Hebrews 8:12
What does Hebrews 8:12 mean?
A plain-English look at Hebrews 8:12 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Hebrews 8:12 means
The foundation of the new covenant is God’s mercy: “I will be merciful to their iniquities, and their sins will I remember no more.” God’s promise is not partial leniency but a decisive, covenantal amnesia regarding sin. He chooses not to bring our offenses to account. This clears the way for the inward transformation and universal knowledge already promised. Without forgiveness, there can be no enduring fellowship. Through Christ’s priestly ministry and sacrifice, this mercy is secured. The verse assures the conscience: where God has covenanted to forget, His people may rest, worship, and walk in newness of life before Him.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000For I will be merciful to their iniquities, And their sins will I remember no more.
KJV
King James Version · 1611For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901For I will be merciful to their iniquities, And their sins will I remember no more.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And I will have mercy on their evil-doing, and I will not keep their sins in mind.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862because I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawlessnesses I will remember no more;' --
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Because I will be merciful to their iniquities: and their sins I will remember no more.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890Because I will be merciful to their unrighteousnesses, and their sins and their lawlessnesses I will never remember any more.
Context
Jeremiah’s quotation culminates in the pledge of full forgiveness. This is the capstone of the new covenant’s blessings and the reason they endure. With this scriptural basis laid, the author will draw his conclusion in verse 13: if God announces a new covenant, the first is thereby made old, and what is aging is near vanishing. The argument thus proceeds from promise to inference, showing why believers should not cling to the old system when God has provided complete mercy and transformation through Christ’s superior priesthood.
v.11And 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.
v.12This passage
v.13In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. But that which is becoming old and waxeth aged is nigh unto vanishing away.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- 1 John 2:1
My little children, these things write I unto you that ye may not sin. And if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
- Micah 7:19
He will again have compassion upon us; he will tread our iniquities under foot; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.
- Ephesians 1:7
in whom we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,
- Psalms 25:7
Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: According to thy lovingkindness remember thou me, For thy goodness’ sake, O Jehovah.
- Revelation 1:5
and from Jesus Christ, who isthe faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loveth us, and loosed us from our sins by his blood;
- Isaiah 44:22
I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.
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