Hebrews 8:10 kjv

For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:

Hebrews 8:10 nkjv

For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.

Hebrews 8:10 niv

This is the covenant I will establish with the people of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.

Hebrews 8:10 esv

For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Hebrews 8:10 nlt

But this is the new covenant I will make
with the people of Israel on that day, says the LORD:
I will put my laws in their minds,
and I will write them on their hearts.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.

Hebrews 8 verses

Hebrews 8 10 Meaning

Hebrews 8:10 describes the foundational nature of the New Covenant promised by God, distinct from the Old Covenant. It highlights a profound spiritual transformation where God's divine laws are internalized, moving from external statutes to be inscribed upon the intellect (mind) and affections (heart) of believers. This internal inscription signifies a genuine, heartfelt desire and ability to obey God, facilitated by His empowering presence. The verse culminates in the intimate, mutual relationship established by this covenant: God irrevocably becomes their God, and they become His people, a relationship characterized by indwelling presence and a deeply personal bond.

Hebrews 8 10 Context

Hebrews chapter 8 presents a powerful argument for the superiority of Christ's priestly ministry and the New Covenant over the Old Mosaic Covenant. The author builds on the assertion that Christ serves as a high priest not on earth in a copy of the tabernacle, but in the true heavenly sanctuary (Heb 8:1-5). Therefore, His ministry is fundamentally "better" because it is founded on "better promises" (Heb 8:6). Verse 10 directly quotes Jeremiah 31:33, a key prophecy of this superior New Covenant. The immediate context of verses 7-9 highlights the failure of the first covenant due to the people's disobedience, thereby necessitating a new, unbreakable covenant based on God's internal transformation, rather than external performance. This sets the stage for the rest of Hebrews to elaborate on Christ as the perfect High Priest and His one-time sacrifice that truly inaugurates and sustains this better covenant.

Hebrews 8 10 Word analysis

• For this is the covenant that I will make: The phrase refers directly to the "new covenant" (καινή διαθήκη, kainē diathēkē) mentioned in Hebrews 8:8, distinguishing it from the preceding one. Diatheke (διαθήκη) means a divinely established covenant or testament, a unilateral arrangement by God, emphasizing His initiative. It is a promise, guaranteed by God's nature and oath.
• with the house of Israel: While historically referring to the Jewish people, the fulfillment of this prophecy in the New Testament broadens its scope to include all who are truly God's people by faith in Christ, both Jew and Gentile, forming the "Israel of God" (Gal 6:16). This spiritual application does not nullify future ethnic Israel's conversion (Rom 11:26).
• after those days: This eschatological phrase points to a future time when the New Covenant would be inaugurated, marking the end of the Old Covenant's administration and the ushering in of the new messianic era with Christ's first coming.
• declares the Lord: (legei Kyrios, λέγει Κύριος) Emphasizes the divine authority and unwavering certainty of this prophetic promise. It is God's decree.
• I will put my laws: (διδούς νόμους μου, didous nomous mou) Signifies God's active involvement in establishing and enabling obedience to His standards. The Greek nomoi refers to rules or divine ordinances.
• into their minds: (eis dianoian autōn, εἰς διάνοιαν αὐτῶν) The "mind" (διάνοια) signifies the seat of intellect, understanding, and intention. This indicates that God's laws will be apprehended and accepted intellectually, no longer misunderstood or merely assented to externally.
• and write them on their hearts: (kai epi kardias autōn grapsō autous, καὶ ἐπὶ καρδίας αὐτῶν γράψω αὐτούς) The "heart" (καρδία) in biblical anthropology is the center of one's being, encompassing will, emotions, and moral core. This highlights the transformation of one's desires and affections, leading to internalizing God's will and willing obedience from a changed nature. It contrasts with laws written on stone tablets (Exo 24:12), signifying a shift from external enforcement to internal inclination.
• and I will be their God: The covenant relationship begins with God identifying Himself as the exclusive and ultimate divine authority and object of worship. This signifies a personal, proprietorial, and exclusive relationship between the Almighty and His chosen.
• and they shall be my people: The reciprocal part of the covenant promise. This means the recipients of the covenant are identified and accepted by God as His own special possession, His chosen community, uniquely set apart to live for Him and represent Him. It signifies intimate fellowship and belonging.
• I will put my laws... and write them on their hearts: This phrase emphasizes the radical, inward transformation wrought by the New Covenant. It's not about new laws, but a new power to keep them, enabling willing obedience from the core of one's being, powered by the Holy Spirit. This directly challenges the reliance on external legal observance prevalent in first-century Judaism and indicates God's desire for an internal transformation that produces genuine piety.
• I will be their God, and they shall be my people: This phrase represents the fundamental relationship aspect of the covenant, the pinnacle of God's redemptive work. It signifies divine ownership, protection, presence, and intimate fellowship, directly contrasting with a distant, fear-based adherence to laws under the Old Covenant. This ideal state of belonging and divine-human communion is ultimately fulfilled in Christ and anticipated fully in eternity.

Hebrews 8 10 Bonus section

The phrase "after those days" is crucial for understanding the chronological and redemptive-historical unfolding of God's plan. It marks a decisive shift from the Old Covenant era to the New Covenant era inaugurated by Christ's life, death, resurrection, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. This New Covenant is not just a modification of the old, but a distinct and superior arrangement (Heb 8:13). The "laws" mentioned are not new commandments but God's eternal moral and spiritual principles. The innovation is how they are apprehended and obeyed—not from compulsion or external threat, but from an internal desire born of spiritual regeneration. This emphasizes grace as the basis for the covenant, providing not just pardon, but transformation and power.

Hebrews 8 10 Commentary

Hebrews 8:10, a direct quote from Jeremiah 31:33, serves as the theological backbone for the argument in Hebrews about the New Covenant's superiority. It emphasizes that this new pact is fundamentally different not in the standard of righteousness (God's laws remain), but in the method of obedience. No longer is obedience merely an external compliance to engraved rules, but an internal, heart-felt response arising from a transformed mind and will. This transformative work, foreshadowed in Ezekiel (11:19, 36:26-27), is empowered by the Holy Spirit (2 Cor 3:3-6), ensuring genuine understanding and desire to follow God. The "house of Israel" originally refers to ethnic Israel, yet in the New Covenant, it embraces all who are united to Christ by faith, Jew and Gentile alike, forming a spiritual Israel. The ultimate promise of "I will be their God, and they shall be my people" signifies the restored, intimate relationship that was lost in Eden, characterized by God's indwelling presence and a people wholly dedicated to Him. This verse directly refutes the notion that salvation or righteousness could come through external observance of the Mosaic Law, establishing that genuine relationship and obedience stem from God's gracious, inward work through Christ's New Covenant. For practical usage, this verse reminds believers that their ability to obey God comes from within, by His Spirit, and living as His people means an ongoing, deepening relationship, not just following rules.