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   XPost: alt.religion.christian.roman-catholic   
      
   >> Here is the biblehub page; it has many many vrsions of englih   
   >> translations; here are a couple. Regardless of which the meaning is   
   >> beyond doubt; even for lone ranger religionists:   
      
      
   That last is the benchmark for the post, note how one lone ranger   
   religionist misses itbelow.  Regardless of how one slices and dices it, we   
   are *not* the sole authority unto ourselves.   
      
   >> https://biblehub.com/hebrews/13-17.htm   
   >>   
   >> Hebrews 13:17   
   >>   
   >> Good News Translation   
   >> Obey your leaders and follow their orders. They watch over your souls   
   >> without resting, since they must give to God an account of their service.   
   >> If you   
   >> obey them, they will do their work gladly; if not, they will do it with   
   >> sadness, and that would be of no help to you. Literal Standard Version   
   >> Be obedient to those leading you, and be subject, for these watch for   
   >> your souls, as about to give account, that they may do this with joy, and   
   >> not   
   >> sighing, for this [is] unprofitable to you.   
   >   
   >What Dr. McGee commented regarding this,   
   >Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch   
   >for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy,   
   >and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you [Heb 13:17].   
   >   
   >We had this same thought in verse Heb 13:7. If your pastor is a man of God who   
   >is teaching the Word of God then you are to obey the Word of God as he has   
   >given it to you. It would be better to not hear the Word of God, than to hear   
   >it and not obey it.   
   >   
   >Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word   
   >of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation [Heb   
   >13:7].   
   >   
   >There are some ministers who use this verse and say that the members of their   
   >church are to obey them. However, it seems rather that the thought here is of   
   >leadership. He is speaking of spiritual leaders, and spiritual leaders are to   
   >lead folk to Christ. If a man is presenting Christ and is attempting to bring   
   >people into the presence of Christ, then that is a man to whom you should be   
   >loyal. But to be loyal to a man simply because he is the pastor of a church is   
   >not what Paul is talking about at all.   
   >   
   >Now, do you feel better? All the above is by Dr. McGee, whom you have been   
   >following.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)