Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Hebrews 13:23

"Know ye that our brother Timothy hath been set at liberty; with whom, if he come shortly, I will see you." — Hebrews 13:23 (ASV)

The writer is giving new information in this verse. Timothy is no doubt the companion of Paul (no other Timothy is known to us from those times), and he seems to have had some ties with both the readers and the writer. Otherwise we would expect a general expression instead of “our brother Timothy.” It is not clear what “released” (GK 668) means, for the word can refer to starting off on a journey (28:25) or making other beginnings. It is possible that Timothy started on a journey or he had been released from some obligation. But it seems most likely that the term, used absolutely as it is here, means that he had been released from imprisonment. All that we can say for certain is that Timothy had left the place where he was. The writer now expects Timothy to come to where he is and hopes that then the two of them can go on to visit the readers. But evidently he intends moving fairly soon, whether or not Timothy comes.