Lesson sequence
Hebrews 13: Brotherly Love
Hebrews 13:1–4; Hebrews 13:5–14; Hebrews 13:15–19; Hebrews 13:20–25
Hebrews 13 gathers short instructions, strong reasons, and a closing blessing. In this sequence, children hear how the writer moves from everyday obedience to praise, prayer, greetings and grace.
Before you teach
In these verses, the writer speaks to “brothers”, gives commands about love, hospitality, contentment, leaders, praise and prayer, then ends with a blessing to the God of peace, greetings, and “Grace be with you all.”
Students will identify commands, images and prayer language in Hebrews 13 and explain how the chapter moves from instruction to blessing and farewell.
Your lesson sequence
Use the teaching outline below for each session, with these reading and activity choices.
Love, hospitality and honour
Hebrews 13:1–4
Children identify the instructions to continue in brotherly love, show hospitality, remember those suffering, and honour marriage.
Try together: List each instruction in the passage and explain it in simple words from the verses.
Contentment, courage and Jesus the same
Hebrews 13:5–14
Children trace the movement from contentment and courage to leaders, Jesus Christ the same, and the picture of going outside the camp.
Try together: Find commands, reasons and picture words such as helper, altar, outside the camp and city.
Praise, sharing and prayer
Hebrews 13:15–19
Children observe that this part speaks about praise, doing good, sharing, obeying leaders and prayer.
Try together: Identify the actions in each verse and explain “sacrifice of praise” from the wording of the passage.
Blessing and farewell
Hebrews 13:20–25
Children identify who is addressed in the blessing, the images in it, and how it moves from God’s action to request and farewell.
Try together: Split Hebrews 13:20-21 into parts, then note the exhortation, greetings and grace that follow.
Welcome: listen for commands and prayer
4 minExplain that Hebrews 13 includes short instructions and a closing blessing. As you read, children signal when they hear a command such as “Let” or “Don’t”, and when they hear prayer words such as “may” or “grace”. This helps them hear the passage’s movement.
Hebrews 13:1, Hebrews 13:2, Hebrews 13:15, Hebrews 13:20, Hebrews 13:25
Read and explain: words from the passage
8 minRead the session verses slowly. Explain key terms simply from the text, such as hospitality, content, helper, sacrifice of praise, shepherd, and grace. In Session 1, treat Hebrews 13:4 carefully by saying marriage is to be honoured, without discussing sexual wrongdoing in detail or asking personal questions.
Hebrews 13:2, Hebrews 13:4, Hebrews 13:5, Hebrews 13:15, Hebrews 13:20, Hebrews 13:25
Discuss: what comes first, next and last
6 minHelp children trace the order in each reading. They can notice a command with a reason in Hebrews 13:5-6, practical worship in Hebrews 13:15-16, and a blessing that begins with what God has done before asking God to act.
Hebrews 13:5, Hebrews 13:6, Hebrews 13:15, Hebrews 13:16, Hebrews 13:20, Hebrews 13:21
Make and respond: illustrated prayer or image card
8 minChildren choose one phrase from the reading, draw a matching picture, and copy the words. Then they add one sentence beginning, “This shows...” or “This prayer asks...”. Keep their response close to the verse itself.
Hebrews 13:6, Hebrews 13:13, Hebrews 13:15, Hebrews 13:20
Closing: say the message together
4 minFinish by rereading one key verse and asking: Who is speaking? What picture do you hear? Is this an instruction, a prayer, or a farewell? In the final session, close by reading the blessing and grace aloud together.
Hebrews 13:20, Hebrews 13:21, Hebrews 13:22, Hebrews 13:25
Questions to explore
In Hebrews 13:5-6, what reason is given for contentment, and what words of courage follow?
Find God’s promise not to leave or forsake, then the response, “The Lord is my helper. I will not fear.”
Hebrews 13:5, Hebrews 13:6
What two sacrifices are described in Hebrews 13:15-16?
One is praise spoken to God, and the other is doing good and sharing.
Hebrews 13:15, Hebrews 13:16
In Hebrews 13:20-21, what has God done, and what is the writer asking God to do?
First notice that God brought again from the dead the great shepherd of the sheep, then notice the request that God make you complete in every good work.
Hebrews 13:20, Hebrews 13:21
Make, think or respond
Hebrews 13 Image Card
What you’ll need
- plain paper or card
- pencils
- coloured pencils
- Bible text
Try it together
- Choose one image or short phrase from the reading.
- Draw a simple picture to match it.
- Copy the exact words underneath.
- Add one short sentence beginning, “This shows...” or “This prayer asks...”.
- Share your card with a partner.
This activity helps children notice that Hebrews 13 uses short instructions, vivid images and a closing blessing.
Adapt for your group
- For younger children, offer two verses to choose from and write the verse for them to trace.
- For confident readers, ask them to mark command words, reason words and prayer words in the text.
An optional closing prayer
Proposed words: “God of peace, thank you for our Lord Jesus. Please help us love, praise you, do good, and listen carefully to your word. Amen.”
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
Hebrews 13
1 Let brotherly love continue.
2 Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for in doing so, some have entertained angels without knowing it.
3 Remember those who are in bonds, as bound with them, and those who are ill-treated, since you are also in the body.
4 Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the bed be undefiled; but God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers.
5 Be free from the love of money, content with such things as you have, for he has said, “I will in no way leave you, neither will I in any way forsake you.”
6 So that with good courage we say, “The Lord is my helper. I will not fear. What can man do to me?”
7 Remember your leaders, men who spoke to you the word of God, and considering the results of their conduct, imitate their faith.
8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
9 Don’t be carried away by various and strange teachings, for it is good that the heart be established by grace, not by foods, through which those who were so occupied were not benefited.
10 We have an altar from which those who serve the holy tabernacle have no right to eat.
11 For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the holy place by the high priest as an offering for sin, are burned outside of the camp.
12 Therefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people through his own blood, suffered outside of the gate.
13 Let’s therefore go out to him outside of the camp, bearing his reproach.
14 For we don’t have here an enduring city, but we seek that which is to come.
15 Through him, then, let’s offer up a sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of lips which proclaim allegiance to his name.
16 But don’t forget to be doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they watch on behalf of your souls, as those who will give account, that they may do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be unprofitable for you.
18 Pray for us, for we are persuaded that we have a good conscience, desiring to live honorably in all things.
19 I strongly urge you to do this, that I may be restored to you sooner.
20 Now may the God of peace, who brought again from the dead the great shepherd of the sheep with the blood of an eternal covenant, our Lord Jesus,
21 make you complete in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
22 But I exhort you, brothers, endure the word of exhortation, for I have written to you in few words.
23 Know that our brother Timothy has been freed, with whom, if he comes shortly, I will see you.
24 Greet all of your leaders and all the saints. The Italians greet you.
25 Grace be with you all. Amen.
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.