Hebrews 10:19-39
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
19 Therefore, brothers, since through the blood of Jesus we have confidence of entrance into the sanctuary(A) 20 [a]by the new and living way he opened for us through the veil,(B) that is, his flesh, 21 [b](C)and since we have “a great priest over the house of God,” 22 let us approach with a sincere heart and in absolute trust, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience[c] and our bodies washed in pure water.(D) 23 Let us hold unwaveringly to our confession that gives us hope, for he who made the promise is trustworthy.(E) 24 We must consider how to rouse one another to love and good works. 25 We should not stay away from our assembly,[d] as is the custom of some, but encourage one another, and this all the more as you see the day drawing near.(F)
26 [e](G)If we sin deliberately after receiving knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains sacrifice for sins 27 but a fearful prospect of judgment and a flaming fire that is going to consume the adversaries.(H) 28 Anyone who rejects the law of Moses[f] is put to death without pity on the testimony of two or three witnesses.(I) 29 Do you not think that a much worse punishment is due the one who has contempt for the Son of God, considers unclean the covenant-blood by which he was consecrated, and insults the spirit of grace?(J) 30 We know the one who said:
“Vengeance is mine; I will repay,”
and again:
“The Lord will judge his people.”(K)
31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.(L)
32 Remember the days past when, after you had been enlightened,[g] you endured a great contest of suffering.(M) 33 At times you were publicly exposed to abuse and affliction; at other times you associated yourselves with those so treated.(N) 34 You even joined in the sufferings of those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, knowing that you had a better and lasting possession.(O) 35 Therefore, do not throw away your confidence; it will have great recompense.(P) 36 You need endurance to do the will of God and receive what he has promised.(Q)
37 “For, after just a brief moment,[h]
he who is to come shall come;
he shall not delay.(R)
38 But my just one shall live by faith,
and if he draws back I take no pleasure in him.”(S)
39 We are not among those who draw back and perish, but among those who have faith and will possess life.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 10:20 Through the veil, that is, his flesh: the term flesh is used pejoratively. As the temple veil kept people from entering the Holy of Holies (it was rent at Christ’s death, Mk 15:38), so the flesh of Jesus constituted an obstacle to approaching God.
- 10:21 The house of God: this refers back to Hb 3:6, “we are his house.”
- 10:22 With our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience: as in Hb 9:13 (see note there), the sprinkling motif refers to the Mosaic rite of cleansing from ritual impurity. This could produce only an external purification, whereas sprinkling with the blood of Christ (Hb 9:14) cleanses the conscience. Washed in pure water: baptism is elsewhere referred to as a washing; cf. 1 Cor 6:11; Eph 5:26.
- 10:25 Our assembly: the liturgical assembly of the Christian community, probably for the celebration of the Eucharist. The day: this designation for the parousia also occurs in the Pauline letters, e.g., Rom 2:16; 1 Cor 3:13; 1 Thes 5:2.
- 10:26 If we sin deliberately: verse 29 indicates that the author is here thinking of apostasy; cf. Hb 3:12; 6:4–8.
- 10:28 Rejects the law of Moses: evidently not any sin against the law, but idolatry. Dt 17:2–7 prescribed capital punishment for idolaters who were convicted on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
- 10:32 After you had been enlightened: “enlightenment” is an ancient metaphor for baptism (cf. Eph 5:14; Jn 9:11), but see Hb 6:4 and the note there.
- 10:37–38 In support of his argument, the author uses Hb 2:3–4 in a wording almost identical with the text of the Codex Alexandrinus of the Septuagint but with the first and second lines of Hb 10:4 inverted. He introduces it with a few words from Is 26:20: after just a brief moment. Note the Pauline usage of Hb 2:4 in Rom 1:17; Gal 3:11.
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