracted from God's grace. The ultimate point is that true spiritual strength and assurance come from God's grace in Christ, not from humanly devised regulations.
"Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them." — The verse highlights that the heart finds true stability not through adherence to external rules about food, but by being "strengthened by grace." This emphasizes that our spiritual firmness comes fr…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026