Hebrews 10 · Verse 3

Hebrews 10:3

But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.
Hebrews 10:3, King James Version

Hebrews 10:3 in other translations

BSBInstead, those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins,
WEBBut in those sacrifices there is a yearly reminder of sins.
ASVBut in those sacrifices there is a remembrance made of sins year by year.
YLTbut in those sacrifices is a remembrance of sins every year,
DARBYBut in these there is a calling to mind of sins yearly.
BBEBut year by year there is a memory of sins in those offerings.
WebsterBut in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.

What does Hebrews 10:3 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
3. But--so far from those sacrifices ceasing to be offered (He 10:2). in, &c.--in the fact of their being offered, and in the course of their being offered on the day of atonement. Contrast He 10:17. a remembrance--a recalling to mind by the high priest's confession, on the day of atonement, of the sins both of each past year and of all former years, proving that the expiatory sacrifices of former years were not felt by men's consciences to have fully atoned for former sins; in fact, the expiation and remission were only legal and typical (He 10:4, 11). The Gospel remission, on the contrary, is so complete, that sins are "remembered no more" (He 10:17) by God. It is unbelief to "forget" this once-for-all purgation, and to fear on account of "former sins" (2Pe 1:9). The believer, once for all bathed, needs only to "wash" his hands and "feet" of soils, according as he daily contracts them, in Christ's blood (Joh 13:10).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 3. But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. The reference here is to the sacrifices made on the great day of atonement. This occurred once in a year. Of course, as often as a sacrifice was offered, it was an acknowledgment of guilt on the part of those for whom it was made. As these sacrifices continued to be offered every year, they who made the offering were reminded of their guilt and their desert of punishment. All the efficacy which could be pretended to belong to those sacrifices, was that they made expiation for the past year. Their efficacy did not extend into the future, nor did it embrace any but those who were engaged in offering them. These sacrifices, therefore, could not make the atonement which man needed. They could not make the conscience easy; they could not be regarded as a sufficient expiation for the time to come, so that the sinner at any time could plead an offering which was already made as a ground of pardon, and they could not meet the wants of all men in all lands and at all times. These things are to be found only in that great sacrifice made by the Redeemer on the cross.

(a) "year" Lev 16:34

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Hebrews 10:1-10

Chapter Outline The insufficiency of sacrifices for taking away sin, The necessity and power of the sacrifice of Christ for that purpose. (1-18) An argument for holy boldness in the believer's access to God through Jesus Christ, And for steadfastness in faith, and mutual love and duty. (19-25) The danger of apostacy. (26-31) The sufferings of believers, and encouragement to maintain their holy profession. (32-39)…

Read the full comment on Hebrews 10:1-10 →

Hebrews 10:3 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ἀλλ᾽all᾽ButG235
ἐνeninG1722
αὐταῖςautaistheseG846
ἀνάμνησιςanamnēsis[there is] a reminderG364
ἁμαρτιῶνhamartiōnof sinsG266
κατ᾽kat᾽everyG2596
ἐνιαυτόν·eniautonyear;G1763

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Hebrews 10:3

  • Hebrews 9:7

    But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people:

  • Exodus 30:10

    And Aaron shall make an atonement upon the horns of it once in a year with the blood of the sin offering of atonements: once in the year shall he make atonement upon it throughout your generations: it is most holy unto the Lord.

  • Leviticus 23:27-28

    Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord. And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before the Lord your God.

  • Leviticus 16:34

    And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a year. And he did as the Lord commanded Moses.

  • Leviticus 16:6-11

    And Aaron shall offer his bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and make an atonement for himself, and for his house. And he shall take the two goats, and present them before the Lord at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the Lord, and the other lot for the scapegoat. And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the Lord’s lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering. …

  • Leviticus 16:29-30

    And this shall be a statute for ever unto you: that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you: For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the Lord.

  • 1 Kings 17:18

    And she said unto Elijah, What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God? art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son?

  • Leviticus 16:21-22

    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 in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness: And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness.

  • Numbers 29:7-11

    And ye shall have on the tenth day of this seventh month an holy convocation; and ye shall afflict your souls: ye shall not do any work therein: But ye shall offer a burnt offering unto the Lord for a sweet savour; one young bullock, one ram, and seven lambs of the first year; they shall be unto you without blemish: And their meat offering shall be of flour mingled with oil, three tenth deals to a bullock, and two tenth deals to one ram, A several tenth deal for one lamb, throughout the seven lambs: …

  • Matthew 26:28

    For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
a remembrance.
9:7; Ex 30:10; Le 16:6-11,21,22,29,30,34; 23:27,28; Nu 29:7-11
1Ki 17:18; Mt 26:28

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Hebrews 10:2

    For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.

  • Hebrews 10:3

    But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.

  • Hebrews 10:4

    For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.

Read all of Hebrews 10

Hebrews 10:3 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Empero en estos sacrificios cada año se hace conmemoración de los pecados.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Mais il y a dans ces sacrifices, chaque année, un acte remémoratif de péchés.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Aber in jenen Opfern ist alljährlich ein Erinnern an die Sünden;
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		sed in ipsis commemoratio peccatorum per singulos annos fit.