“But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.”
My Notes
What Does Hebrews 13:16 Mean?
Hebrews 13:16 redefines sacrifice for the new covenant era. "But to do good and to communicate forget not" — tēs eupoiias kai koinōnias mē epilanthanesthe. Two words carry the weight: eupoiia (doing good, beneficence — practical generosity) and koinōnia (sharing, fellowship, communion — the mutual giving that creates community). The author says: don't forget these. The verb epilanthanesthe (forget not) implies a real danger of forgetting — these sacrifices aren't the flashy, memorable kind. They're the quiet, daily, easily overlooked kind.
"For with such sacrifices God is well pleased" — toiautais gar thusiais euaresteitai ho theos. The word thusiais (sacrifices) deliberately connects back to the Old Testament sacrificial system. The animal sacrifices have ended. Christ fulfilled them. But sacrifice hasn't ended — it's been redirected. The new sacrifices God desires are acts of generosity and sharing. And He's not merely accepting of them. He's well pleased — euaresteitai, deeply satisfied, genuinely delighted.
This verse follows verse 15, which speaks of offering the sacrifice of praise. Together, verses 15-16 form the new covenant's sacrifice list: lips that praise God (v. 15), hands that do good and share with others (v. 16). Vertical worship and horizontal generosity. Both are sacrifices. Both please God. And both are easy to forget.
Reflection Questions
- 1.What 'sacrifice' of doing good or sharing have you been forgetting to make?
- 2.How does knowing that generosity is a sacrifice that delights God change how you approach giving your time or resources?
- 3.What's the difference between the old covenant sacrifices and the new ones described here — and which do you find harder?
- 4.What quiet, unnoticed act of good could you do today that would please God?
Devotional
The sacrifices that please God aren't dramatic. They're the ones you forget to do.
Doing good. Sharing what you have. The author of Hebrews calls these sacrifices — actual sacrifices, the new covenant replacement for bulls and goats on altars. And then says: don't forget them. Because you will. These aren't the kind of spiritual acts that make you feel heroic. They're the kind that happen on a Tuesday afternoon and nobody notices — the meal dropped off, the check written quietly, the time given to someone who can't pay you back.
God is well pleased with these. Not tolerant. Not passively accepting. Well pleased — euaresteitai — genuinely delighted. The God who once received the smoke of burnt offerings now receives the quiet act of generosity. The God who once required blood now smiles at a shared meal. The sacrifice hasn't disappeared. It's been transformed. And the new version looks like your time, your money, your attention, your willingness to be inconvenienced for someone else's sake.
"Forget not" — that's the command. Not "do this occasionally when inspired." Don't forget. Make it part of the rhythm. Because the sacrifices God loves most are the ones most easily crowded out by busyness, selfishness, and the tyranny of your own schedule. The offering that delights God isn't on an altar. It's in your hands, your wallet, and your calendar. Don't let today pass without making it.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
But to do good and to communicate forget not,.... Which is to be understood, not of doing good works in general, but of…
But to do good, and to communicate, forget not - To communicate or impart to others; that is, to share with them what we…
But to do good and to communicate - These are continual sacrifices which God requires, and which will spring from a…
The design of Christ in giving himself for us is that he may purchase to himself a peculiar people, zealous of good…
to communicate To share your goods with others (Rom 15:26). The substantive from this verb is rendered "distribution" in…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture