New Living Translation
Hebrews 10:28
28For anyone who refused to obey the law of Moses was put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
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
26Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice that will cover these sins. 27There is only the terrible expectation of God’s judgment and the raging fire that will consume his enemies. For anyone who refused to obey the law of Moses was put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29Just think how much worse the punishment will be for those who have trampled on the Son of God, and have treated the blood of the covenant, which made us holy, as if it were common and unholy, and have insulted and disdained the Holy Spirit who brings God’s mercy to us. 30For we know the one who said, “I will take revenge. I will pay them back.” He also said, “The Lord will judge his own 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 2:2For the message God delivered through angels has always stood firm, and every violation of the law and every act of disobedience was punished.
- Numbers 15:30“But those who brazenly violate the Lord’s will, whether native-born Israelites or foreigners, have blasphemed the Lord, and they must be cut off from the community.
- Deuteronomy 13:6“Suppose someone secretly entices you—even your brother, your son or daughter, your beloved wife, or your closest friend—and says, ‘Let us go worship other gods’—gods that neither you nor your ancestors have known.
- Deuteronomy 17:2“When you begin living in the towns the Lord your God is giving you, a man or woman among you might do evil in the sight of the Lord your God and violate the covenant.
- 2 Samuel 12:9Why, then, have you despised the word of the Lord and done this horrible deed? For you have murdered Uriah the Hittite with the sword of the Ammonites and stolen his wife.
- Deuteronomy 19:13Do not feel sorry for that murderer! Purge from Israel the guilt of murdering innocent people; then all will go well with you.
- Isaiah 27:11The people are like the dead branches of a tree, broken off and used for kindling beneath the cooking pots. Israel is a foolish and stupid nation, for its people have turned away from God. Therefore, the one who made them will show them no pity or mercy.
- Jeremiah 13:14I will smash them against each other, even parents against children, says the Lord. I will not let my pity or mercy or compassion keep me from destroying them.’”
- Romans 9:15For God said to Moses, “I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose.”
- James 2:13There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you.
- Deuteronomy 19:15“You must not convict anyone of a crime on the testimony of only one witness. The facts of the case must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.
- Matthew 18:16But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses.
- John 8:17Your own law says that if two people agree about something, their witness is accepted as fact.
- 2 Corinthians 13:1This is the third time I am coming to visit you (and as the Scriptures say, “The facts of every case must be established by the testimony of 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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