Hebrews 12 · Verse 10

Hebrews 12:10

For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.

Hebrews 12:10, King James Version

Hebrews 12:10 in other translations

BSB	Our fathers disciplined us for a short time as they thought best, but God disciplines us for our good, so that we may share in His holiness.
WEB	For they indeed for a few days disciplined us as seemed good to them, but he for our profit, that we may be partakers of his holiness.
ASV	For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed good to them; but he for our profit, that we may be partakers of his holiness.
YLT	for they, indeed, for a few days, according to what seemed good to them, were chastening, but He for profit, to be partakers of His separation;
DARBY	For they indeed chastened for a few days, as seemed good to them; but he for profit, in order to the partaking of his holiness.
BBE	For they truly gave us punishment for a short time, as it seemed good to them; but he does it for our profit, so that we may become holy as he is.
Webster	For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.

What does Hebrews 12:10 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

10. Showing wherein the chastisement of our heavenly Father is preferable to that of earthly fathers. for a few days--that is, with a view to our well-being in the few days of our earthly life: so the Greek. after their own pleasure--Greek, "according to what seemed fit to themselves." Their rule of chastening is what may seem fit to their own often erring judgment, temper, or caprice. The two defects of human education are: (1) the prevalence in it of a view to the interests of our short earthly term of days; (2) the absence in parents of the unerring wisdom of our heavenly Father. "They err much at one time in severity, at another in indulgence [1Sa 3:13; Ep 6:4], and do not so much chasten as THINK they chasten" [Bengel]. that we might be partakers of his holiness--becoming holy as He is holy (Joh 15:2). To become holy like God is tantamount to being educated for passing eternity with God (He 12:14; 2Pe 1:4). So this "partaking of God's holiness" stands in contrast to the "few days" of this life, with a view to which earthly fathers generally educate their sons.

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

Barnes' Notes

Verse 10. For they verily for a few days. That is, with reference to a few days, (προς;) or it was a chastisement that had reference mainly to this short life. The apostle seems to bring in this circumstance to contrast the dealings of earthly parents with those of God. One of the circumstances is, that the corrections of earthly parents had a muck less important object than those of God. They related to this life--a life so brief that it may be said to continue but a "few days." Yet, in order to secure the benefit to be derived for so short a period from fatherly correction, we submitted without murmuring. Much more cheerfully ought we to submit to that discipline from the hand of our heavenly Father which is designed to extend its benefits through eternity. This seems to me to afford a better sense than that adopted by Professor Stuart and others, that it means, "during our childhood or minority;" or than that proposed by Doddridge, that it refers both to our earthly parents and to our heavenly Father.

After their own pleasure. Marg. "as seemed good, or meet, to them." Meaning that it was sometimes done arbitrarily, or from caprice, or under the influence of passion. This is an additional reason why we should submit to God, We submitted to our earthly parents, though their correction was sometimes passionate, and was designed to gratify their own pleasure, rather than to promote our good. There is much of this kind of punishment in families; but there is none of it under the administration of God.

But he for our profit. Never from passion, from caprice, from the love of power or superiority, but always for our good. The exact benefit which he designs to produce we may not be able always to understand; but we may be assured that no other cause influences him than a desire to promote our real welfare; and as he can never be mistaken in regard to the proper means to secure that, we may be assured that our trials are always adapted to that end.

That we might be partakers of his holiness. Become so holy that it may be said that we are partakers of the very holiness of God. Comp. 2Pet 1:4. This is the elevated object at which God aims by our trials. It is not that he delights to produce pain; not that he envies us, and would rob us of our little comforts; not that he needs what We prize to increase his own enjoyment, and therefore rudely takes it away; and not that he acts from caprice--now conferring a blessing, and then withdrawing it without any reason: it is, that he may make us more pure and holy, and thus promote our own best interest. To be holy as God is holy; to be so holy that it may be said that we "are partakers of his holiness," is a richer blessing than health, and property, and friends, without it; and when by the exchange of the one we acquire the other, we have secured infinitely more than we have lost. To obtain the greater good, we should be willing to part with the less; to secure the everlasting friendship and favour of God, we should be willing, if necessary, to surrender the last farthing of our property; the last friend that is left us; the last feeble and fluttering pulsation of life in our veins.

(1) "after their own pleasure" "as seemed good or meet to them"

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 10 For - a few days - The chastisement of our earthly parents lasted only a short time; that of our heavenly Father will also be but a short time, if we submit: and as our parents ceased to correct when we learned obedience; so will our heavenly Father when the end for which he sent the chastisement is accomplished. God delights not in the rod; judgment is his strange work.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Hebrews 12:1-11

Chapter Outline An exhortation to be constant and persevere, The example of Christ is set forth, and the gracious design of God in all the sufferings believers endured. (1-11) Peace and holiness are recommended, with cautions against despising spiritual blessings. (12-17) The New Testament dispensation shown to be much more excellent than the Old. (18-29) Verses 1-11 The persevering obedience of faith in Christ, was…

Read the full comment on Hebrews 12:1-11 →

Hebrews 12:10 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.

οἱhoi<the>G3588

μὲνmenIndeedG3303

γὰρgarforG1063

πρὸςprosduringG4314

ὀλίγαςoligasa fewG3641

ἡμέραςhēmerasdaysG2250

κατὰkataaccording toG2596

τὸtowhichG3588

δοκοῦνdokounis seeming goodG1380

αὐτοῖςautoisto themG846

ἐπαίδευον,epaideuonthey were disciplining [us],G3811

ὁho[He]G3588

δὲdehoweverG1161

ἐπὶepiforG1909

τὸtowhichG3588

συμφέρονsumpheronis [our] benefittingG4851

εἰςeisin orderG1519

τὸto<the>G3588

μεταλαβεῖνmetalabeinto shareG3335

τῆςtēsof theG3588

ἁγιότητοςhagiotētosholinessG41

αὐτοῦ.autouof Him.G846

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

Cross references for Hebrews 12:10

2 Peter 1:4
Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
Leviticus 11:44-45
For I am the Lord your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. For I am the Lord that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.
Titus 2:14
Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
Ephesians 5:26-27
That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
Ezekiel 36:25-27
Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
Leviticus 19:2
Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the Lord your God am holy.
Ephesians 4:24
And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Colossians 1:22
In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
Psalms 17:15
As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.
1 Peter 2:9
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
1 Peter 1:15-16
But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
1 Peter 2:5
Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

after their own pleasure. or, as seemed good, or meet, tothem. but he.
5,6
partakers.
Le 11:44,45; 19:2; Ps 17:15; Eze 36:25-27; Eph 4:24; 5:26,27
Col 1:22; Tit 2:14; 1Pe 1:15,16; 2:5,9; 2Pe 1:4

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

Context

Hebrews 12:9
Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
Hebrews 12:10
For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
Hebrews 12:11
Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

Read all of Hebrews 12

Hebrews 12:10 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Y aquéllos, á la verdad, por pocos días nos castigaban como á ellos les parecía, mas éste para lo que nos es provechoso, para que recibamos su santificación.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Car ceux-là disciplinaient pendant peu de jours, selon qu’ils le trouvaient bon; mais celui-ci nous discipline pour notre profit, afin que nous participions à sa sainteté.
German Elberfelder 1871	Denn jene freilich züchtigten uns für wenige Tage nach ihrem Gutdünken, er aber zum Nutzen, damit wir seiner Heiligkeit teilhaftig werden.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Et illi quidem in tempore paucorum dierum, secundum voluntatem suam erudiebant nos: hic autem ad id quod utile est in recipiendo sanctificationem ejus.