New King James Version
Hebrews 10:38
38Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.”
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 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
36For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise: 37“For yet a little while, And He who is coming will come and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.” 39But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.
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“Behold the proud, His soul is not upright in him; But the just shall live by his faith.
- Romans 1:17For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”
- Galatians 3:11But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for “the just shall live by faith.”
- Hebrews 10:26For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,
- Hebrews 6:4For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit,
- Psalms 85:8I will hear what God the Lord will speak, For He will speak peace To His people and to His saints; But let them not turn back to folly.
- Ezekiel 3:20“Again, when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die; because you did not give him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand.
- Ezekiel 18:24“But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, shall he live? All the righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; because of the unfaithfulness of which he is guilty and the sin which he has committed, because of them he shall die.
- Zephaniah 1:6Those who have turned back from following the Lord, And have not sought the Lord, nor inquired of Him.”
- Matthew 12:43“When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none.
- Matthew 13:21yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.
- 2 Peter 2:19While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage.
- 1 John 2:19They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.
- Psalms 5:4For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness, Nor shall evil dwell with You.
- Psalms 147:11The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him, In those who hope in His mercy.
- 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
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries