Hebrews 10:38

Hebrews 10:38 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
• New International Version (NIV)And, “But my righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.”

Context of Hebrews 10:38

36For you have need of patient endurance [to bear up under difficult circumstances without compromising], so that when you have carried out the will of God, you may receive and enjoy to the full what is promised. 37For yet in a very little while, He who is coming will come, and will not delay. But My righteous one [the one justified by faith] shall live by faith [respecting man’s relationship to God and trusting Him]; And if he draws back [shrinking in fear], My soul has no delight in him. 39But our way is not that of those who shrink back to destruction, but [we are] of those who believe [relying on God through faith in Jesus Christ, the Messiah] and by this confident faith preserve the soul.

Hebrews 10:38 word by word

ὁ δὲ δίκαιός μου ἐκ πίστεως ζήσεται· καὶ ἐὰν ὑποστείληται, οὐκ εὐδοκεῖ ἡ ψυχή μου ἐν αὐτῷ.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Nowδέde · thenG1161
• the justδίκαιοςdikaios · justG1342
• shall liveζάωzaō · to liveG2198
• byἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• faithπίστιςpistis · faithG4102
• butκαίkai · andG2532
• ifἐάνean · ifG1437
• draw backὑποστέλλωhupostellō · to withdrawG5288
• myἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• soulὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• soulψυχήpsuchē · soul: myselfG5590
• shall haveεὐδοκέωeudokeō · to delightG2106
• noοὐou · noG3756
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846

Cross-references for Hebrews 10:38

• Habakkuk 2:4“Look at the proud one, His soul is not right within him, But the righteous will live by his faith [in the true God].
• Romans 1:17For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed, both springing from faith and leading to faith [disclosed in a way that awakens more faith]. As it is written and forever remains written, “The just and upright shall live by faith.”
• Galatians 3:11Now it is clear that no one is justified [that is, declared free of the guilt of sin and its penalty, and placed in right standing] before God by the Law, for “The righteous (the just, the upright) shall live by faith.”
• Hebrews 10:26For if we go on willfully and deliberately sinning after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice [to atone] for our sins [that is, no further offering to anticipate],
• Hebrews 6:4For [it is impossible to restore to repentance] those who have once been enlightened [spiritually] and who have tasted and consciously experienced the heavenly gift and have shared in the Holy Spirit,
• Psalms 85:8I will hear [with expectant hope] what God the Lord will say, For He will speak peace to His people, to His godly ones— But let them not turn again to folly.
• Ezekiel 3:20Again, when a righteous man turns from his righteousness (right standing with God) and sins, and I place an obstacle before him, he will die; since you have not warned him, he will die in his sin, and the righteous deeds which he has done will not be remembered; but you will be responsible for his blood.
• Ezekiel 18:24“But when the righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits sin and acts in accordance with all the repulsive things that the wicked man does, will he live? All of his righteous deeds which he has done will not be remembered because of the treachery that he has committed and for his sin which he has committed; for them he shall die.
• Zephaniah 1:6And those who have turned back from following the Lord, And those who have not sought the Lord [as their most important need] or inquired of Him.”
• Matthew 12:43“Now when the unclean spirit has gone out of a man, it roams through waterless (dry, arid) places in search of rest, but it does not find it.
• Matthew 13:21yet he has no [substantial] root in himself, but is only temporary, and when pressure or persecution comes because of the word, immediately he stumbles and falls away [abandoning the One who is the source of salvation].
• 2 Peter 2:19They promise them liberty, when they themselves are the slaves of depravity—for by whatever anyone is defeated and overcome, to that [person, thing, philosophy, or concept] he is continually enslaved.
• 1 John 2:19They went out from us [seeming at first to be Christians], but they were not really of us [because they were not truly born again and spiritually transformed]; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out [teaching false doctrine], so that it would be clearly shown that none of them are of us.
• Psalms 5:4For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness; No evil [person] dwells with You.
• Psalms 147:11The Lord favors those who fear and worship Him [with awe-inspired reverence and obedience], Those who wait for His mercy and lovingkindness.
• Psalms 149:4For the Lord takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the humble with salvation.

Commentaries on Hebrews 10:38

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 38Now the just shall live by faith - ̔ · But the just by faith, i.e. he who is justified by faith, shall live - shall be preserved when this overflowing scourge shall come. See this meaning of the phrase vindicated, Romans 1:17. And it is evident, both from this text, and Galatians 3:11, that it is in this sense that the apostle uses it. But if any man draw back - ̔· But if he draw back; he, the man who is justified by faith; for it is of him, and none…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 38Now the just shall live by faith - This is a part of the quotation from Habakkuk Habakkuk 2:3-4, which was probably commenced in the previous verse; see the passage fully explained in the notes on Romans 1:17. The meaning in the connection in which it stands here, in accordance with the sense in which it was used by Habakkuk, is, that the righteous should live by “continued confidence” in God. They should pass their lives not in doubt, and fear, and…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 32-39Verses 32-39 Many and various afflictions united against the early Christians, and they had a great conflict. The Christian spirit is not a selfish spirit; it puts us upon pitying others, visiting them, helping them, and pleading for them. All things here are but shadows. The happiness of the saints in heaven will last for ever; enemies can never take it away as earthly goods. This will make rich amends for all we may lose and suffer here. The greatest…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 37-38These verses quote Habakkuk 2:3–4 to show the difference between the righteous and the wicked when they face God's judgment (see also Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-39Instead of the daily ministry of the Levitical priests, Christ's service is perfected by the one sacrifice, whence He now sits on the right hand of God as a Priest-King, until all His foes shall be subdued unto Him. Thus the new covenant (He 8:8-12) is inaugurated, whereby the law is written on the heart, so that an offering for sin is needed no more. Wherefore we ought to draw near the Holiest in firm faith and love; fearful of the awful results of…Read the comment

Topics related to Hebrews 10:38

• Backsliders
• Faith
• Quotations and Allusions

In the dictionaries

• Approach
• Assembling
• Assurance
• Backslide
• Consider
• Draw
• Fearful
• Habakkuk, Prophecies of
• High priest
• Judge

Commentaries on Hebrews 10

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings