4:13
In 4:12 the author said that God’s word is like a sword which cuts people open and shows what they are like inside. In 4:13 the author indicates that God sees every person and everything that he created, and he knows all about them. No one can hide anything from him, and everyone must give an account to him for what they do.
The statements in 4:13a and 4:13b are parallel, and 4:13b repeats the idea of 4:13a. The parallel parts are indicated here by underlining or bolding:
13a And before him no creature is hidden
13b but all are naked and laid bare to the eyes of the one
13c
to whom we must render an account.
In some languages it is more natural to combine these statements. For example:
13a–b No one can hide anything from God, and he is the one 13c to whom we must give an account.
4:13a
Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight: The word hidden refers here to something that is not able to be seen or known. The clause indicates that God can see everything and everyone that he created. Nothing can be hidden from God so that he does not see it.
Some other ways to translate the statement are:
No creature can hide from God (God’s Word)
-or-
There is really nothing that can be hidden from God.
-or-
God can see every one of his creatures, and none of them is hidden from him.
creation: The word creation refers to anything that God created. God created everything.
4:13b
everything is uncovered and exposed before the eyes: The words uncovered and exposed mean “uncovered, bare,” and they are used in a figurative way here. It indicates that God knows everything about every creature, just as people can see the whole body of a naked person. Even if a person tries to hide something about himself from God, God will still see it clearly. He will know all about it.
Some other ways to translate this meaning are:
everything is uncovered…for him to see (God’s Word)
-or-
whatever creature, it is as if they are all naked in his sight
exposed: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as exposed occurs only here in the Bible. It probably refers to the custom of exposing the neck of a person or animal in order to cut his throat and kill him. Here the word is used as a figure of speech. It indicates that everything (and every person) is completely known to God, and God has power over each one.
Some other ways to translate this figure of speech are:
exposed/clear
-or-
there is nothing of our thoughts closed to him
-or-
He can always see anything that we are doing/thinking
4:13c
of Him to whom we must give account: The phrase of Him to whom we must give account refers to God. It indicates that God is the judge of what people do and think throughout their lives. He is the one to whom we will explain the way we have lived.
Some other ways to translate this phrase are:
And he is the one to whom we will answer for all that we have done and thought.
-or-
It is to him that we must admit/confess our behavior.
-or-
This is the God to whom we must explain all that we have done. (New Living Translation (2004))
give account: The phrase give account means “give an answer for our actions” or “say why we have done what we have done.” See the preceding note for translation examples.
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