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HEB 10:19-39

A Call to Persevere

19Therefore, brothers, having free and open access to enter the Holy Places by the blood of Jesus, [10:20] by the new and living way he opened for us through the veil — that is, through his flesh — [10:21] and having a great priest over the house of God, [10:22] let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. [10:23] Let us hold fast the unwavering acknowledgment of hope, for the one who promised is faithful; [10:24] and let us consider how to sharply provoke one another to love and good works, [10:25] not abandoning the assembling of ourselves together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another — and by so much more as you see the day drawing near. [10:26] For when we sin deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, [10:27] but a terrifying expectation of judgment and a fury of fire about to devour the adversaries. [10:28] Anyone who set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses — [10:29] how much worse punishment do you think the one will deserve who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, and has counted the blood of the covenant by which he was set apart as common — that is, as profane — and has insulted the Spirit of grace? [10:30] For we know the one who said, 'Vengeance is mine; I will repay,' and again, 'The Lord will judge his people.' [10:31] It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. [10:32] But call to mind the former days in which, after being enlightened, you endured a great contest of sufferings — [10:33] partly being publicly exposed both to reproaches and to distress, and partly becoming sharers with those who were so treated. [10:34] For you showed compassion toward those in chains, and you accepted with joy the seizure of your possessions, knowing that you yourselves have a better and lasting possession. [10:35] Therefore, do not throw away your free and open access, which has great reward. [10:36] For you have need of endurance, so that, having done the will of God, you may receive the promise. [10:37] 'For yet a very little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay; [10:38] but my righteous one will live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.' [10:39] But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.

In the world it was spoken into

The author addresses a community familiar with Jewish temple worship, where access to the Holy Place was restricted to priests. The mention of entering the Holy Places by the blood of Jesus would evoke the sacrificial system, where blood was central to atonement. The term (parrhesia) conveys not just confidence but the boldness to approach God directly, a radical departure from the mediated access of the temple. The 'new and living way' through the veil likely refers to Jesus' flesh, symbolizing the end of the temple's separation between God and humanity. The 'great priest' over God's house aligns Jesus with the high priestly role, but transcending it. The call to draw near with 'sprinkled hearts' and 'washed bodies' echoes purification rituals, now reinterpreted through Christ. The exhortation to hold fast the confession of hope reflects the community's struggle with persecution and the need for steadfastness. The 'assembling together' underscores the communal nature of their faith, countering the temptation to withdraw under pressure.

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How other translations render this

HEB 10:19

KJV
Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,
BSB
Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus,
Koinōnos
Therefore, brothers, having free and open access to enter the Holy Places by the blood of Jesus,

HEB 10:20

KJV
By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
BSB
by the new and living way opened for us through the curtain of His body,
Koinōnos
by the new and living way he opened for us through the veil — that is, through his flesh —

HEB 10:21

KJV
And having an high priest over the house of God;
BSB
and since we have a great priest over the house of God,
Koinōnos
and having a great priest over the house of God,

HEB 10:22

KJV
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.
BSB
let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
Koinōnos
let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

HEB 10:23

KJV
Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
BSB
Let us hold resolutely to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful.
Koinōnos
Let us hold fast the unwavering acknowledgment of hope, for the one who promised is faithful;

HEB 10:24

KJV
And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
BSB
And let us consider how to spur one another on to love and good deeds.
Koinōnos
and let us consider how to sharply provoke one another to love and good works,

HEB 10:25

KJV
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.
BSB
Let us not neglect meeting together, as some have made a habit, but let us encourage one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Koinōnos
not abandoning the assembling of ourselves together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another — and by so much more as you see the day drawing near.

HEB 10:26

KJV
For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
BSB
If we deliberately go on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no further sacrifice for sins remains,
Koinōnos
For when we sin deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,

HEB 10:27

KJV
But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
BSB
but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume all adversaries.
Koinōnos
but a terrifying expectation of judgment and a fury of fire about to devour the adversaries.

HEB 10:28

KJV
He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
BSB
Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
Koinōnos
Anyone who set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses —

HEB 10:29

KJV
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?
BSB
How much more severely do you think one deserves to be punished who has trampled on the Son of God, profaned the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and insulted the Spirit of grace?
Koinōnos
how much worse punishment do you think the one will deserve who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, and has counted the blood of the covenant by which he was set apart as common — that is, as profane — and has insulted the Spirit of grace?

HEB 10:30

KJV
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.
BSB
For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge His people.”
Koinōnos
For we know the one who said, 'Vengeance is mine; I will repay,' and again, 'The Lord will judge his people.

HEB 10:32

KJV
But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions;
BSB
Remember the early days that you were in the light. In those days, you endured a great conflict in the face of suffering.
Koinōnos
But call to mind the former days in which, after being enlightened, you endured a great contest of sufferings —

HEB 10:33

KJV
Partly, whilst ye were made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, whilst ye became companions of them that were so used.
BSB
Sometimes you were publicly exposed to ridicule and persecution; at other times you were partners with those who were so treated.
Koinōnos
partly being publicly exposed both to reproaches and to distress, and partly becoming sharers with those who were so treated.

HEB 10:34

KJV
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.
BSB
You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, knowing that you yourselves had a better and permanent possession.
Koinōnos
For you showed compassion toward those in chains, and you accepted with joy the seizure of your possessions, knowing that you yourselves have a better and lasting possession.

HEB 10:35

KJV
Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.
BSB
So do not throw away your confidence; it holds a great reward.
Koinōnos
Therefore, do not throw away your free and open access, which has great reward.

HEB 10:36

KJV
For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.
BSB
You need to persevere, so that after you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised.
Koinōnos
For you have need of endurance, so that, having done the will of God, you may receive the promise.

HEB 10:37

KJV
For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.
BSB
For, “In just a little while, He who is coming will come and will not delay.
Koinōnos
For yet a very little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay;

HEB 10:38

KJV
Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
BSB
But My righteous one will live by faith; and if he shrinks back, I will take no pleasure in him.”
Koinōnos
but my righteous one will live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.

HEB 10:39

KJV
But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.
BSB
But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.
Koinōnos
But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.

Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.

Translator's notes

HEB 10:19

  • confidence:The word translated 'confidence' here implies a bold, unreserved freedom of speech and action, a privilege of citizens, not merely a feeling of assurance.

HEB 10:20

  • new:The word translated 'new' carries the sense of something freshly made or recently slain, emphasizing its pristine and untainted quality.

HEB 10:24

  • stirring up:The word translated 'stirring up' can also mean a sharp irritation or provocation, suggesting an intense incitement to action, whether positive or negative.

HEB 10:29

  • ordinary:The word translated 'ordinary' here means common or profane, in contrast to something sacred or set apart, implying it is treated as unholy.