Hebrews 10:1

Hebrews 10:1 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.
• New International Version (NIV)The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near.
• New King James Version (NKJV)For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect.

Context of Hebrews 10:1

The old system under the law of Moses was only a shadow, a dim preview of the good things to come, not the good things themselves. The sacrifices under that system were repeated again and again, year after year, but they were never able to provide perfect cleansing for those who came to worship. 2If they could have provided perfect cleansing, the sacrifices would have stopped, for the worshipers would have been purified once for all time, and their feelings of guilt would have disappeared. 3But instead, those sacrifices actually reminded them of their sins year after year.

Hebrews 10:1 word by word

Σκιὰν γὰρ ἔχων ὁ νόμος τῶν μελλόντων ἀγαθῶν, οὐκ αὐτὴν τὴν εἰκόνα τῶν πραγμάτων, κατ᾽ ἐνιαυτὸν ταῖς αὐταῖς θυσίαις ἃς προσφέρουσιν εἰς τὸ διηνεκὲς οὐδέποτε δύναται τοὺς προσερχομένους τελειῶσαι·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• the lawὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the lawνόμοςnomos · lawG3551
• havingἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
• a shadowσκιάskia · shadowG4639
• of good thingsἀγαθόςagathos · goodG18
• to comeμέλλωmellō · to ensueG3195
• notοὐou · noG3756
• theεἰκώνeikōn · imageG1504
• veryαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• of the thingsπρᾶγμαpragma · thingG4229
• canδύναμαιdunamai · be ableG1410
• neverοὐδέποτεoudepote · neverG3763
• withθυσίαthusia · sacrificeG2378
• whichὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• they offeredπροσφέρωprospherō · to bring toG4374
• yearἐνιαυτόςeniautos · yearG1763
• byκατάkata · according toG2596
• continuallyεἰςeis · towardG1519
• continuallyδιηνεκήςdiēnekes · perpetualG1336
• makeτελειόωteleioō · to perfectG5048
• the comersπροσέρχομαιproserchomai · to come near/agreeG4334

Cross-references for Hebrews 10:1

• Hebrews 8:5They serve in a system of worship that is only a copy, a shadow of the real one in heaven. For when Moses was getting ready to build the Tabernacle, God gave him this warning: “Be sure that you make everything according to the pattern I have shown you here on the mountain.”
• Hebrews 9:9This is an illustration pointing to the present time. For the gifts and sacrifices that the priests offer are not able to cleanse the consciences of the people who bring them.
• Colossians 2:17For these rules are only shadows of the reality yet to come. And Christ himself is that reality.
• Hebrews 10:3But instead, those sacrifices actually reminded them of their sins year after year.
• Hebrews 7:18Yes, the old requirement about the priesthood was set aside because it was weak and useless.
• Hebrews 9:8By these regulations the Holy Spirit revealed that the entrance to the Most Holy Place was not freely open as long as the Tabernacle and the system it represented were still in use.
• Hebrews 10:14For by that one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy.

Commentaries on Hebrews 10:1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1The law, having a shadow of good things to come - A shadow, , signifies, Literally, the shade cast from a body of any kind, interposed between the place on which the shadow is projected, and the sun or light; the rays of the light not shining on that place, because intercepted by the opacity of the body, through which they cannot pass. It signifies, technically, a sketch, rude plan, or imperfect draught of a building, landscape, man, beast, etc. It…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1For the law having a shadow - That is, the whole of the Mosaic economy was a shadow; for so the word “Law” is often used. The word “shadow” here refers to a rough outline of anything, a mere sketch, such as a carpenter draws with a piece of chalk, or such as an artist delineates when he is about to make a picture. He sketches an outline of the object which he designs to draw, which has “some” resemblance to it, but is not the “very image;” for it is not…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1Chapter Outline The insufficiency of sacrifices for taking away sin, The necessity and power of the sacrifice of Christ for that purpose. (1-18) An argument for holy boldness in the believer's access to God through Jesus Christ, And for steadfastness in faith, and mutual love and duty. (19-25) The danger of apostacy. (26-31) The sufferings of believers, and encouragement to maintain their holy profession. (32-39) Verses 1-10 The apostle having shown that…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1The old system under the law of Moses (literally the law), like the tabernacle itself (Hebrews 8:5), was just a shadow, a dim preview of a greater reality—the good things that Christ started in the new covenant. Under the old covenant, sacrifices had to be repeated many times because they could not permanently cleanse worshipers or allow them to be in God's presence forever.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-1818. where remission of these is--as there is under the Gospel covenant (He 10:17). "Here ends the finale (He 10:1-18) of the great tripartite arrangement (He 7:1-25; 7:26-9:12; 9:13-10:18) of the middle portion of the Epistle. Its great theme was Christ a High Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. What it is to be a high priest after the order of Melchisedec is set forth, He 7:1-25, as contrasted with the Aaronic order. That Christ, however, as…Read the comment

Topics related to Hebrews 10:1

• Atonement
• Law
• Offerings
• Types

In the dictionaries

• Approach
• Assembling
• Assurance
• Consider
• Draw
• Fearful
• High priest
• Judge
• Law
• Provoke

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