τροχιά G5163
paths, tracks, or wheel-ruts; way forward
Hebrews 12:13 exhorts believers to 'make straight paths for your feet,' drawing on Proverbs 4:26. The term originally referred to wheel-ruts or tracks worn by repeated passage. The writer urges spiritual stability and directness—clear, firm pathways that prevent stumbling and promote healing rather than further injury. The imagery suggests community responsibility: our walk affects those who follow, especially the weak or limping. Straight paths enable the whole body to move forward safely together toward holiness.
Senses
1. sense 1 — The author of Hebrews employs this term in an exhortation to spiritual discipline and community care. Originally describing wheel-tracks or well-worn paths, here it becomes a metaphor for the moral and spiritual direction of one's life. The multilingual glosses—Spanish 'sendas', French and German 'Pfade'—all indicate pathways or tracks. The call to make these paths straight responds to the danger that the 'lame' might be turned aside; clear, level paths help the weak maintain their footing. Our spiritual choices create pathways that either help or hinder those who follow. 1×
AR["مَسَالِك"]·ben["পথ"]·DE["Pfade"]·EN["paths"]·FR["Pfade"]·heb["מַעְגְלוֹת"]·HI["मार्ग"]·ID["jalan"]·IT["trochias"]·jav["marga"]·KO["길들-을"]·PT["caminhos"]·RU["пути"]·ES["sendas"]·SW["njia"]·TR["yolları"]·urd["راستے"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
τροχιά, ἡ, wheel-track, rut, Refs 5th c.AD+ __II the round of a wheel, Refs 2nd c.BC+ __III path, LXX+NT __IV elastic strand in the τόνος of a torsion-engine, Refs 3rd c.BC+