God’s Word Translation
Hebrews 10:28
28If two or three witnesses accused someone of rejecting Moses’ Teachings, that person was shown no mercy as he was executed.
Hebrews 10:28 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
- New International Version (NIV)Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
Context of Hebrews 10:28
26If we go on sinning after we have learned the truth, no sacrifice can take away our sins. 27All that is left is a terrifying wait for judgment and a raging fire that will consume God’s enemies. If two or three witnesses accused someone of rejecting Moses’ Teachings, that person was shown no mercy as he was executed. 29What do you think a person who shows no respect for the Son of God deserves? That person looks at the blood of the promise (the blood that made him holy) as no different from other people’s blood, and he insults the Spirit that God gave us out of his kindness. He deserves a much worse punishment. 30We know the God who said, “I alone have the right to take revenge. I will pay back.” God also said, “The Lord will judge his people.”
Read all of Hebrews 10Hebrews 10:28 word by word
ἀθετήσας τις νόμον Μωϋσέως χωρὶς οἰκτιρμῶν ἐπὶ δυσὶν ἢ τρισὶν μάρτυσιν ἀποθνῄσκει·Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- He thatτιςtis · oneG5100
- despisedἀθετέωatheteō · to rejectG114
- Moses’Μωϋσῆς, ΜωσῆςMōseus Mōsēs Mōusēs · MosesG3475
- lawνόμοςnomos · lawG3551
- diedἀποθνήσκωapothnēskō · to dieG599
- withoutχωρίςchōris · withoutG5565
- mercyοἰκτιρμόςoiktirmos · compassionG3628
- underἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
- twoδύοduo · twoG1417
- orἤē · orG2228
- threeτρεῖςtreis tria · ThreeG5140
- witnessesμάρτυςmartus · witnessG3144
Cross-references for Hebrews 10:28
- Hebrews 2:2After all, the message that the angels brought was reliable, and every violation and act of disobedience was properly punished.
- Numbers 15:30“But any native-born Israelite or foreigner who deliberately does something wrong insults the Lord and must be excluded from the people.
- Deuteronomy 13:6Your own brother, son, or daughter, the wife you love, or your best friend may secretly tempt you, saying, “Let’s go worship other gods.” (Those gods may be gods that you and your ancestors never knew.
- Deuteronomy 17:2In one of the cities the Lord your God is giving you, there may be a man or woman among you who is doing what the Lord considers evil. This person may be disregarding the conditions of the Lord’s promise
- 2 Samuel 12:9Why did you despise my word by doing what I considered evil? You had Uriah the Hittite killed in battle. You took his wife as your wife. You used the Ammonites to kill him.
- Deuteronomy 19:13They must have no pity on him. The guilt of murdering an innocent person must be removed from Israel. Then things will go well for Israel.
- Isaiah 27:11When the branches are dried up, they will be broken off. Women will come and build a fire with them. These people don’t understand ⌞these things⌟. That is why their maker won’t have compassion on them, and their Creator won’t have pity on them.
- Jeremiah 13:14Then I will smash them like bottles against each other. I will smash parents and children together, declares the Lord. I will have no pity, mercy, or compassion when I destroy them.’ ”
- Romans 9:15For example, God said to Moses, “I will be kind to anyone I want to. I will be merciful to anyone I want to.”
- James 2:13No mercy will be shown to those who show no mercy to others. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
- Deuteronomy 19:15One witness is never enough to convict someone of a crime, offense, or sin he may have committed. Cases must be settled based on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
- Matthew 18:16But if he does not listen, take one or two others with you so that every accusation may be verified by two or three witnesses.
- John 8:17Your own teachings say that the testimony of two people is true.
- 2 Corinthians 13:1This is the third time that I’ll be visiting you. Every accusation must be verified by two or three witnesses.
Commentaries on Hebrews 10:28
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 28He that despised Moses' law - · He that rejected it, threw it aside, and denied its Divine authority by presumptuous sinning, died without mercy - without any extenuation or mitigation of punishment; Numbers 15:30. Under two or three witnesses - That is, when convicted by the testimony of two or three respectable witnesses. See Deuteronomy 17:6.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 28He that despised Moses‘ law - That is, the apostate from the religion of Moses. It does not mean that in all cases the offender against the Law of Moses died without mercy, but only where offences were punishable with death, and probably the apostle had in his eye particularly the case of apostasy from the Jewish religion. The subject of apostasy from the Christian religion is particularly under discussion here, and it was natural to illustrate this by a…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 26-31Verses 26-31 The exhortations against apostacy and to perseverance, are urged by many strong reasons. The sin here mentioned is a total and final falling away, when men, with a full and fixed will and resolution, despise and reject Christ, the only Saviour; despise and resist the Spirit, the only Sanctifier; and despise and renounce the gospel, the only way of salvation, and the words of eternal life. Of this destruction God gives some notorious sinners…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 28-29The author compares two situations, one less severe and one more severe (see study note on Hebrews 9:14). The less severe situation is the old punishment of death for someone who refused to follow the law of Moses (see Deuteronomy 13:6–11). The more severe situation involves those who reject Christ and show him disrespect. How much more severely do you think one deserves to be punished: Eternal damnation awaits those who have rejected Christ. The blood of…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2828. Compare He 2:2, 3; 12:25. despised--"set at naught" [Alford]: utterly and heinously violated, not merely some minor detail, but the whole law and covenant; for example, by idolatry (De 17:2-7). So here apostasy answers to such an utter violation of the old covenant. died--Greek, "dies": the normal punishment of such transgression, then still in force. without mercy--literally, "mercies": removal out of the pale of mitigation, or a respite of his doom…Read the comment
Topics related to Hebrews 10:28
In the dictionaries
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
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