English · KJV

Hebrews 10

Listen to this chapter
0:00 0:00

The Law is a Shadow of the Good Things 1–4

1
For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. ​
2
For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. ​
3
But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.
4
For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. ​

Christ's Obedience Replaces Sacrifices 5–10

5
Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: ​
6
In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.
7
Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. ​
8
Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law;
9
Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. ​
10
By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. ​

The Finality of Christ's Single Offering 11–18

11
And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: ​
12
But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; ​
13
From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.
14
For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. ​
15
Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before,
16
This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; ​
17
And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.
18
Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. ​

A Call to Persevere 19–25

19
Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, ​
20
By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; ​
21
And having an high priest over the house of God;
22
Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. ​
23
Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
24
And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
25
Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. ​

Warning Against Willful Sin and Apostasy 26–31

26
For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, ​
27
But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
28
He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: ​
29
Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? ​
30
For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. ​
31
It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Endurance, Faith, and the Promised Reward 32–39

32
But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions; ​
33
Partly, whilst ye were made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, whilst ye became companions of them that were so used.
34
For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance. ​
35
Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. ​
36
For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. ​
37
For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. ​
38
Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. ​
39
But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul. ​

Bible text: King James Version (1769 Blayney text) · Public domain

Study Notes for Hebrews 10

Verse 1

a shadow of good things to come — Skia, a shadow, is set against eikon, the 'very image' or likeness itself. The law outlined what Christ embodies: 'a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ' (Col 2:17). Sacrifices offered 'year by year' could never teleioo, make perfect, the worshippers.

Verse 2

no more conscience of sins — Syneidesis, conscience: the inner awareness of guilt. Had the worshippers been 'once' (hapax) purged, the offerings would have 'ceased'. What the law's sacrifices could not do, Christ's blood does: it will 'purge your conscience from dead works' (Heb 9:14).

Verse 4

the blood of bulls and of goats — The Day of Atonement used a bullock for the high priest himself (Lev 16:6) and was repeated 'once a year' (Lev 16:34). 'Take away' is aphaireo, to remove; v.11 repeats the point with the stronger periaireo, to strip away all round, 'which can never take away sins'.

Verse 5

a body hast thou prepared me — Quoted from Ps 40:6, where the KJV reads 'mine ears hast thou opened'. 'Prepared' is katartizo, to fit out, equip. The speaker is Christ 'when he cometh into the world', and the body is the means of the offering named in v.10, 'the offering of the body of Jesus Christ'.

Verse 7

in the volume of the book — Kephalis, a roll, the scroll on which Scripture was written; the words are those of Ps 40:7. 'It is written of me' points to the whole Scripture bearing witness to Christ, whose purpose was 'to do thy will' (John 6:38: 'not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me').

Verse 9

He taketh away the first — The 'first' (protos) is the sacrifices and offerings 'by the law' of v.8; the 'second' (deuteros) is the doing of God's will. 'Taketh away' is anaireo, to abolish. The same setting aside of the old is stated in Heb 7:18: 'a disannulling of the commandment going before'.

Verse 10

we are sanctified — Hagiazo, to make holy, set apart for God. It is done 'by the which will', the will Christ came to do (vv.7, 9), 'through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all' (ephapax, once and not to be repeated). Cf. Heb 13:12, 'that he might sanctify the people with his own blood'.

Verse 11

every priest standeth daily — The priest 'standeth' (histemi) 'ministering' (leitourgeo), a service never finished; the daily offering is that of Num 28:3. Their sacrifices 'can never take away' (periaireo, strip away all round) sins. The standing priest is set against the seated Christ in v.12.

Verse 12

sat down on the right hand of God — The seat of Ps 110:1, quoted in v.13 and applied also in Heb 1:3. 'For ever' is eis to diēnekes, the phrase rendered 'continually' in v.1: sacrifices repeated 'continually' could not perfect anyone, but one sacrifice holds 'for ever'.

Verse 14

perfected for ever — Teleioo, the verb of v.1, to make perfect, which the law's sacrifices never accomplished. One offering has done it, and 'for ever' is eis to diēnekes as in v.12. Those 'sanctified' (hagiazo, as in v.10) are described as an ongoing company: 'he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified' (Heb 2:11).

Verse 16

I will put my laws into their hearts — The new covenant of Jer 31:33, which the Holy Ghost 'is a witness' to in v.15. 'Laws' is nomos in the plural; the law is placed in 'hearts' and 'minds' (dianoia, the understanding). The promise closes in v.17 with sins remembered 'no more'.

Verse 18

no more offering for sin — Aphesis, remission or release; where it stands, a further prosphora, offering, has no place (ouketi, no longer). The verse closes the argument begun in v.1 and answers v.2, where continued offering showed that sins were still being remembered (v.3).

Verse 19

boldness to enter into the holiest — Parrhesia, freedom of speech, confidence. The 'holiest' (hagion) is the sanctuary that 'the high priest alone' entered 'once every year' (Heb 9:7). Believers now enter 'by the blood of Jesus', and are told to 'come boldly unto the throne of grace' (Heb 4:16).

Verse 20

a new and living way — 'New' is prosphatos, freshly made, literally newly slain; 'consecrated' is enkainizo, to inaugurate or dedicate. The 'veil' (katapetasma) before the Most Holy Place is identified as 'his flesh'; at his death 'the veil of the temple was rent in twain' (Matt 27:51).

Verse 22

bodies washed with pure water — Louo, to wash the whole person; hearts are 'sprinkled' (rhantizo), as in the promise of Ezek 36:25, 'Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you'. 'Full assurance' is plerophoria, entire confidence. The washing is commonly read of baptism (cf. 1 Pet 3:21).

Verse 25

the assembling of ourselves together — Episynagoge, a gathering together, the meeting of the believers. 'Exhorting' is parakaleo, to call alongside, encourage, as in Heb 3:13, 'exhort one another daily'. 'The day approaching' is the day of judgment and of the Lord's coming, which v.37 describes as 'a little while'.

Verse 26

sin wilfully — Hekousios, voluntarily, set against sins of ignorance; the law treated the soul that 'doeth ought presumptuously' as 'cut off' (Num 15:30). 'Knowledge' is epignosis, full recognition. 'No more sacrifice' remains because the one sacrifice is what is being refused; compare Heb 6:4–6.

Verse 28

died without mercy — The rule of 'two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses' is from Deut 19:15. 'Despised' is atheteo, to set aside, annul; the law dealt with such as one who 'hath despised the word of the LORD' (Num 15:31). The argument runs from the lesser law to the greater Son in v.29.

Verse 29

trodden under foot the Son of God — Three acts: katapateo, to trample; counting the blood of the covenant 'an unholy thing' (koinos, common); and enybrizo, to insult, the 'Spirit of grace'. The blood is that 'wherewith he was sanctified', the blood of v.10's sanctifying offering. Cf. Heb 6:6.

Verse 30

Vengeance belongeth unto me — Quoted from Deut 32:35–36; Paul cites the first line in Rom 12:19. 'Recompense' is antapodidomi, to repay in kind. The second quotation, 'The Lord shall judge his people', shows that the judgment falls on the covenant people themselves (cf. Heb 10:31).

Verse 32

after ye were illuminated — Photizo, to give light; the enlightening that came with receiving the gospel (cf. Heb 6:4). 'Fight' is athlesis, an athletic contest, and 'afflictions' is pathema, sufferings. The readers' early endurance is set beside the 'patience' they still need (v.36).

Verse 34

the spoiling of your goods — Harpage, plundering, seizure; 'goods' (hyparchonta) and 'substance' (hyparxis) share a root, so the earthly property taken is set against the heavenly possession that 'endures' (meno). Cf. Christ's 'treasure in the heavens that faileth not' (Luke 12:33).

Verse 35

Cast not away therefore your confidence — Parrhesia, the 'boldness' of v.19. Apoballo is to throw off, as a garment. The confidence 'hath great recompence of reward' (misthapodosia, requital); cf. Heb 3:6, 'if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end'.

Verse 36

need of patience — Hypomone, endurance, literally remaining under a load; Christ says, 'In your patience possess ye your souls' (Luke 21:19). 'The will of God' is the thelema that Christ came to do (vv.7, 9, 10). The 'promise' (epangelia) is received after the doing, as Abraham 'obtained the promise' (Heb 6:15).

Verse 37

he that shall come will come — Drawn from Hab 2:3: 'though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry'. Hebrews applies it to the coming One. 'A little while' is mikron hoson hoson, a very short time; 'tarry' is chronizo, to delay.

Verse 38

the just shall live by faith — From Hab 2:4, 'the just shall live by his faith', also quoted in Rom 1:17 and Gal 3:11. Here it carries the call to endure. 'Draw back' is hypostello, to shrink back or withdraw; of such the LORD says 'my soul shall have no pleasure in him'.

Verse 39

draw back unto perdition — Hypostole, shrinking back, the noun of the verb in v.38; its end is apoleia, destruction. The other path is believing 'to the saving of the soul'; 'saving' is peripoiesis, the securing or preserving of something, and 'soul' is psyche, the life.