Hebrews 10KJV
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Hebrews10

King James Version · Public Domain

1For 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.

2For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.

3But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.

4For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.

5Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:

6In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.

7Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.

8Above 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;

9Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.

10By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

11And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:

12But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;

13From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.

14For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

15Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before,

16This 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;

17And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.

18Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.

19Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,

20By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;

21And having an high priest over the house of God;

22Let 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.

23Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)

24And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:

25Not 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.

26For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,

27But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

28He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:

29Of 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?

30For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.

31It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

32But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions;

33Partly, whilst ye were made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, whilst ye became companions of them that were so used.

34For 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.

35Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.

36For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.

37For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.

38Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.

39But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

Study Guide

Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Hebrews 10.

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Chapter Summary

In this chapter: The insufficiency of sacrifices for taking away sin, The necessity and power of the sacrifice of Christ for that purpose. (1–18). An argument for holy boldness in the believer's access to God through Jesus Christ, And for steadfastness in faith, and mutual love and duty. (19–25). The danger of apostacy. (26–31). The sufferings of believers, and encouragement to maintain their holy profession. (32–39).

vv1-10

The apostle having shown that the tabernacle, and ordinances of the covenant of Sinai, were only emblems and types of the gospel, concludes that the sacrifices the high priests offered continually, could not make the worshippers perfect, with respect to pardon, and the purifying of their consciences. But when “God manifested in the flesh,” became the sacrifice, and his death upon the accursed tree the ransom, then the Sufferer being of infinite worth, his free-will sufferings were of infinite value. The atoning sacrifice must be one capable of consenting, and must of his own will place himself in the sinner's stead: Christ did so. The fountain of all that Christ has done for his people, is the sovereign will and grace of God. The righteousness brought in, and the sacrifice once offered by Christ, are of eternal power, and his salvation shall never be done away. They are of power to make all the comers thereunto perfect; they derive from the atoning blood, strength and motives for obedience, and inward comfort.

vv11-18

Under the new covenant, or gospel dispensation, full and final pardon is to be had. This makes a vast difference between the new covenant and the old one. Under the old, sacrifices must be often repeated, and after all, only pardon as to this world was to be obtained by them. Under the new, one Sacrifice is enough to procure for all nations and ages, spiritual pardon, or being freed from punishment in the world to come. Well might this be called a new covenant. Let none suppose that human inventions can avail those who put them in the place of the sacrifice of the Son of God. What then remains, but that we seek an interest in this Sacrifice by faith; and the seal of it to our souls, by the sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience? So that by the law being written in our hearts, we may know that we are justified, and that God will no more remember our sins.

vv19-25

The apostle having closed the first part of the epistle, the doctrine is applied to practical purposes. As believers had an open way to the presence of God, it became them to use this privilege. The way and means by which Christians enjoy such privileges, is by the blood of Jesus, by the merit of that blood which he offered up as an atoning sacrifice. The agreement of infinite holiness with pardoning mercy, was not clearly understood till the human nature of Christ, the Son of God, was wounded and bruised for our sins. Our way to heaven is by a crucified Saviour; his death is to us the way of life, and to those who believe this, he will be precious. They must draw near to God; it would be contempt of Christ, still to keep at a distance. Their bodies were to be washed with pure water, alluding to the cleansings directed under the law: thus the use of water in baptism, was to remind Christians that their conduct should be pure and holy. While they derived comfort and grace from their reconciled Father to their own souls, they would adorn the doctrine of God their Saviour in all things. Believers are to consider how they can be of service to each other, especially stirring up each other to the more vigorous and abundant exercise of love, and the practice of good works. The communion of saints is a great help and privilege, and a means of stedfastness and perseverance. We should observe the coming of times of trial, and be thereby quickened to greater diligence. There is a trying day coming on all men, the day of our death.

Cross References

Hebrews 10
v5Psalms 40:6-8quotation

Directly quoted in verses 5-7 to prove Christ came to replace sacrifices by doing God's will.

Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB

v16Hebrews 8:8-12quotation

The quote of the New Covenant from Jeremiah is restated here to prove final remission of sins.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v30Deuteronomy 32:35quotation

Directly quoted: "Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense" as warning of divine judgment on apostates.

Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB

v38Habakkuk 2:4quotation

Directly quoted to establish that "the just shall live by faith" contrasted with drawing back.

Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB

v12Psalms 110:1allusion

Scripture cited for Christ sitting on God's right hand until His enemies are made His footstool.

Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB

v26Hebrews 6:4-6thematic

Strong parallel warning on the impossibility of restoration after willful apostasy from known truth.

Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB

v30Deuteronomy 32:36quotation

Directly quoted: "The Lord shall judge his people," showing God's role as judge of His house.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v1Colossians 2:17thematic

Parallels the contrast between the Old Testament legal 'shadow' and the 'body' which is Christ.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v1Hebrews 8:5thematic

Connects the tabernacle services to a 'shadow' and 'example' of heavenly things.

Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB

v2Hebrews 9:14thematic

Contrasts the legal sacrifices with the blood of Christ, which perfectly purges the conscience.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v3Leviticus 16:34typology

The yearly Day of Atonement sacrifices made a perpetual 'remembrance again' of sins.

Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB

v20Matthew 27:51allusion

The tearing of the physical veil at Christ's death corresponds to entering through His flesh.

Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB

v21Hebrews 4:14-16thematic

Parallel exhortation to draw near boldly to God because of our great High Priest.

Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole

v22Ezekiel 36:25allusion

Old Covenant promise of sprinkling clean water and cleansing from filthiness, fulfilled in Christ.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v22Hebrews 9:14thematic

Parallels the cleansing of the conscience from dead works by the blood of Christ.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v26Numbers 15:30allusion

The Old Testament law of sinning presumptuously (willfully) which left no sacrifice available.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

Exemplifies the Old Testament penalty for the presumption of turning away from God's law.

Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole

v37Habakkuk 2:3allusion

Alludes to the promise that the coming vision/One will surely come and not tarry.

Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB

v1Hebrews 7:19thematic

Reinforces that the law made nothing perfect, but a better hope does.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v1Hebrews 9:9thematic

Explains that Old Testament gifts and sacrifices could not make the worshipper perfect in conscience.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v2Hebrews 10:17contrast

Contrasts the continuous remembrance of sins under the law with God remembering them no more.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v3Leviticus 16:22typology

The scapegoat ritual demonstrates the yearly remembrance and confession of Israel's sins.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v10Hebrews 9:12thematic

Parallels Christ's once-for-all entry into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption.

Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB

v19Hebrews 4:16thematic

Repeats the exhortation to draw near with boldness to God's presence.

Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB

v20John 14:6thematic

Christ as the 'new and living way' matches His self-declaration as the way, truth, and life.

Supported by Matthew Henry

v25Hebrews 3:13thematic

Exhortation to encourage/exhort one another daily to prevent hearts from being hardened by sin.

Supported by Matthew Henry

v262 Peter 2:20-22thematic

Describes the tragic state of those escaping world pollutions only to be entangled again.

Supported by Matthew Henry

v38Romans 1:17thematic

Pauline use of the same Habakkuk passage to define salvation by faith alone.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v38Galatians 3:11thematic

Another Pauline application of Habakkuk 2:4 contrasting faith with works of the law.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v9Hebrews 12:27thematic

Illustrates the removal of the temporary first system to establish the permanent second.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v30Romans 12:19thematic

Parallel citing of Deuteronomy 32:35, affirming that vengeance belongs solely to the Lord.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v31Hebrews 12:29thematic

Affirms the terrifying nature of God's presence as "a consuming fire" to adversaries.

Supported by Matthew Henry