Hebrews 10:19-20
Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh,
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The text doesn't say we enter with Jesus' blood, but in or by the power of it. This highlights that His blood isn't a tool we wield, but the very ground upon which our access to God is established. It’s about the virtue and power of His sacrifice securing our confidence to approach God.
The author of Hebrews has just finished explaining how Christ's sacrifice is a perfect and final atonement for sins, unlike the repetitive sacrifices of the Old Covenant. Because of this, he's now urging his readers to fully embrace their new reality in Christ. This verse kicks off a section where he encourages believers to draw near to God with confidence, live out their faith, and not abandon their community, all in light of Christ's finished work and the imminent return of Jesus.
We have confidence to enter God's presence 'by the blood of Jesus.' What does this 'blood' mean for our access?
The phrase 'by the blood of Jesus' isn't just a reference to his death; it's the basis for our confidence.
A New Kind of Access
Think about the Old Testament tabernacle. The High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies only once a year, and only with the blood of animal sacrifices. This was a temporary, fearful ritual.
But Jesus' blood is different. It’s not about a ritual performed by us, but a sacrifice for us. It cleanses and consecrates, providing a permanent and powerful way to approach God.
More Than Just Forgiveness
This 'blood' speaks to the complete work of Christ: His sacrifice pays the penalty for sin, satisfying God's justice. It’s also the source of our cleansing and reconciliation. Because of this, we don't approach God with fear, but with boldness and confidence, knowing we are welcomed.
The text uses the word 'boldness' (parrhesia). What does this kind of confidence look like when approaching the Almighty?
The Greek word translated as 'boldness' here (parrhesia) carries a rich meaning of full freedom of speech, openness, and fearless confidence.
A Privilege, Not a Right Earned
Under the Old Covenant, access to God was heavily restricted. The people were kept at a distance, and even the High Priest entered with great trepidation. But through Jesus, we are given an unprecedented 'boldness.'
Rooted in Relationship
This confidence doesn't stem from our own merit, but from the finished work of Christ and our new identity as God's children. It's the freedom to come as we are, knowing we are accepted not because we are worthy, but because He made us worthy.
Understand the original words
parrēsia · Greek Noun
Boldness, freedom of speech, or courageous confidence. In the NT, it describes the believer’s privilege to approach God directly without fear, based on the completed work of Christ.
hagios · Greek Noun
The most sacred space in the Tabernacle or Temple where God’s presence dwelt. In the New Covenant, this refers to the heavenly realm or the immediate presence of God.
hodos · Greek Noun
A spiritual metaphor for the path or means by which a person approaches God. It denotes both the method and the person of Jesus Christ, who is the exclusive way to the Father.
katapetasma · Greek Noun
In the Old Testament, the veil separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place. Symbolically, it represents the barrier between a holy God and sinful humanity, which Christ’s sacrifice removed.
The destruction of the Temple in AD 70 powerfully underscored the author's argument that Christ's sacrifice had permanently opened the way to God, rendering the old system obsolete and urging believers to cling to their new, living access through Jesus.
c. 27 BC - AD 14
Reign of Augustus Caesar
Augustus established the Pax Romana, a period of relative peace across the Roman Empire. This stability facilitated the spread of ideas and trade, indirectly impacting the environment in which early Christianity developed.
c. AD 30-33
Crucifixion of Jesus Christ
The central event of Christianity, Jesus' death is seen as a sacrificial atonement for sins. This event is the foundation for the concept of entering God's presence through His blood.
c. AD 40s-60s
Paul's Missionary Journeys
The Apostle Paul extensively traveled the Roman Empire, establishing churches and spreading the Christian message. His ministry laid the groundwork for the New Testament writings, including the Epistle to the Hebrews.
c. AD 64
Great Fire of Rome and Persecution
Emperor Nero blamed Christians for the fire, leading to the first major state-sponsored persecution. This period of intense pressure may have prompted the author of Hebrews to address believers facing hardship.
This verse describes God meeting with Moses in the Holy of Holies, foreshadowing the ultimate access believers have to God's presence through Christ.
Leviticus 16:12-13This passage details the High Priest's once-a-year entry into the Holy of Holies with incense and blood, highlighting the solemnity and limited access that the Old Covenant provided, contrasting with our new access.
John 14:6Jesus declares himself to be 'the way, and the truth, and the life,' directly relating to the 'new and living way' opened up by his blood mentioned in Hebrews 10:20, which is intrinsically linked to our confidence.
Romans 5:1-2This passage speaks of having peace with God and access to His grace through faith in Jesus, mirroring the 'confidence' and 'boldness' to enter God's presence described in Hebrews.
1 Peter 3:18It states that Christ suffered for sins once, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring us to God. This directly connects Christ's sacrificial death (his blood) to our ability to approach God.
ellicottHebrews 10:19: "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,"
(19) The exhortation which here begins is very similar to that of Hebrews 4:14-16 . Its greater fulness and expressiveness are in accordance with the development in the thought. Therefore.—The chief thoughts taken up are those expressed in Hebrews 9:11-12. The word “boldness” has occurred in Hebrews 3:6; Hebrews 4:16. (See the Notes.) By the blood of Jesus.—Better, in the blood of Jesus; for t…
vincentHebrews 10:19: "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,"
To enter into the holiest (εἰς τὴν εἴσοδον τῶν ἁγίων)Lit. for the entering of the holiest. The phrase παρρησία εἰς boldness unto, N.T.o. Παρρησία with περὶ concerning, John 16:25; with πρὸςwith reference to, 2 Corinthians 7:4; 1 John 3:21; 1 John 5:14. Ἔισοδος in N.T. habitually of the act of entering.By the blood (ἐν τῷ αἵματι)Lit. "in the blood": in the power or virtue of.
The text doesn't say we enter with Jesus' blood, but in or by the power of it. This highlights that His blood isn't a tool we wield, but the very ground upon which our access to God is established. It’s about the virtue and power of His sacrifice securing our confidence to approach God.
The author of Hebrews has just finished explaining how Christ's sacrifice is a perfect and final atonement for sins, unlike the repetitive sacrifices of the Old Covenant. Because of this, he's now urging his readers to fully embrace their new reality in Christ. This verse kicks off a section where he encourages believers to draw near to God with confidence, live out their faith, and not abandon their community, all in light of Christ's finished work and the imminent return of Jesus.
The author of Hebrews has just finished explaining how Christ's sacrifice is a perfect and final atonement for sins, unlike the repetitive sacrifices of the Old Covenant. Because of this, he's now urging his readers to fully embrace their new reality in Christ. This verse kicks off a section where he encourages believers to draw near to God with confidence, live out their faith, and not abandon their community, all in light of Christ's finished work and the imminent return of Jesus.
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Hebrews 10:19-20 is available in the Sola app.
It's a bold, joyful assurance that we can speak freely to our Heavenly Father, confident in His love and acceptance.
c. AD 70— this verse
Destruction of the Second Temple
The Roman army destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple. This catastrophic event marked the end of the sacrificial system described in the Old Testament, making the argument for Christ's unique and sufficient sacrifice even more urgent.
c. AD 80-90
Writing of the Epistle to the Hebrews
The precise date is debated, but it's generally placed in the latter half of the 1st century AD. The author likely wrote to Jewish Christians who were struggling with maintaining their faith amidst pressure to revert to Jewish practices.
"Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh," — The text doesn't say we enter with Jesus' blood, but in or by the power of it. This highlights that His blood isn't a tool we wield, but the very ground upon which our access to God is establis…
