Hebrews 13:19Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

To ask in this way that they pray belongs only to one who loves them deeply. He says, do not simply pray, but pray with all diligence that I may come to you sooner. To desire so much to come to them, and to ask them to pray for him, belongs to one who is conscious of nothing against himself. Therefore, having first asked prayers from them for himself, he then prays to God for every good thing for them.

That he desires them so warmly and with all care to pray that he may return to them sooner came from his strong love for them. At the same time, he shows that he relies on his conscience and therefore appeals to them. He would not have done this if he had felt anything evil in his conscience.

“This,” that is, what? Without doubt, prayer for him. “The more earnestly,” he says, pray that I may come to you sooner. This proves that he loves them deeply, and that his love for them is pure. Then he himself prays to God for good things for them.

From the instructors of the faith in general, the Apostle naturally turns to himself and his fellow-workers in the work of teaching. He asks the readers to pray more earnestly that he may be restored to them sooner, probably from imprisonment in Rome (vv. 18-19).