Hebrews 10:17

And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.

And {G2532} their {G846} sins {G266} and {G2532} iniquities {G458}{G846} will I remember {G3415} no {G3364} more {G2089}.

he then adds,

“ ‘And their sins and their wickednesses
I will remember no more.’ ”

Then He adds: “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.”

And their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

Hebrews 10:17 (KJV)

This verse is a direct quote from the Old Testament, specifically Jeremiah 31:34. The author of Hebrews uses this prophecy to demonstrate a key promise of the New Covenant, which is superior to the Old Covenant established under the Law of Moses.

Key Themes and Messages:

  • Complete Forgiveness: The central message is God's promise of total and irreversible forgiveness for those who are under the New Covenant. This is contrasted with the Old Covenant, where sins were atoned for annually, serving as a reminder of sin (Hebrews 10:3).
  • Divine Forgetfulness (Judicial): "Remember no more" doesn't mean God literally forgets in the sense of losing memory. Instead, it signifies a judicial act where God chooses never to bring up, count against, or punish the forgiven sins. It's a declaration that the debt has been paid in full through Christ's sacrifice.
  • Basis of the New Covenant: This promise of complete forgiveness is foundational to the New Covenant, allowing believers to have genuine reconciliation and access to God.

Historical and Cultural Context:

The book of Hebrews was written to Jewish Christians who were possibly contemplating returning to Judaism and its rituals due to persecution or a lack of full understanding of Christ's work. Citing Jeremiah's prophecy shows that the New Covenant, with its promise of complete forgiveness, was part of God's plan from the beginning, not a deviation.

Linguistic Insights:

The Greek phrase translated "remember no more" (οὐ μὴ μνησθήσομαι ἔτι) is a strong double negative followed by a future tense verb, emphasizing the absolute certainty and permanence of God's decision not to recall or hold sins against the forgiven.

Practical Application:

For believers today, this verse offers profound assurance. Because Christ's sacrifice was sufficient and effective, we can be confident that our sins are truly forgiven and will not be held against us by God. This should lead to freedom from guilt and shame, and motivate us to live lives of gratitude and obedience.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Hebrews 8:12

    For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

  • Jeremiah 31:34

    And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
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