Hebrews 8:11
What does Hebrews 8:11 mean?
A plain-English look at Hebrews 8:11 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Hebrews 8:11 means
Under the new covenant, knowing God will not be a privilege reserved for a few specialists. “All shall know me, from the least to the greatest.” This does not deny the place of teaching within the community, but it declares that access to God is direct and universal among His people. The command “Know the Lord” will no longer be needed as an external summons, because the covenant itself provides the knowledge it requires. The democratization of divine knowledge signals intimate fellowship between God and every member of His people, a fruit of the inward work promised in the preceding verse.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000And they shall not teach every man his fellow-citizen, And every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: For all shall know me, From the least to the greatest of them.
KJV
King James Version · 1611And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901And they shall not teach every man his fellow-citizen, And every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: For all shall know me, From the least to the greatest of them.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And there will be no need for every man to be teaching his brother, or his neighbour, saying, This is the knowledge of the Lord: for they will all have knowledge of me, great and small.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862and they shall not teach each his neighbour, and each his brother, saying, Know thou the Lord, because they shall all know Me from the small one of them unto the great one of them,
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And they shall not teach every man his neighbour and every man his brother, saying: Know the Lord. For all shall know me, from the least to the greatest of them.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890And they shall not teach each his fellow-citizen, and each his brother, saying, Know the Lord; because all shall know me in themselves, from [the] little one [among them] unto [the] great among them.
Context
The prophecy moves from inward law to shared relationship: all participants in the covenant will know the Lord personally. This prepares for verse 12, which supplies the essential ground—God’s mercy and complete forgiveness. Together, verses 10–12 sketch the new covenant’s blessings: transformation, belonging, knowledge, and pardon. The author will then, in verse 13, draw the logical conclusion that calling this covenant “new” renders the previous one old and ready to disappear. The flow helps readers see that the old covenant’s limitations are overcome by God’s generous, comprehensive renewal.
v.10For 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 on their heart also will I write them: And I will be to them a God, And they shall be to me a people:
v.11This passage
v.12For I will be merciful to their iniquities, And their sins will I remember no more.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Acts 8:10
to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is that power of God which is called Great.
- Jeremiah 24:7
And I will give them a heart to know me, that I am Jehovah: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God; for they shall return unto me with their whole heart.
- John 6:45
It is written in the prophets, And they shall all be taught of God. Every one that hath heard from the Father, and hath learned, cometh unto me.
- Habakkuk 2:14
For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of Jehovah, as the waters cover the sea.
- 2 Chronicles 30:22
And Hezekiah spake comfortably unto all the Levites that had good understanding in the service of Jehovah. So they did eat throughout the feast for the seven days, offering sacrifices of peace-offerings, and making confession to Jehovah, the God of their fathers.
- Jeremiah 31:34
And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know Jehovah; for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith Jehovah: for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin will I remember no more.
Related questions readers ask
Keep reading
Want to dig deeper? Explore Hebrews 8
Hand-picked devotionals, topical studies, and pastoral answers that draw on Hebrews 8.
Topics that quote it
Topic
Bible Verses About Covenant
God’s covenant is a sacred agreement between Him and His people, demonstrating His unchanging faithfulness and redemptive plan for humanity.
Topic
Bible Verses About Adoption as Sons
God’s plan for us includes adoption into his family, bringing us from spiritual orphanhood to beloved children.
Topic
Bible Verses About Adultery
Adultery, a grave sin against God and marriage, represents a betrayal of trust and a violation of sacred vows.
What the Bible says about…
Verses for this moment
Verses for
Bible Verses for When You Feel Spiritually Numb
When God feels distant and you feel nothing — verses for the dry season.
Verses for
Bible Verses for When You Feel Alone
When no one seems to see you — verses for the One who does.
Verses for
Bible Verses for When You're Worried About Money
When the bills outpace the paycheck — verses for a steadier kind of provision.