The interpretation timeline

Heb 13:21

How this passage has been read — the sources, oldest to newest.

From the early Church Fathers to now.

2 Patristic · 1 Orthodox · 1 Catholic

Heb 13:21 · Douay-Rheims
“Fit you in all goodness, that you may do his will; doing in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom is glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
Patristic before A.D. 750
373
A.D.
Ephrem the Syrian Patristic
c. A.D. 306–373
“"He will equip you with everything good," and away from the covenant of the law, which you have now, "that you may do his will" in everything and not in accordance with the weak observations of the law.”
753 years pass — nothing from this stretch is hosted yet
Scholastic c. 1100 – 1500
1126
A.D.
Theophylact of Ohrid Orthodox
c. 1055–1107
“He shows that they had good works and only needed to be perfected in them. This is what he also prays for on their behalf. See that we ourselves must first begin, and then ask for perfection from God. He who has been perfected in every good deed does the will of God, not he who does good only halfway. Consequently, when we do good, it is God who accomplishes it in us through Jesus Christ, that is, through Him who serves as Mediator and Perfecter. For if He accomplished our salvation in the beginning, what is surprising if He also serves as Mediator in our advancement in virtues and fulfills the Father's will in us, Himself strengthening us and breathing into us the power to perform good deeds? To the word "well-pleasing" he added: "to Him." For we are truly well-pleasing when we prove to be good before God, and not when before men. And David says: "according to the cleanness of my hands before His eyes" (Ps. 17:25); and Isaiah: "remove your evil deeds from before My eyes" (Isa. 1:16).”
Source
1274
A.D.
Thomas Aquinas Catholic
1225–1274
“Then he adds his petition when he says, May he equip [fit] you with everything good. For the human will, since it is the inclination of reason, is the principle of human acts, as heaviness is the principle of downward movement of heavy bodies; hence it is related to the acts of human reason as a natural inclination to natural acts. But a natural thing is said to be fit for that to which it has an inclination. So, too, man, when he has the will to do good, is said to be fit for it. God, too, when He inserts a good will in a man, fits him, i.e., makes him fit. Therefore, he says, May God fit you with every good that you may do his will, i.e., make you will every good: 'The desire of the just is every good' (Pr. 2:3). For this is God's will, namely, what God wills us to will; otherwise, our will is not good. But the will of God is our good: 'This is the will of God, your sanctification' (1 Th. 4:3); 'That you may prove what is the good and acceptable and the perfect will of God' (Rom. 12:2). Now a man is made fit for doing well in two ways: In one way, by working outwardly; this is the way one man fits another, by persuading or threatening; in another way, by manifesting something inwardly; and this is the way that God alone fits a will, because He alone can change it: 'The heart of the king is in the hand of the Lord; whithersoever he will he will incline it' (Pr. 21:1). Hence, he says, working in you: 'It is God who works in us both to will and to accomplish' (Phil 2:13). But what will He do? That which is pleasing in his sight, i.e., He will make you will what pleases Him. But this is faith and meekness and fear of the Lord: 'Faith and meekness are agreeable to him' (Sir. 1:34); 'The Lord takes pleasure in them that fear him' (Ps. 146:11). But all these are obtained through Jesus Christ, for nothing is obtained from the Father except through the Son: 'If you ask the Father anything in my name, he will give it to you' (Jn. 16:25); 'By whom he has given us most great and precious promises' (2 Pt. 1:4); 'By whom we have access by faith unto grace' (Rom. 5:2). To whom, namely, Christ, is glory forever and ever. Amen, i.e., eternal glory: 'To the king of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.' (1 Tim. 1:17). For this glory is owed him, inasmuch as He is God.”
Source
Undated date unknown
Oecumenius Patristic
c. A.D. 550
“"equip you in every good work." That is, to fulfill, to perfect. It shows, therefore, that they have begun the good works; they needed to be perfected in them; Paul who also prays for them. But see, that we must begin first, and then ask from God for the end. "That you do His will." For he who is equipped and filled for every good work, he has the strength to do the will of God. And he says every work, work and faith. "working in us that which is pleasing in his sight." When He equips us for every good work, to do His will, then He produces in us what is pleasing to Him. And what is pleasing to Him? It is to do His will. And when He said, which is pleasing, He added, in His sight. For we are truly pleasing when we appear good before God, not when we appear so only before men. "through Jesus Christ." He says, He does what is pleasing to Him, through us as go-betweens. Do you see that everything is of God? This He will do and accomplish for us, what is pleasing to Him, through Christ. For if He wished to be a mediator between God and us, it is fitting that the Father will accomplish what is pleasing to Himself for us through Him.”
Source
Modern · 1953 →

The in-app commentary runs from the Fathers to the early-modern record, then stops — that's where the public-domain sources end, not where the reading does. For the modern reading, follow the sources directly.