Hebrews 10 26

Hebrews 10:26 kjv

For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,

Hebrews 10:26 nkjv

For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,

Hebrews 10:26 niv

If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left,

Hebrews 10:26 esv

For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,

Hebrews 10:26 nlt

Dear 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.

Hebrews 10 verses

Hebrews 10 26 Meaning

Hebrews 10:26 presents a solemn warning to those who, having fully experienced and intellectually apprehended the truth of the Gospel concerning Christ's perfect and final sacrifice for sins, then deliberately and continually turn away from it. For such a willful rejection of the singular and ultimate provision for atonement, no alternative means of reconciliation with God remains available, because they have rejected the only true sacrifice. This does not refer to every sin committed by a believer but to a specific, defiant, and final repudiation of Christ's saving work, often characterized as apostasy.

Hebrews 10 26 Context

Hebrews 10:26 is part of the climactic warning section (10:19-39) within the epistle's larger theological argument (chapters 7-10) about the superiority and finality of Christ's sacrifice. Having meticulously explained how Christ's "once for all" offering rendered the Old Covenant's repeated animal sacrifices obsolete (10:1-18), the author urges believers to hold fast to their confession without wavering (10:23). This verse, immediately following encouragement for continued faithfulness and assembly (10:24-25), presents the grave consequences for those who would deliberately reject the truth they have received. The historical context likely involves believers tempted to abandon Christianity due to persecution, weariness, or the allure of returning to what they perceived as the safety and tradition of Judaism, which relied on ritualistic animal sacrifices. The warning serves as a severe deterrent against apostasy by highlighting the unique, irreplaceable, and complete nature of Christ's redemptive work.

Hebrews 10 26 Word analysis

• For if we sin willfully:

  • if: Introduces a hypothetical yet very real condition. The warning is presented to avert the action.
  • we: Refers to those within the community, professing believers.
  • sin willfully (Greek: hekousiōs hamartanō - ἑκουσίως ἁμαρτάνω): Hekousiōs means voluntarily, intentionally, deliberately. This is not sin committed out of weakness, ignorance, or passion, but a conscious and purposed act of defiance. Hamartanō means to miss the mark, to sin. Combined, it denotes a determined, resolute departure from truth, often understood as a defiant rejection of Christ. It implies not a stumble or a temporary fall, but a persistent and settled course of action. This contrasts with sins of ignorance or inadvertence which had Levitical provisions for atonement.

• after that we have received the knowledge of the truth:

  • received (Greek: labontōn - λαβόντων): Implies active reception and apprehension, not passive observation. It speaks of taking hold of, appropriating, and internalizing.
  • knowledge (Greek: epignōsin - ἐπίγνωσιν): This is a strong word, signifying not mere intellectual awareness, but a full, deep, accurate, and experiential knowledge. It implies an intimate acquaintance and spiritual enlightenment, likely encompassing conversion and experiencing the Spirit, as seen in parallel with Heb 6:4-5's description of those "enlightened," "tasted of the heavenly gift," "partakers of the Holy Ghost."
  • of the truth (Greek: tēs alētheias - τῆς ἀληθείας): Specifically, the truth about God's salvific work through Jesus Christ, the Gospel, which centers on Christ's atoning sacrifice and His unique identity as the Son of God. It is the definitive revelation concerning salvation, distinct from partial or erroneous beliefs.

• there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,:

  • there remaineth no more (Greek: ouketi apoleipetai - οὐκέτι ἀπολείπεται): Means "no longer remains," "there is nothing left." The supply of alternative sacrifices is entirely exhausted or non-existent. It’s a declaration of finality.
  • sacrifice for sins (Greek: peri hamartiōn thusia - περὶ ἁμαρτιῶν θυσία): Refers to a substitutionary atonement offered for the removal of sins. The author’s entire preceding argument has been that Christ’s single sacrifice made all other sacrifices obsolete and uniquely efficacious. If that perfect sacrifice is wilfully rejected, then there is no other recourse, no backup plan, no different atoning offering available for one’s sins.

• Grouped Analysis:

  • "sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth": This phrase precisely defines the nature of the grave transgression being addressed. It is not an unconscious failing or a lapse by someone lacking spiritual light. It's an active, deliberate rebellion or renunciation by one who has profoundly understood and experienced God's ultimate truth in Christ. The weight of culpability rests on the knowing rejection.
  • "there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins": This is the inescapable consequence. Given that Christ's sacrifice is portrayed as the single, complete, and perfect solution to the problem of sin (Heb 10:10-14), if one deliberately spurns this only remedy after grasping its reality and power, then by definition, no other atonement is possible. This does not mean that the forgiveness of everyday, repentable sins committed by a Christian is impossible; rather, it refers to a state where one has intentionally shut themselves off from the source of all forgiveness.

Hebrews 10 26 Bonus section

The unique severity of the sin in Hebrews 10:26 lies in its character as an affront to Christ’s completed work, effectively "trampling the Son of God underfoot" and "insulting the Spirit of grace" (Heb 10:29). This is distinct from, though thematically linked to, the "blasphemy against the Holy Spirit" (Mt 12:31-32) in that it specifies the rejection of Christ’s sacrifice, rather than His present work through the Spirit. The warning also implies that merely returning to Old Covenant sacrifices (like the Jews who were contemplating this return in the original audience) was seen as a rejection of Christ's superior and ultimate sacrifice, thus falling under the scope of this willful sin. The emphasis is on the finality and self-exclusion that comes from willingly and definitively abandoning the only true remedy for sin.

Hebrews 10 26 Commentary

Hebrews 10:26 delivers a severe warning against a specific and perilous act: the deliberate, defiant rejection of Christ and His atoning work after having fully grasped and experienced the truth of the Gospel. This "willful sin" is not the common stumble or failure a believer may experience; those are covered by Christ’s continuous advocacy for the penitent (1 Jn 1:9). Rather, it points to apostasy – a conscious, unrepentant repudiation of one's faith in Christ, often driven by the desire to revert to former systems or completely abandon the faith.

The severity of the consequence—"no more sacrifice for sins"—stems directly from the preceding theological exposition that Christ’s single sacrifice is eternally complete and perfectly effective, superseding all former Old Covenant offerings (Heb 10:10-14). If Christ is the only means of atonement, then rejecting Him after recognizing His truth leaves an individual without any other pathway to forgiveness and reconciliation with God. This warning reinforces the profound value and irreplaceability of Christ's finished work on the cross. It calls believers to serious self-examination, perseverance, and unwavering faithfulness, understanding the finality of their commitment to Christ.

Practical application: This verse encourages believers to press on in their faith, cherishing the sacrifice of Christ as their ultimate hope. It underscores the danger of complacency or dalliance with worldly temptations that could lead one away from the simplicity of Christ. It should motivate deep gratitude for God's provision and earnestness in warning others against spiritual compromise, while simultaneously not generating fear in those who sincerely confess and repent of their daily sins. It guards against treating the Gospel as merely one option among many.