What Does Hebrews 13:18 Mean?

(18) The following verses—containing personal notices relating to the writer himself and his readers (Hebrews 13:18-19; Hebrews 13:22-23), a prayer on their behalf (Hebrews 13:20-21), a doxology (Hebrews 13:21), and brief salutations (Hebrews 13:24-25)—present many points of resemblance to the concluding sections in some of St. Paul’s Epistles. The first words, “Pray for us,” are found in Colossians 4:3; 1Thessalonians 5:25; 2Thessalonians 3:1. That the writer does not use the plural pronoun of himself alone appears certain from the change in Hebrews 13:19; but it is not clear whether he is associating himself with the rulers of the Church (mentioned in Hebrews 13:17), or with the companions in labour who were with him as he wrote. **We** **trust.**—A change in the reading of the Greek requires the translation: *For we are persuaded that we have a good conscience, desiring in all things to conduct ourselves well.* Some prejudice against the writer, or some mistrust of his motives, must have existed in the Church; that amongst Hebrew Christians a disciple of St. Paul should be misrepresented or misunderstood, can cause us no surprise. But whatever suspicion might be cherished by a few, the next verse is proof that he knew himself to be beloved by the many.