New International Version
Hebrews 10:38
38And, “But my righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back.”
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.
- 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.”
- New Living Translation (NLT)And my righteous ones will live by faith. But I will take no pleasure in anyone who turns away.”
Context of Hebrews 10:38
36You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. 37For, “In just a little while, he who is coming will come and will not delay.” And, “But my righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back.” 39But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.
Read all of Hebrews 10Hebrews 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“See, the enemy is puffed up; his desires are not upright— but the righteous person will live by his faithfulness—
- Romans 1:17For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”
- Galatians 3:11Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because “the righteous will live by faith.”
- Hebrews 10:26If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left,
- Hebrews 6:4It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit,
- Psalms 85:8I will listen to what God the Lord says; he promises peace to his people, his faithful servants— but let them not turn to folly.
- Ezekiel 3:20“Again, when a righteous person turns from their righteousness and does evil, and I put a stumbling block before them, they will die. Since you did not warn them, they will die for their sin. The righteous things that person did will not be remembered, and I will hold you accountable for their blood.
- Ezekiel 18:24“But if a righteous person turns from their righteousness and commits sin and does the same detestable things the wicked person does, will they live? None of the righteous things that person has done will be remembered. Because of the unfaithfulness they are guilty of and because of the sins they have committed, they will die.
- Zephaniah 1:6those who turn back from following the Lord and neither seek the Lord nor inquire of him.”
- Matthew 12:43“When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it.
- Matthew 13:21But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.
- 2 Peter 2:19They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity—for “people are slaves to whatever has mastered them.”
- 1 John 2:19They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.
- Psalms 5:4For you are not a God who is pleased with wickedness; with you, evil people are not welcome.
- Psalms 147:11the Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.
- Psalms 149:4For the Lord takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with victory.
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
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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