Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Hebrews 6:9

"But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak:" — Hebrews 6:9 (ASV)

For the only time in this letter the writer addresses the readers as “dear friends” (GK 28). He has a tender concern for his correspondents, even though he has had to say some critical things about them. “We are confident” carries a note of certainty (“we” is a plural of authorship and means “I”). He is sure that there are “better” things about them than the kind of disaster he has been speaking about (the writer is fond of the word “better”). He does not say what these good things are better than, but it is clearly implied that it is the cursing and the like that he has been speaking of. He does not think that in the end they will be caught in the condemnation he has referred to. He goes on with “And having salvation.” This unusual expression might mean “things that lead to salvation” or “things that follow from salvation.” Perhaps we should leave it general as NIV: “things that accompany salvation.”