{5} For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.

(5) He praises them for their charity, by this encouraging them to go forward, and to hold out to the end.

People's New Testament

6:10 For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love. Though the Hebrew Christians had not advanced in knowledge (Heb 5:12), yet they had shown the fruits of the love of Christ in ministering to the saints.

Wesley's Notes

6:10 For - Ye give plain proof of your faith and love, which the righteous God will surely reward.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

10. not unrighteous-not unfaithful to His own gracious promise. Not that we have any inherent right to claim reward; for (1) a servant has no merit, as he only does that which is his bounden duty; (2) our best performances bear no proportion to what we leave undone; (3) all strength comes from God; but God has promised of His own grace to reward the good works of His people (already accepted through faith in Christ); it is His promise, not our merits, which would make it unrighteous were He not to reward His people's works. God will be no man's debtor.

your work-your whole Christian life of active obedience.

labour of love-The oldest manuscripts omit "labor of," which probably crept in from 1Th 1:3. As "love" occurs here, so "hope," Heb 6:11, "faith," Heb 6:12; as in 1Co 13:13: the Pauline triad. By their love he sharpens their hope and faith.

ye have showed-(Compare Heb 10:32-34).

toward his name-Your acts of love to the saints were done for His name's sake. The distressed condition of the Palestinian Christians appears from the collection for them. Though receiving bounty from other churches, and therefore not able to minister much by pecuniary help, yet those somewhat better off could minister to the greatest sufferers in their Church in various other ways (compare 2Ti 1:18). Paul, as elsewhere, gives them the utmost credit for their graces, while delicately hinting the need of perseverance, a lack of which had probably somewhat begun to show itself.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

6:9,10 There are things that are never separated from salvation; things that show the person to be in a state of salvation, and which will end in eternal salvation. And the things that accompany salvation, are better things than ever any dissembler or apostate enjoyed. The works of love, done for the glory of Christ, or done to his saints for Christ's sake, from time to time, as God gives occasion, are evident marks of a man's salvation; and more sure tokens of saving grace given, than the enlightenings and tastings spoken of before. No love is to be reckoned as love, but working love; and no works are right works, which flow not from love to Christ.