Hebrews 10:19-22
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The "confidence" to enter God's presence isn't just a feeling, but is rooted in Jesus' blood, not merely following after it. This means we stand before God not because Jesus finished his work and is now there, but because we are accepted in the power and virtue of that very blood that grants us access.
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, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
English Standard Version (ESV)
After meticulously detailing Christ's superior priesthood and sacrificial death, the author now pivots to exhortation. He reminds believers that because Christ's blood has permanently opened the way into God's presence, they can approach God with confidence, not fear. This newfound access to the holiest place calls for a life of steadfast faith and mutual encouragement in love and good deeds.
Ever feel like you're not good enough to approach God? This verse reveals a radical shift in how we can come before Him.
The Old Testament required meticulous ritual and sacrifice for even the high priest to enter God's presence. But Jesus' blood changes everything. It's not just an offering; it's the very ground for our confidence.
A New Way to Come
The 'holiest' isn't just a location; it represents the deepest intimacy with God. What does it truly mean to enter there?
When the Bible talks about entering 'the holiest' (or 'the holy of holies'), it's drawing a powerful parallel to the Old Testament sanctuary. But it’s more than just a place.
Beyond the Veil
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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.
hierea megan · Greek Noun phrase
A title emphasizing Christ's supreme office as the mediator between God and humanity, fulfilling the Aaronic priesthood but superior to it. He serves continuously in the heavenly tabernacle.
oikon · Greek Noun
A metaphor for the people of God, the church, or the community of believers where God dwells by His Spirit, echoing the Old Testament tabernacle/temple.
proserchometha · Greek Verb
To approach God in worship or prayer, implying intimate access made possible only through the blood of Christ.
alēthinēs kardias · Greek Noun phrase
A sincere, honest, and undivided commitment of the inner person (mind, will, and emotions) to God.
plērophoria pisteōs · Greek Noun phrase
The absolute, confident, and settled conviction regarding the truth of God’s promises, grounded not in oneself but in the character of God.
errantismenoi... syneidēsin ponēras · Greek Verb/Noun phrase
A metaphorical cleansing, referencing the Old Testament sacrificial rites where blood was sprinkled to make atonement and purge away the defilement of sin/guilt.
The author of Hebrews is writing to a community of Jewish Christians under pressure, likely around the time the Jerusalem Temple was destroyed. This verse, by emphasizing confident access to God through Christ's blood, directly counters the idea that adherence to the old sacrificial system is still necessary or even valid after Christ's ultimate sacrifice.
c. 30 AD— this verse
Jesus' Crucifixion and Resurrection
The central event of Christianity, Jesus' atoning sacrifice and subsequent resurrection, providing the basis for a new covenant and direct access to God.
c. 30-60 AD
Early Church Growth and Persecution
The nascent Christian community begins to spread, facing increasing opposition and persecution from both Jewish and Roman authorities.
c. 60-70 AD
Likely Writing of Hebrews
The Epistle to the Hebrews is written, likely to a community of Jewish Christians who are facing pressure to revert to Mosaic Law practices.
c. 70 AD
Destruction of the Jerusalem Temple
The Roman army destroys the Second Temple in Jerusalem, ending the sacrificial system that was central to Jewish worship and a key point of comparison in Hebrews.
This verse describes the veil in the Tabernacle that separated the Most Holy Place, which is a powerful Old Testament picture of the barrier sin created between humanity and God, a barrier Jesus' blood would ultimately overcome.
Leviticus 16:2Here God instructs Moses that even the High Priest couldn't enter the Most Holy Place whenever he pleased, highlighting the limited and fearful access under the Old Covenant, which contrasts sharply with the 'boldness' believers have now.
John 14:6Jesus declares Himself to be 'the way, and the truth, and the life,' directly paralleling the idea in Hebrews that He has consecrated a 'new and living way' for us to access God.
Romans 5:2This passage speaks of having 'access by faith into this grace wherein we stand,' emphasizing the access to God's presence and favor that comes through faith in Christ, much like the confidence mentioned in Hebrews.
1 John 4:17The concept of 'boldness' in God's presence here is directly linked to love, suggesting that as our love for God grows, so does our confidence to approach Him, reflecting the spiritual freedom believers have.
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 "confidence" to enter God's presence isn't just a feeling, but is rooted in Jesus' blood, not merely following after it. This means we stand before God not because Jesus finished his work and is now there, but because we are accepted in the power and virtue of that very blood that grants us access.
After meticulously detailing Christ's superior priesthood and sacrificial death, the author now pivots to exhortation. He reminds believers that because Christ's blood has permanently opened the way into God's presence, they can approach God with confidence, not fear. This newfound access to the holiest place calls for a life of steadfast faith and mutual encouragement in love and good deeds.
After meticulously detailing Christ's superior priesthood and sacrificial death, the author now pivots to exhortation. He reminds believers that because Christ's blood has permanently opened the way into God's presence, they can approach God with confidence, not fear. This newfound access to the holiest place calls for a life of steadfast faith and mutual encouragement in love and good deeds.
"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, and since we have a great priest over the house…" — The "confidence" to enter God's presence isn't just a feeling, but is rooted in Jesus' blood, not merely following after it. This means we stand before God not because Jesus finished his work and…
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Last reviewed October 2026
