Hebrews 4:16Great high priest
Let's therefore draw near with boldness to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace for help in time of need.
Interpretation
Hebrews 4:16 shows a throne of grace that is lived within relationships and commitments—see "grace" and "may". Give throne of grace in generosity without notice—teach the body new reflexes. Grace & Mercy connects here: Highlights God’s unmerited favor and covenantal compassion, culminating in Christ (Exod 34:6; Eph 2:8–9).
Context
The setting is Hebrews—epistle/letter, highlighting throne of grace. Within ch. 4, a small unit frames the emphasis. It edges toward grace & mercy. Watch the terms “grace” and “may”.
Manuscripts & Textual Witnesses
The Greek text is preserved in more than 5,800 manuscripts, exceeding other ancient writings in manuscript count. 2nd-3rd century papyri like P46, P66, P75 provide text roughly 100-150 years after composition. Major uncial codices (Sinaiticus, Vaticanus, 4th century) contain complete or near-complete texts. The Byzantine text family represents the majority of later manuscripts. Textual variants exist but are mostly minor: word order, articles, spelling. No central Christian doctrine depends on any disputed text. Modern critical editions compare all manuscript families to determine the most probable original wording reading.
Sources & witness notes
SinaiticusVaticanusP46