New International Version
Hebrews 10:4
4It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
Hebrews 10:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.
- English Standard Version (ESV)For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
- New King James Version (NKJV)For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.
- New Living Translation (NLT)For it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
Context of Hebrews 10:4
2Otherwise, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. 3But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins. It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. 5Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; 6with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased.
Read all of Hebrews 10Hebrews 10:4 word by word
ἀδύνατον γὰρ αἷμα ταύρων καὶ τράγων ἀφαιρεῖν ἁμαρτίας.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Hebrews 10:4
- Hebrews 10:8First he said, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them”—though they were offered in accordance with the law.
- Hebrews 9:9This is an illustration for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper.
- Psalms 50:8I bring no charges against you concerning your sacrifices or concerning your burnt offerings, which are ever before me.
- Psalms 51:16You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
- Isaiah 1:11“The multitude of your sacrifices— what are they to me?” says the Lord. “I have more than enough of burnt offerings, of rams and the fat of fattened animals; I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats.
- Isaiah 66:3But whoever sacrifices a bull is like one who kills a person, and whoever offers a lamb is like one who breaks a dog’s neck; whoever makes a grain offering is like one who presents pig’s blood, and whoever burns memorial incense is like one who worships an idol. They have chosen their own ways, and they delight in their abominations;
- Jeremiah 6:20What do I care about incense from Sheba or sweet calamus from a distant land? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable; your sacrifices do not please me.”
- Jeremiah 7:21“ ‘This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Go ahead, add your burnt offerings to your other sacrifices and eat the meat yourselves!
- Hosea 6:6For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.
- Amos 5:21“I hate, I despise your religious festivals; your assemblies are a stench to me.
- Micah 6:6With what shall I come before the Lord and bow down before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?
- Mark 12:33To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
- Hebrews 10:11Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.
- Hosea 14:2Take words with you and return to the Lord. Say to him: “Forgive all our sins and receive us graciously, that we may offer the fruit of our lips.
- John 1:29The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
- Romans 11:27And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.”
Commentaries on Hebrews 10:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4For it is not possible - Common sense must have taught them that shedding the blood of bulls and goats could never satisfy Divine justice, nor take away guilt from the conscience; and God intended that they should understand the matter so: and this the following quotation from the Psalmist sufficiently proves.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins - The reference here is to the sacrifices which were made on the great day of the atonement, for on that day the blood of bulls and of goats alone was offered; see the notes on Hebrews 9:7. Paul here means to say, doubtless, that it was not possible that the blood of these animals should make a complete expiation so as to purify the conscience, and so as to save the sinner…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4The sacrifices of bulls and goats in the old covenant provided some cleansing (Hebrews 9:13, 23), but it was limited. They could not remove sins completely. These sacrifices could not permanently cleanse or bring lasting peace with God (see Acts 10:36; Romans 5:1; 11:26–27).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. For, &c.--reason why, necessarily, there is a continually recurring "remembrance of sins" in the legal sacrifices (He 10:3). Typically, "the blood of bulls," &c., sacrificed, had power; but it was only in virtue of the power of the one real antitypical sacrifice of Christ; they had no power in themselves; they were not the instrument of perfect vicarious atonement, but an exhibition of the need of it, suggesting to the faithful Israelite the sure hope…Read the comment
Topics related to Hebrews 10:4
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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