Hebrews 10:3
in Hebrews 10Instead, those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance made of sins year by year.
KJV
But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.
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This verse in Hebrews 10
Commentary
3 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
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.
This site's exposition
a remembrance again made of sins
on Hebrews 10:3-4
Instead of removing sin the yearly sacrifices made a remembrance of it again, anamnesis, the Day of Atonement functioning each year as a fresh reminder of guilt rather than its end. Verse 4 states the reason as flatly as the letter ever states anything: it is not possible, adunaton, that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins, aphairein, lift them off and carry them away. The impossibility is structural, an animal's blood cannot answer for a moral agent's guilt, and it sets up the greater sacrifice the rest of the chapter names.
The record, by era
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
The Gospel remission, on the contrary, is so complete, that sins are "remembered no more" (Heb 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).
The words behind it
7 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἀλλ᾽ | all᾽ | But | G235 → | 635 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| αὐταῖς | autais | these | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἀνάμνησις | anamnesis | [there is] a reminder | G364 → | |
| ἁμαρτιῶν | hamartion | of sins | G266 → | 173 times |
| κατ᾽ | kat᾽ | every | G2596 → | 468 times |
| ἐνιαυτόν· | eniauton | year; | G1763 → | 14 times |
ἀλλ᾽But
all᾽G235 →635 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
αὐταῖςthese
autaisG846 →5565 times
ἀνάμνησις[there is] a reminder
anamnesisG364 →
ἁμαρτιῶνof sins
hamartionG266 →173 times
κατ᾽every
kat᾽G2596 →468 times
ἐνιαυτόν·year;
eniautonG1763 →14 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Leviticus 16:34This is to be a permanent statute for you, to make atonement once a year for the Israelites because of all their sins.” And all this was done as the LORD had commanded Moses.
it leads to
- Hebrews 9:25
Nor did He enter heaven to offer Himself again and again, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Exodus 30:10
Once a year Aaron shall make atonement on the horns of the altar. Throughout your generations he shall make atonement on it annually with the blood of the sin offering of atonement. The altar…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Hebrews 9:7
But only the high priest entered the second room, and then only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.
- Hebrews 9:25
Through
Hebrews 9:7But only the high priest entered the second room, and then only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.
it leads to
- Leviticus 16:34
This is to be a permanent statute for you, to make atonement once a year for the Israelites because of all their sins.” And all this was done as the LORD had commanded Moses.
- Leviticus 5:18
He is to bring to the priest an unblemished ram of proper value from the flock as a guilt offering. Then the priest will make atonement on his behalf for the wrong he has…
- Hebrews 10:19–20
Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus,
- Leviticus 16:34
Through
Exodus 30:10Once a year Aaron shall make atonement on the horns of the altar. Throughout your generations he shall make atonement on it annually with the blood of the sin offering of atonement. The altar…
it leads to
- Leviticus 16:18
Then he shall go out to the altar that is before the LORD and make atonement for it. He is to take some of the bull’s blood and some of the goat’s blood and…
- Hebrews 9:22–23
According to the law, in fact, nearly everything must be purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
- Leviticus 16:18
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies16
On this verse
On this chapter
- The Binding of Isaac (Genesis 22)
- The General Epistles
- The Covenants
- Eternal Security, and the Five Warnings of Hebrews
- The Messianic Psalms
- The Tabernacle
- The Ascension: Acts 1:1-11 · Luke 24:50-53
- The Blood
- The Door & the Gate
- The Just Shall Live by His Faith: Habakkuk 2:4
- The Right Hand
- The Shadow
- Types of Christ
About Hebrews

This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
