Hebrews 10:38
in Hebrews 10But My righteous one will live by faith; and if he shrinks back, I will take no pleasure in him.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But my righteous one shall live by faith: And if he shrink back, my soul hath no pleasure in him.
KJV
Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
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This verse in Hebrews 10
Commentary
23 notes on this verseAnd here it is clearly foretold that that one will come whom prophecy says will come. Who could this be but he who is referred to in the words, "Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord, the Lord God also has shone upon us"? With which also Zechariah agrees, when he says, "Behold a man, the Dawn is his name, and he shall rise from below." The same prophet too, noting the time, adds, "At eventide it shall be light. If he delays, wait for him."
This site's exposition
do not throw away your confidence
on Hebrews 10:35-39
The chapter gathers into one command, do not throw away your confidence, the parrhesia of verse 19. Habakkuk 2:3 to 4 is quoted, My righteous one will live by faith. The chapter ends on assurance, counting the readers of those who have faith and preserve their souls.
This site's exposition
My righteous one will live by faith
Jamieson, Fausset and Brown note that the oldest manuscripts join the pronoun to the righteous one, with God as the speaker. They set the stress here on continuing in faith. Adam Clarke points to Romans 1:17 and Galatians 3:11, where Habakkuk 2:4 is cited in the same sense.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
"Faith working through love," comes not so much by fearing punishment as by loving justice. Still, as the soul does not become just except by sharing in the better one who justifies the ungodly—for what has it that it has not received?—it ought not to glory as if it had not received it, by attributing to itself what comes from God. That is why it was said to him, "Be not high-minded, but fear." And that fear is also commanded for those who live by faith and are heirs of the new covenant, being "called to freedom."
A better simile, so far, at least, as illustration of spiritual things can be borrowed from material things, is that which compares vice or folly to darkness, and virtue or wisdom to light. The way to wisdom is therefore not like that of a man rising from the water into the air, in which, in the moment of rising above the surface of the water, he suddenly breathes freely, but, like that of a man proceeding from darkness into light, on whom more light gradually shines as he advances. So long, therefore, as this is not fully accomplished, we speak of the man as of one going from the dark recesses of a vast cavern towards its entrance, who is more and more influenced by the proximity of the light as he comes nearer to the entrance of the cavern; so that whatever light he has proceeds from the light to which he is advancing, and whatever darkness still remains in him proceeds from the darkness out of which he is emerging. Therefore it is true that in the sight of God "shall no man living be justified," and yet that "the just shall live by his faith." On the one hand, "the saints are clothed with righteousness," one more, another less; on the other hand, no one lives here wholly without sin—one sins more, another less, and the best is the man who sins least.
And to what end? That I and all who read the same may reflect out of what depths we are to cry unto Thee. For what cometh nearer to Thine ears than a confessing heart and a life of faith? For who did not extol and praise my father, in that he went even beyond his means to supply his son with all the necessaries for a far journey for the sake of his studies? For many far richer citizens did not the like for their children. But yet this same father did not trouble himself how I grew towards Thee, nor how chaste I was, so long as I was skilful in speaking—however barren I was to Thy tilling, O God, who art the sole true and good Lord of my heart, which is Thy field.
Will any of us dare to say: I am righteous? For I think that this is: I am righteous, which is: I am not a sinner. If you dare to say this, John confronts you: "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." What then? Do we have nothing of righteousness? Or do we have something, but not all of it? Let us therefore seek this. For if we have something, and we do not have something; let what we have grow, and what we do not have will be fulfilled. See, men are baptized, all their sins are forgiven them, they are justified from their sins; we cannot deny this: yet there remains a struggle with the flesh, there remains a struggle with the world, there remains a struggle with the devil. But he who struggles, sometimes strikes, sometimes is struck; sometimes wins, sometimes is killed; it is considered how he leaves the stadium. For "if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." Likewise, if we say that we have nothing of righteousness, we lie against the gifts of God. For if we have nothing of righteousness, we do not have faith either; if we do not have faith, we are not Christians. But if we have faith, we already have something of righteousness. Do you want to know how much that something is? The righteous lives by faith; the righteous, I say, lives by faith; because he believes what he does not see.
This justice is the grace of the New Testament, by which the faithful are just while they live by faith until, by the perfection of justice, they are brought to the face-to-face vision, as they are also equally brought to immortality of the body itself by the perfection of salvation. Hence, in another place the apostle says, "So we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We beseech you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God." And then he adds, "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin"—that is, a sacrifice for sin, for in that law offerings made for sins were called sin—"so that in him we might become the righteousness of God," that is, in his body, which is the church, of which he is the head, that we may be the justice of God.
15 more voices on this verse
The Church Fathers5 voices
A commentator
Ephrem the SyrianCOMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS · Written before 373.
proposed
The just one lives when endurance and faith are found in that one. But if somebody is oppressed by doubts and scruples, because the rewarder did not appear, "my soul has no pleasure in him" on that day.But we are not victims of scruples, which …
But where three are, a church is, albeit they be laics. For each individual lives by his own faith, nor is there exception of persons with God; since it is not hearers of the law who are justified by the Lord, but doers, according to what the apostle withal says.
God has said this through the inspired authors, he is saying; and so even when the law was in force, the remedy of faith secured salvation.… Through faith we are related to God.
"Now the just" (he says) "shall live by faith, but if any man draw back, My soul shall have no pleasure in him." This is a great encouragement when one shows that they have succeeded in the whole matter and are losing it through a little indolence.
"But the righteous shall live by faith." Therefore, it is necessary to believe that He will come, for the righteous shall live by faith. But if he becomes sluggish, he says, and withdraws himself, either from faith or from afflictions, he will not be approved …
The Medieval Church2 voices
548. – But he indicates the ones to be rewarded when he says, But my righteous [just] man lives by faith. This same text is found in Romans (1:17) and Galatians (3:11). But the reward is paid only to the just: 'The salvation of the …
So, it is necessary to believe, even if we are righteous. But if the righteous one "shrinks back," that is, is subjected to some doubt and perplexity, or "shrinks back" — meaning: falls into despondency under the influence of temptations, then "My soul" does "not …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Shall live - In God's favour, a spiritual and holy life. By faith - As long as he retains that gift of God. But if he draw back - If he make shipwreck of his faith My soul hath no pleasure in him - That is, I abhor him;
): Now the just shall live by faith, &c. (1.) It is the honourable character of just men that in times of the greatest affliction they can live by faith; they can live upon the assured persuasion they have of the truth of God's promises. Faith puts life and vigour into them.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
Now the just shall live by faith,....
The Nineteenth Century5 voices
Now the just shall live by faith - Ὁ δε δικαιος εκ πιστεως ζησεται· But the just by faith, i.e. he who is justified by faith, shall live - shall be preserved when this overflowing scourge shall come. See this meaning of the phrase vindicated, Rom 1:17. And it is evident, both from this text, and Gal 3:11, that it is in this sense that the apostle uses it.
SEE here the germ of the Christian's life! See, too, how it blooms, blossoms and bears! But observe it is not said the just shall live for his faith, or because of the merit of his believing in God. This were to place the Christian virtually under the Old Covenant of Law. To confuse faith with works would be, indeed, to bring us back to the old bondage of the first dispensation.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
just--The oldest manuscripts and Vulgate read, "my just man." God is the speaker: "He who is just in My sight." BENGEL translates, "The just shall live by my faith": answering to the Hebrew, Hab 2:4; literally, "the just shall live by the faith of Him," namely, Christ, the final subject of "the vision," who "will not lie," that is, disappoint.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
SEE here the germ of the Christian's life! See, too, how it blooms, blossoms and bears! But observe it is not said the just shall live for his faith, or because of the merit of his believing in God. This were to place the Christian virtually under the Old Covenant of Law. To confuse faith with works would be, indeed, to bring us back to the old bondage of the first dispensation. It is no more true that the righteous man is saved because of the excellency of his faith, than that any man can be saved because of the excellency of his works. Neither does it say in the text that the just shall live upon his faith. Faith would make poor food for his soul! Small consolation may a man fetch from his faith, itself. It was said of Esau, "By your sword shall you live," and everyone knows that the intention of that sentence was— "By that which your sword shall capture and subdue." He could not feed on the sword itself—that was mere hard, barren steel. So faith in itself can not feed a soul. It is that which faith brings, that which faith takes of the things of God and makes the soul own. I know it is very easy for us to degenerate into a congratulation of ourselves because of some quality of our faith. We may as easily make an Antichrist of our faith as of anything else, but this will never do. The Believer never stays upon his faith—it is in the Object of his faith that he finds rest!. It is not the telescope which delights me, but the star which I see through it. It is not the mere hand of faith which feeds me, but the heavenly bread which faith's hand uplifts and brings spiritually to my mouth. The text does say this, however, that the just shall live by his faith—and it seems to me that, without any straining of the text, we might find in it, first, a doctrine, secondly, a promise, and, thirdly, an indication of practice—I might almost have said a precept. I.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Now the just shall live by faith - This is a part of the quotation from Habakkuk Hab 2:3-4, which was probably commenced in the previous verse; see the passage fully explained in the notes on Rom 1:17. The meaning in the connection in which it stands here, in accordance with the sense in which it was used by Habakkuk, is, that the righteous should live by “continued confidence” in God. They should pass their lives not in doubt, and fear, and trembling apprehension, but in the exercise of a calm trust in God. In this sense it accords with the scope of what the apostle is here saying. He is exhorting the Christians whom he addressed, to perseverance in their religion even in the midst of many persecutions. To encourage this he says, that it was a great principle that the just, that is, all the pious, ought to live in the constant exercise of “faith in God.” They should not confide in their own merits, works, or strength. They should exercise constant reliance on their Maker, and he would keep them even unto eternal life. The sense is, that a persevering confidence or belief in the Lord will preserve us amidst all the trials and calamities to which we are exposed. But if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him - This also is a quotation from Hab 2:4, but from the Septuagint, not from the Hebrew. “Why” the authors of the Septuagint thus translated the passage, it is impossible now to say. The Hebrew is rendered in the common version, “Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him;” or more literally, “Behold the scornful; his mind shall not be happy” (Stuart); or as Gesenius renders it, “See, he whose soul is unbelieving shall, on this account, be unhappy.” The sentiment there is, that the scorner or unbeliever in that day would be unhappy, or would not prosper - לה ישרה lo’ yaasharaah. […]
The words behind it
17 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ὁ | ho | The one | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| δὲ | de | however | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| δίκαιός | dikaios | righteous | G1342 → | 79 times |
| μου | mou | of Mine | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| ἐκ | ek | by | G1537 → | 911 times |
| πίστεως | pisteos | faith | G4102 → | 242 times |
| ζήσεται· | zesetai | will live; | G2198 → | 139 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἐὰν | ean | if | G1437 → | 352 times |
| ὑποστείληται, | huposteiletai | he shall shrink back, | G5288 → | |
| οὐκ | ouk | not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| εὐδοκεῖ | eudokei | takes pleasure | G2106 → | 21 times |
| ἡ | he | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ψυχή | psuche | soul | G5590 → | 103 times |
| μου | mou | of Mine | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| αὐτῷ. | auto | him. | G846 → | 5565 times |
ὁThe one
hoG3588 →19766 times
δὲhowever
deG1161 →2765 times
δίκαιόςrighteous
dikaiosG1342 →79 times
μουof Mine
mouG3165 →1936 times
ἐκby
ekG1537 →911 times
πίστεωςfaith
pisteosG4102 →242 times
ζήσεται·will live;
zesetaiG2198 →139 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἐὰνif
eanG1437 →352 times
ὑποστείληται,he shall shrink back,
huposteiletaiG5288 →
οὐκnot
oukG3756 →1664 times
εὐδοκεῖtakes pleasure
eudokeiG2106 →21 times
ἡthe
heG3588 →19766 times
ψυχήsoul
psucheG5590 →103 times
μουof Mine
mouG3165 →1936 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
αὐτῷ.him.
autoG846 →5565 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
Romans 1:17For the gospel reveals the righteousness of God that comes by faith from start to finish, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”
it leads to
- Habakkuk 2:4
Look at the proud one; his soul is not upright—but the righteous will live by faith—
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Galatians 3:11
Now it is clear that no one is justified before God by the law, because, “The righteous will live by faith.”
- Philippians 3:9
and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God on the basis of faith.
- Hebrews 11:6–7
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who approaches Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.
- Romans 9:30
What then will we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith;
- Habakkuk 2:4
Through
Habakkuk 2:4Look at the proud one; his soul is not upright—but the righteous will live by faith—
it leads to
- Romans 1:17
For the gospel reveals the righteousness of God that comes by faith from start to finish, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Galatians 3:11–12
Now it is clear that no one is justified before God by the law, because, “The righteous will live by faith.”
- Galatians 2:16
know that a man is not justified by works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Romans 1:17
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies42
On this verse
On this chapter
- The General Epistles
- The Covenants
- The Day of Atonement
- Eternal Security, and the Five Warnings of Hebrews
- Faith
- The Fall Feasts
Show the next 6 titles
- Hope
- The Anchor of the Soul
- Entertaining Angels Unaware
- How the Cross Saves: The Views of the Atonement
- Jephthah's vow
- The Joy Set Before Him
Show the next 6 titles
- The Messianic Psalms
- Nadab and Abihu: the unauthorized fire
- Patience and the Impulse
- The Farmer Waits for the Rain
- The Scarlet Thread
- The Tabernacle
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- The Appointed Times Read as a Calendar of Prophecy
- The Ark of the Covenant
- The Ascension: Acts 1:1-11 · Luke 24:50-53
- The Blood
- The Bronze Laver
- The Burnt Offering
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Faith34 verses
About Hebrews
This page draws on 22 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, LETTER 140.21; Augustine of Hippo, LETTER 167.13; Augustine of Hippo, Confessions 2.3.5; Augustine of Hippo, SERMON 158.4; Augustine of Hippo, LETTER 140.30; Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 891: “The Vital Force” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); Ephrem the Syrian, COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS; Eusebius of Caesarea, PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 6.14; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Calvin, Commentary on Hebrews; John Chrysostom, Homily on Hebrews 21; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, The Pseudo-Oecumenian Catena on Hebrews; Tertullian, On Exhortation to Chastity; Theodoret of Cyrus, INTERPRETATION OF HEBREWS 10; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Hebrews and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Hebrews.