Making Heaven Crowded
Hebrews 13:15-16 explained: praise, good deeds and sharing
After a long argument that Jesus ended the old sacrifices, Hebrews names the sacrifices that remain, and they are words, kindness and sharing.
Sacrifices that are still being offered
Hebrews 13:15-16 closes the letter’s practical instructions with a short list of offerings. Believers are to offer a continual sacrifice of praise, described as the fruit of lips that give thanks to God’s name, and they are told not to forget to do good and to share, because God is pleased with such sacrifices. The verses turn the language of the temple into everyday life: thanksgiving, good deeds and generosity.
“But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.” Hebrews 13:16 (KJV)
The last chapter of a long argument
Hebrews spends twelve chapters explaining that Jesus is the final high priest and the final sacrifice. Chapter 13 then asks how the people who believe that should live. Verse 15 speaks of “the sacrifice of praise,” which borrows the language of the thank offerings found in the Psalms.
The surrounding verses talk about brotherly love, hospitality to strangers, remembering prisoners and honoring marriage. Verse 16 is the same list in compact form.
Sharing, not just speaking
The old King James word communicate in verse 16 does not mean speak. It translates a Greek word for sharing in common, related to the word for fellowship. To do good and to share means to hold goods in a way that others can draw from.
That helps explain why the writer places it beside praise. Thanks to God that never touches a neighbor’s need is half of what he describes, and generosity that never turns to God in thanks is the other half.
What kind of sacrifice this is
Calling good deeds a sacrifice does not mean they pay for sin. The letter has just said Christ’s offering is complete. The word is used in the sense of a gift that costs something and is given freely, and God’s pleasure in it is a delight, not a transaction.
That also guards against turning generosity into performance. The same chapter that praises sharing begins by asking for love to continue, as in Hebrews 13:2, where strangers are welcomed without knowing who they are.
Praise and deeds belong together
Matthew 5:14-16 says people will see good works and glorify the Father in heaven. Hebrews 13 states the same link from the other side, with praise leading to action and action returning to praise.
The prophets said it earlier. Isaiah 58:6-10 declares that worship pleasing to God involves sharing bread with the hungry and covering the naked.
What sharing looks like week to week
On the Making Heaven Crowded page about donating items for homeless outreach, the team lists what its Tampa and Gainesville walks actually need: bottled water, ready-to-eat food, socks, travel-size hygiene items and bags. Each of those items is a small, concrete way to share, and each one goes out on the next walk.
A person who would rather give money can read about the ways to donate, where Zelle and mailed checks carry no processing fee. Either path matches the verse, since both are about forgetting neither praise nor sharing.
Hebrews 13:15-16, answered plainly
- What does Hebrews 13:15-16 say?
- It tells believers to offer a continual sacrifice of praise to God through thanksgiving, and not to forget to do good and share, because God is pleased with such sacrifices.
- What is the sacrifice of praise?
- It is a phrase from the Psalms for a thank offering. In Hebrews it means giving thanks to God openly, described as the fruit of the lips.
- What does communicate mean in Hebrews 13:16?
- In the King James Version it means to share. The Greek word relates to fellowship and common holding, so the instruction is to share what you have with others.
- Are good works a sacrifice for sin here?
- No. Hebrews teaches that Christ’s sacrifice for sin is complete. Good works and sharing are called sacrifices in the sense of costly gifts that please God, not payment for sin.
- How can I share through Making Heaven Crowded?
- You can donate items such as water, socks and hygiene supplies, give financially, or volunteer on an outreach. The donate items and give pages explain each option.
Read the passages on Bible Gateway (King James Version): Hebrews 13:1-16, Psalm 50:14, Isaiah 58:6-10.
Ask a question, or come and see
You are welcome to join an outreach, send a prayer request, or write to the team.
Questions? Email Makingheavencrowdedtampa@gmail.com or call (941) 718-2867.