Hebrews 10:3
What does Hebrews 10:3 mean?
A plain-English look at Hebrews 10:3 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Hebrews 10:3 means
Instead of ending the problem of sin, the annual sacrifices functioned as a public reminder that sin still stood before God and his people. The Day of Atonement and other rites kept the memory of guilt alive year after year. This remembrance was not needless; it was pedagogical, showing that the problem had not been finally solved and pointing forward to something greater. The old system thus testified to its own incompleteness. Far from quieting the conscience forever, it rehearsed the reality of sin, thereby preparing the community to long for a sacrifice that would remove sin, not merely cover it temporarily.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance made of sins year by year.
KJV
King James Version · 1611But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance made of sins year by year.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949But year by year there is a memory of sins in those offerings.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862but in those <FI>sacrifices<Fi> is a remembrance of sins every year,
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752But in them there is made a commemoration of sins every year:
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890But in these [there is] a calling to mind of sins yearly.
Context
The author has argued hypothetically that effective sacrifices would have ceased (v. 2). Verse 3 states the observable fact: the sacrifices continued and served as annual reminders of sin. This keeps the focus on the insufficiency of the old order and its preparatory function. The argument will sharpen in verse 4 with the declaration that animal blood cannot take away sins. These statements create the negative space into which the positive work of Christ (vv. 5–10) will be set as the true, effective answer to sin.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Leviticus 16:34
And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make atonement for the children of Israel because of all their sins once in the year. And he did as Jehovah commanded Moses.
- Exodus 30:10
And Aaron shall make atonement upon the horns of it once in the year; with the blood of the sin-offering of atonement once in the year shall he make atonement for it throughout your generations: it is most holy unto Jehovah.
- 1 Kings 17:18
And she said unto Elijah, What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God? thou art come unto me to bring my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son!
- Leviticus 16:21
and Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions, even all their sins; and he shall put them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a man that is in readiness into the wilderness:
- Hebrews 9:7
but into the second the high priest alone, once in the year, not without blood, which he offereth for himself, and for the errors of the people:
- Leviticus 23:27
Howbeit on the tenth day of this seventh month is the day of atonement: it shall be a holy convocation unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto Jehovah.
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