1 For the law is only a shadow of the good things to come, not the real forms of those things themselves. Those who approach God can never be made perfect by the same sacrifices that the priests continually bring year after year. 2 Otherwise, would the sacrifices not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed one time and would no longer have any consciousness of sin. 3 But with those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins year after year. 4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. 5◆ When Christ came into the world, he said, “Sacrifices and offerings you did not desire, but a body you have prepared for me; 6◆ with burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not take pleasure. 7◆ Then I said, 'See, here I am— as it is written about me in the scroll— to do your will.'” 8 First he said, “It was neither sacrifices, nor offerings, nor whole burnt offerings, nor sacrifices for sin that you desired. Nor did you take pleasure in them.” These are sacrifices that are offered according to the law. 9 Then he said, “See, here I am to do your will.” He takes away the first practice in order to establish the second practice. 10 By that will, we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11 Day after day every priest stands and performs his service to God. He offers the same sacrifices again and again—sacrifices that can never take away sins. 12 But when Christ offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. 13 He is waiting until his enemies are made a stool for his feet. 14 For by one offering he has perfected forever those who are being sanctified. 15 The Holy Spirit also testifies to us. First he said, 16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds. 17 Their sins and lawless deeds I will remember no longer.” 18 Now where there is forgiveness for these, there is no longer any sacrifice for sin. 19 Therefore, brothers, we have confidence to enter into the most holy place by the blood of Jesus. 20 That is the new and living way that he has opened for us through the curtain, that is, by means of his flesh. 21 Because we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us approach with true hearts in the full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us also hold tightly to the confession of our hope without wavering, because God, who has promised, is faithful. 24 Let us consider how to motivate one another to love and good deeds. 25 Let us not stop meeting together, as some have done. Instead, encourage one another more and more, and all the more as you see the day coming closer. 26 For if we deliberately go on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, a sacrifice for sins no longer exists. 27 Instead, there is only a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume God's enemies. 28 Anyone who has rejected the law of Moses dies without mercy at the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 How much worse punishment do you think one deserves who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, who treated the blood of the covenant as unholy—the blood by which he was sanctified—and insulted the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know the one who said, “Vengeance belongs to me; I will pay back.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God! 32 But remember the former days, after you were enlightened, how you endured a great struggle in suffering. 33 You were exposed to public ridicule by insults and persecution, and you were sharing with those who went through such suffering. 34 For you had compassion on those who were prisoners, and you accepted with joy the seizure of your possessions. You knew that you yourselves had a better and everlasting possession. 35 So do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. 36 For you need patience, so that you may receive what God has promised, after you have done his will. 37 “For in a very little while, the one who is coming will indeed come and not delay. 38 My righteous one will live by faith. If he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him.” 39 But we are not any of those who turn back to destruction. Instead, we are some of those who have faith for keeping our soul.
Hebrews · Unlocked Literal Bible
Hebrews 10 Unlocked Literal Bible
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Cross references (39)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Hebrews 8:5; Colossians 2:17; Hebrews 9:11; Hebrews 9:23; Hebrews 7:18–19
- 2 Isaiah 43:25; Micah 7:19; Psalm 103:12; Isaiah 44:22; Hebrews 9:13–14
- 3 Hebrews 9:7; Exodus 30:10; Leviticus 23:27–28; Leviticus 16:34; Leviticus 16:6–11
- 4 Hebrews 10:11; Isaiah 1:11–15; Micah 6:6–8; Romans 11:27; 1 John 3:5
- 5 Psalm 40:6–8; Isaiah 1:11; Isaiah 7:14; 1 Peter 2:24; Matthew 1:20–23
- 6 Hebrews 10:4; Matthew 3:17; Malachi 1:10; Leviticus 1:1–6; Psalm 147:11
- 7 Psalm 40:7–8; John 4:34; John 6:38; John 5:30; Hebrews 10:9–10
- 8 Hebrews 10:5; Mark 12:33
- 9 Hebrews 7:18–19; Hebrews 12:27–28; Hebrews 10:7; Hebrews 9:11–14; Hebrews 8:7–13
- 10 Hebrews 10:14; Hebrews 10:12; 1 Corinthians 6:11; Hebrews 7:27; John 17:19
- 11 Hebrews 10:4; Hebrews 5:1; Numbers 28:3; Psalm 50:8–13; Hebrews 7:27
- 12 Hebrews 1:3; Colossians 3:1; Romans 8:34; Hebrews 8:1; Acts 2:33–34
- 13 Hebrews 1:13; Psalm 110:1; Luke 20:43; 1 Corinthians 15:25; Mark 12:36
- 14 Hebrews 9:14; Hebrews 7:25; Hebrews 10:1; Hebrews 2:11; Romans 15:16
- 15 Hebrews 3:7; Revelation 2:11; Revelation 3:6; 2 Peter 1:21; John 15:26
- 16 Jeremiah 31:33–34; Hebrews 8:8–12; Romans 11:27
- 17 Hebrews 8:12; Jeremiah 31:34
- 18 Hebrews 10:2; Hebrews 10:14
- 19 Ephesians 2:18; Hebrews 9:12; Hebrews 4:16; Ephesians 3:12; Romans 5:2
- 20 John 14:6; John 10:9; Hebrews 9:3; Hebrews 9:8; Hebrews 6:19
- 21 Hebrews 2:17; Hebrews 4:14–16; Hebrews 6:20; Hebrews 8:1; Hebrews 3:1
- 22 Ezekiel 36:25; John 3:5; Ephesians 5:26; 1 Peter 3:21; 1 Corinthians 6:11
- 23 1 Thessalonians 5:24; 1 Corinthians 1:9; 2 Thessalonians 3:3; Hebrews 6:18; Titus 1:2
- 24 1 Thessalonians 5:11; 1 John 3:18; Hebrews 13:1; Galatians 5:13; Colossians 3:16
- 25 Acts 2:42; 1 Thessalonians 5:11; Matthew 18:20; Hebrews 3:13; Hebrews 10:24
- 26 2 Peter 2:20–22; Hebrews 6:4–6; John 9:41; Luke 12:47; Matthew 12:43–45
- 27 Isaiah 26:11; Zephaniah 1:18; Hebrews 2:3; Hebrews 9:27; Hebrews 12:25
- 28 Hebrews 2:2; Deuteronomy 19:15; Deuteronomy 17:2–13; 2 Corinthians 13:1; Deuteronomy 19:13
- 29 Ephesians 4:30; Hebrews 6:6; Isaiah 63:10; 1 Corinthians 11:27; Luke 12:10
- 30 Deuteronomy 32:35–36; Romans 12:19; Nahum 1:2; Psalm 50:4; 2 Corinthians 5:10
- 31 Matthew 10:28; Luke 12:5; Hebrews 12:29; Isaiah 33:14; Psalm 76:7
- 32 Hebrews 6:4; Galatians 3:3–4; 2 Timothy 4:7–8; 2 Timothy 2:3–13; Hebrews 12:4
- 33 1 Corinthians 4:9; Philippians 4:14; Isaiah 51:7; 2 Corinthians 12:10; Philippians 1:7
- 34 1 Peter 1:4; 2 Timothy 1:16; Matthew 6:19–20; James 1:2; Colossians 1:5
- 35 1 Corinthians 15:58; Galatians 6:8–10; Hebrews 3:6; Luke 14:14; Hebrews 11:26
- 36 Hebrews 12:1; Psalm 37:7; James 5:7–11; 1 Corinthians 13:7; Luke 21:19
- 37 James 5:7–9; Habakkuk 2:3–4; Luke 18:8; Isaiah 26:20; Isaiah 60:22
- 38 Galatians 3:11; Habakkuk 2:4; Romans 1:17; Psalm 85:8; Hebrews 6:4–6
- 39 1 John 5:5; 1 Peter 1:5; Mark 16:16; 2 Thessalonians 2:12–14; 1 Samuel 15:11
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
Why does my Bible say something different?
- Psalm 40:6 and Hebrews 10:5: “ears” or “a body”?
In the Hebrew text of Psalm 40 God has “dug” or “opened” the psalmist’s ears. In the Greek Septuagint (Psalm 39:7) God has “prepared a body” for him, and the Epistle to the Hebrews quotes that Greek wording of Christ coming into the world. The Orthodox Church reads the Greek. Scholars still debate how the Greek reading arose.
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
In what has gone before he had shown that the sacrifices were unavailing for perfect purification, and were a type, and greatly defective. Since then there was this objection to his argument, If they are types, how is it that, after the truth is come, they have not ceased, nor given place, but are still performed?
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 14 (1889)
… incur danger, or are deprived of their goods, but of these also, thus saying, "Call to remembrance the former days, in which after ye were illuminated ye endured a great fight of afflictions; partly whilst ye were made a gazing stock by reproaches, and afflictions." On this account then Christ hath appointed the reward also to be great.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
… one incorporeal for the incorporeal part, and the other bodily for the body: the water cleanses the body, and the Spirit seals the soul; that we may draw near unto God, having our heart sprinkled by the Spirit, and our body washed with pure water.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)
You hope to "reign with" Christ; but you "do despite unto the Spirit of grace" by assigning Him the rank of a slave and a subordinate.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 8 (1895)
Hear him saying, "Yet a little while, and He that cometh will come, and will not tarry. The Lord is at hand, be careful for nothing;" and again, "The fashion of this world passeth away." For neither doth he command only, but also soothes, as a physician should.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)