TRV
Translation
Complete Jewish Bible
he then adds,
“ ‘And their sins and their wickednesses
I will remember no more.’ ”
“ ‘And their sins and their wickednesses
I will remember no more.’ ”
Study This Verse
Commentary on Hebrews 10 verses 7–18
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.
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.
Here the apostle raises up and exalts the Lord Jesus Christ, as high as he had laid the Levitical priesthood low. He recommends Christ to them as the true high priest, the true atoning sacrifice, the antitype of all the rest: and this he illustrates,
I. From the purpose and promise of God concerning Christ, which are frequently recorded in the volume of the book of God, Heb 10:7. God had not only decreed, but declared by Moses and the prophets, that Christ should come and be the great high priest of the church, and should offer up a perfect and a perfecting sacrifice. It was written of Christ, in the beginning of the book of God, that the seed of the woman should break the serpent's head; and the Old Testament abounds with prophecies concerning Christ. Now since he is the person so often promised, so much spoken of, so long expected by the people of God, he ought to be received with great honour and gratitude.
II. From what God had done in preparing a body for Christ (that is, a human nature), that he might be qualified to be our Redeemer and Advocate; uniting the two natures in his own person, he was a fit Mediator to go between God and man; a days-man to lay his hand upon both, a peace-maker, to reconcile them, and an everlasting band of union between God and the creature - "My ears hast thou opened; thou has fully instructed me, furnished and fitted me for the work, and engaged me in it," Psa 40:6. Now a Saviour thus provided, and prepared by God himself in so extraordinary a manner, ought to be received with great affection and gladness.
III. From the readiness and willingness that Christ discovered to engage in this work, when no other sacrifice would be accepted, Heb 10:7-9. When no less sacrifice would be a proper satisfaction to the justice of God than that of Christ himself, then Christ voluntarily came into it: "Lo, I come! I delight to do thy will, O God! Let thy curse fall upon me, but let these go their way. Father, I delight to fulfil thy counsels, and my covenant with thee for them; I delight to perform all thy promises, to fulfil all the prophecies." This should endear Christ and our Bibles to us, that in Christ we have the fulfilling of the scriptures.
IV. From the errand and design upon which Christ came; and this was to do the will of God, not only as a prophet to reveal the will of God, not only as a king to give forth divine laws, but as a priest to satisfy the demands of justice, and to fulfil all righteousness. Christ came to do the will of God in two instances. 1. In taking away the first priesthood, which God had no pleasure in; not only taking away the curse of the covenant of works, and canceling the sentence denounced against us as sinners, but taking away the insufficient typical priesthood, and blotting out the hand-writing of ceremonial ordinances and nailing it to his cross. 2. In establishing the second, that is, his own priesthood and the everlasting gospel, the most pure and perfect dispensation of the covenant of grace; this is the great design upon which the heart of God was set from all eternity. The will of God centers and terminates in it; and it is not more agreeable to the will of God than it is advantageous to the souls of men; for it is by this will that we are sanctified, through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all, Heb 10:10. Observe, (1.) What is the fountain of all that Christ has done for his people - the sovereign will and grace of God. (2.) How we come to partake of what Christ has done for us - by being sanctified, converted, effectually called, wherein we are united to Christ, and so partake of the benefits of his redemption; and this sanctification is owing to the oblation he made of himself to God.
V. From the perfect efficacy of the priesthood of Christ (Heb 10:14): By one offering he hath for ever perfected those that are sanctified; he has delivered and will perfectly deliver those that are brought over to him, from all the guilt, power, and punishment of sin, and will put them into the sure possession of perfect holiness and felicity. This is what the Levitical priesthood could never do; and, if we indeed are aiming at a perfect state, we must receive the Lord Jesus as the only high priest that can bring us to that state.
VI. From the place to which our Lord Jesus is now exalted, the honour he has there, and the further honour he shall have: This man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins, for ever sat down at the right hand of God, henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool, Heb 10:12, Heb 10:13. Here observe, 1. To what honour Christ, as man and Mediator, is exalted - to the right hand of God, the seat of power, interest, and activity: the giving hand; all the favours that God bestows on his people are handed to them by Christ: the receiving hand; all the duties that God accepts from men are presented by Christ: the working hand; all that pertains to the kingdoms of providence and grace is administered by Christ; and therefore this is the highest post of honour. 2. How Christ came to this honour - not merely by the purpose or donation of the Father, but by his own merit and purchase, as a reward due to his sufferings; and, as he can never be deprived of an honour so much his due, so he will never quit it, nor cease to employ it for his people's good. 3. How he enjoys this honour - with the greatest satisfaction and rest; he is for ever sitting down there. The Father acquiesces and is satisfied in him; he is satisfied in his Father's will and presence; this is his rest for ever; here he will dwell, for he has both desired and deserved it. 4. He has further expectations, which shall not be disappointed; for they are grounded upon the promise of the Father, who hath said unto him, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool, Psa 110:1. One would think such a person as Christ could have no enemies except in hell; but it is certain that he has enemies on earth, very many, and very inveterate ones. Let not Christians then wonder that they have enemies, though they desire to live peaceably with all men. But Christ's enemies shall be made his footstool; some by conversion, others by confusion; and, which way soever it be, Christ will be honoured. Of this Christ is assured, this he is expecting, and his people should rejoice in the expectation of it; for, when his enemies shall be subdued, their enemies, that are so for his sake, shall be subdued also.
VII. The apostle recommends Christ from the witness the Holy Ghost has given in the scriptures concerning him; this relates chiefly to what should be the happy fruit and consequence of his humiliation and sufferings, which in general is that new and gracious covenant that is founded upon his satisfaction, and sealed by his blood (Heb 10:15): Whereof the Holy Ghost is a witness. The passage is cited from Jer 31:31, in which covenant God promises, 1. That he will pour out his Spirit upon his people, so as to give them wisdom, will, and power, to obey his word; he will put his laws in their hearts, and write them in their minds, Heb 10:16. This will make their duty plain, easy, and pleasant. 2. Their sins and iniquities he will remember no more (Heb 10:17), which will alone show the riches of divine grace, and the sufficiency of Christ's satisfaction, that it needs not be repeated, Heb 10:18. For there shall be no more remembrance of sin against true believers, either to shame them now or to condemn them hereafter. This was much more than the Levitical priesthood and sacrifices could effect.
And now we have gone through the doctrinal part of the epistle, in which we have met with many things dark and difficult to be understood, which we must impute to the weakness and dulness of our own minds. The apostle now proceeds to apply this great doctrine, so as to influence their affections, and direct their practice, setting before them the dignities and duties of the gospel state.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 7–18. Public domain.
Copy as
John ChrysostomAD 407
Homily on Hebrews 18
"Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us." He had said that those sacrifices are not offered; he reasoned from what is written, and from what is not written; moreover also he put forward the prophetic word which says, "sacrifice and offering Thou wouldest not." He had said that He had forgiven their sins. Again this also He proves from the testimony of what is written, for "the Holy Ghost" (he says) "is a witness to us: for after that He had said, 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, and their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Now where remission of these is there is no more offering for sin." So then He forgave their sins, when He gave the Covenant, and He gave the Covenant by sacrifice. If therefore He forgave the sins through the one sacrifice, there is no longer need of a second.
Theodoret of CyrusAD 458
INTERPRETATION OF HEBREWS 10
Now, this happened through the new covenant: we receive also in all-holy baptism the forgiveness of sins. In the life to come, when immortality is granted us, we shall live differently from everyone else, sin no longer capable of troubling those who have become immortal. May it be our good fortune to attain this life. We shall attain it if in the present life we embrace with enthusiasm the effort virtue involves and accept the struggles it requires. The Lord himself, who is the source of the future goods, will work with us.
OecumeniusAD 990
The Pseudo-Oecumenian Catena on Hebrews
"But He, having offered one sacrifice," Christ evidently.
"for sins." For our sins, for which he suffered.
"for all time." Christ, clearly, offered one sacrifice, namely, His own body, for our sins, sufficient for us forever, so that there would be no need for a second.
"sat down at the right hand of God."He is not only a high priest, but also God. After completing the work, through which He also became a high priest and stewarded the administration, He sat down as God and awaits.
"from that time onward." And for what reason were his enemies not immediately placed under his feet? For the sake of those who are to become and give birth to believers. For not only demons are enemies, but also unbelievers.But now Paul especially calls the unbelieving Hebrews enemies, comforting the faithful from the Jews who have suffered countless terrible things at their hands.
"until His enemies be made." He did not say "they will be subjected," but signifying the greatest of subjection, he said "they be made," a footstool for his feet. For their being made as a footstool is a proof of his sitting at the right hand of the Father.
"For by one offering," which Christ offered, he perfected, having made perfect, he completely freed from sins.
"those who are being sanctified."That is, the faithful. For they are sanctified by the aforementioned offering.
"And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us." What does it bear witness to? That our sins have been forgiven.
"And their sins." He added, he says, "And their sins I will remember no more." Do you see that he testified to the forgiveness of sins? Then he forgave when he established the new covenant. And the new covenant was given through the sacrifice of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
"Now where there is forgiveness of these things." Of sins, obviously.
"there is no longer an offering for sin." For who, he says, has need of many offerings, when the one that Christ presented is sufficient to take away sins?
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
Copy as
Continue studying Hebrews 10:17 across the web’s major study libraries — every link below opens this exact verse, chapter, or book on the destination site.
Read & Compare
BibleGatewayThis verse in more than 200 translations and 70 languages.
Bible.comThe YouVersion reader — hundreds of translations, reading plans, and highlights.
ESV.orgCrossway's official English Standard Version reader.
NET BibleThe NET translation with 60,000+ translators' notes on every rendering decision.
STEP BibleTyndale House's free study tool — original text, vocabulary, and scholarly resources.
BibliaLogos Bible Software's free web reader.
USCCBThe New American Bible (Revised Edition) with the U.S. bishops' study notes.
Commentaries
BibleHub CommentariesDozens of classic commentaries on this verse, gathered on one page.
StudyLightMore than 100 commentary sets — the largest collection on the web.
BibleRefPlain-English commentary on what this verse means, verse by verse.
Enduring WordDavid Guzik's free commentary on this chapter, widely used by Bible teachers.
Bible Study ToolsVerse commentary alongside Greek and Hebrew study aids.
Original Language & Research
- BibleHub InterlinearThe verse word by word — original language, transliteration, and English.
- BibleHub LexiconEvery word's original-language definition and Strong's entry.
Blue Letter BibleDeep-study tools — Strong's numbers, concordance, and word studies.
CNTR CollationThe earliest Greek manuscripts of this verse, collated letter by letter.
Sermons, Hymns & Audio
TrulyRandomVerse is not affiliated with these sites and doesn’t control their content. They’re linked because they’re genuinely useful.
SUMMARY
Hebrews 10:17, a direct quotation from the prophecy of Jeremiah, encapsulates a foundational promise of the New Covenant: God's complete and permanent forgiveness of sins. This verse assures believers that, through the perfect and singular sacrifice of Jesus Christ, their transgressions and lawless deeds are not merely covered but are definitively removed from God's remembrance, signifying a judicial act of full pardon and reconciliation. It highlights the absolute efficacy and finality of Christ's atoning work, establishing a new and living way to God unburdened by past sin.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: This verse is part of the author's extended argument in Hebrews 10, emphasizing the superiority and finality of Christ's sacrifice over the Old Covenant's animal sacrifices. The preceding verses (Hebrews 10:1-14) detail how the Law's sacrifices were imperfect, merely a "shadow of the good things to come" (Hebrews 10:1), requiring constant repetition because they could not truly take away sins. In contrast, Christ's single offering "perfected for ever them that are sanctified" (Hebrews 10:14). Verse 17, along with verse 16 (a quotation of Jeremiah 31:33), serves as a prophetic witness to this New Covenant reality, proving that this complete forgiveness and inward transformation were always part of God's ultimate plan, foretold centuries earlier. The author uses these Old Testament prophecies to bolster his argument for the New Covenant's supremacy and to provide assurance to his audience.
Historical & Cultural Context: The book of Hebrews was written to Jewish Christians who were facing significant pressure, possibly persecution, and were tempted to revert to the familiar rituals and security of Judaism. They were struggling to fully grasp the radical implications of Christ's finished work and the obsolescence of the Mosaic Law's sacrificial system. The author's primary goal is to demonstrate Christ's superiority over all aspects of the Old Covenant – angels, Moses, the Levitical priesthood, and its sacrifices – thereby encouraging his readers to persevere in their faith and not abandon their Christian confession. By quoting Jeremiah, a prophet deeply revered by Jews, the author grounds the New Covenant not in a new, foreign theology but in God's own ancient promises, showing continuity in God's redemptive plan while highlighting the decisive shift in its administration.
Key Themes: Hebrews 10:17 powerfully contributes to several overarching themes in the book of Hebrews. Foremost is the theme of Christ's Superiority and the New Covenant. The verse underscores that the New Covenant, inaugurated by Christ's blood, offers a definitive solution to the problem of sin that the Old Covenant could not provide. It speaks to Complete Forgiveness and Atonement, emphasizing that Christ's sacrifice is not merely a temporary covering but a permanent removal of sin, allowing for true reconciliation with God. This leads to the theme of Access to God, as the removal of sin's barrier means believers can draw near to God with confidence (Hebrews 10:19-22). Finally, it reinforces the Efficacy of Christ's Sacrifice, demonstrating that His "one sacrifice for sins for ever" (Hebrews 10:12) fully accomplishes God's redemptive purpose, making any further sacrifice unnecessary.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The author of Hebrews employs several powerful literary devices in this verse. Primarily, it is a direct Quotation from Jeremiah 31:34, serving as an authoritative prophetic witness to the New Covenant's promises. This use of Scripture functions as an Argument from Authority, lending irrefutable weight to the author's claims about the superiority and permanence of Christ's work. Furthermore, the phrase "will I remember no more" employs Divine Anthropomorphism, attributing a human characteristic (remembering/forgetting) to God. This is not to suggest God literally loses memory, but rather to convey a judicial and relational reality: God chooses not to hold past sins against the forgiven. Finally, the Greek construction "οὐ μὴ ... ἔτι" ("no more") constitutes a strong Emphatic Negation, often bordering on Hyperbole, underscoring the absolute and irreversible nature of God's forgiveness. It is a powerful rhetorical device to assure the readers of the finality of their pardon.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Hebrews 10:17 is a cornerstone of New Covenant theology, powerfully articulating the radical nature of God's forgiveness made possible through Christ's sacrifice. It highlights that unlike the Old Covenant, which merely covered sins and reminded the people of their ongoing need for atonement, the New Covenant, established by the blood of Jesus, offers a complete and permanent removal of sin. This "not remembering" is a divine judicial act, signifying that the debt has been fully paid and the legal record of transgression expunged. It underpins the believer's confidence and access to God, transforming a relationship based on conditional obedience and repeated atonement into one of grace, full reconciliation, and intimate fellowship, all founded on the finished work of Christ.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
This profound declaration from God offers immense spiritual comfort and freedom. For believers, it means liberation from the crushing weight of past guilt and shame. The assurance that God "remembers no more" our sins is not an invitation to complacency, but a powerful motivation for grateful obedience and a life lived in the light of His boundless grace. It calls us to live without fear of condemnation, knowing that our standing before God is secured by Christ's perfect sacrifice, not by our own imperfect performance. This truth should empower us to forgive ourselves, extend grace to others, and walk in the confidence of our complete pardon, enabling us to approach God's throne with boldness and freedom, ready to serve Him with a clear conscience.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Does "God will remember no more" mean God literally forgets our sins?
Answer: No, it does not mean God literally loses His memory. The phrase "remember no more" is an anthropomorphism, attributing a human characteristic to God to convey a profound theological truth. In this context, "remember" carries a judicial and relational meaning. It signifies that God chooses not to bring up, count against, or punish our forgiven sins. It's a divine declaration of full pardon, a legal act of expunging the record of our transgressions. Because the penalty for sin has been fully paid by Christ, God no longer holds those sins against us, and they will never be brought to account again. This promise assures us of complete and irreversible forgiveness under the New Covenant.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Hebrews 10:17 finds its ultimate fulfillment and meaning in the person and work of Jesus Christ. It is through His singular, perfect, and eternal sacrifice on the cross that the promise of God "remembering no more" our sins becomes a reality. The Old Covenant sacrifices, though divinely ordained, could only cover sins temporarily, serving as a constant reminder of the ongoing need for atonement (Hebrews 10:3). But Christ, "having offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God" (Hebrews 10:12). His blood, shed once for all, perfectly cleanses the conscience and removes the guilt of sin, making it possible for a holy God to declare that He will no longer remember our transgressions. Christ is the mediator of this superior covenant (Hebrews 8:6), and His finished work is the sole basis for this radical, permanent forgiveness, ushering believers into a new, unhindered relationship with God, free from condemnation (Romans 8:1).