Hebrews 10:36-37
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The real prize isn't just receiving the promise, but carrying it away for use and enjoyment. This implies the promise is a living, dynamic reality meant to be experienced and savored, not just a future reward collected at the end.
For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. For, “Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay;
English Standard Version (ESV)
The author is reminding believers who are facing hardship and the temptation to give up. Having already shown great perseverance in their faith, they are now urged to maintain this steadfastness, or endurance, so that their ongoing obedience and suffering will ultimately lead them to receive the eternal reward God has promised.
Life throws curveballs, and sometimes it feels like the struggle never ends. This verse reminds us why staying put in our faith is crucial.
The writer of Hebrews isn't just talking about a quick sprint; they're talking about a marathon. The original word for 'endurance' here (often translated as patience) isn't about passively waiting around. It's about a steadfast, active perseverance, even when things are tough and prolonged. Think of it as the ability to keep going, to hold on, even when your natural inclination is to complain or give up. Our human nature tends to falter under pressure, and trials can often drag on. That's precisely why this kind of enduring spirit is essential for believers. It's about resting calmly in God's hands, submitting to His will day by day.
What does it truly mean to 'do the will of God,' and how does it connect to the amazing promises He has for us?
Doing the will of God isn't a one-time event; it's a continuous process that involves both actively obeying His commands and patiently enduring the trials He allows. The text implies that our perseverance in faith and obedience is the necessary condition for receiving what God has promised. It's not about earning salvation through works, but about demonstrating our commitment and trust through our actions and steadfastness. This 'doing' includes staying firm in our belief, continuing in faith until the very end, and even suffering for righteousness' sake. It's in this faithful execution of God's will, through both action and endurance, that we position ourselves to 'carry away' and fully enjoy His promised blessings.
Understand the original words
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hypomonē · Greek Noun
The quality of steadfastness, patience, or perseverance under trial; the capacity to hold fast to one's faith and duty despite suffering or opposition.
thelēma · Greek Noun
God's sovereign desire, purpose, or moral standard for humanity, which believers are called to obey and align their lives with.
The verse speaks directly to believers facing intense pressure, reminding them that enduring hardship and remaining faithful are not optional extras but essential requirements for ultimately receiving the eternal reward God has promised.
c. AD 64-67
Persecution Under Nero
Emperor Nero blamed Christians for the Great Fire of Rome, initiating a brutal period of persecution. This would have tested the faith and endurance of early believers.
c. AD 70
Destruction of the Second Temple
The Roman army destroyed Jerusalem and the Second Temple. This event deeply impacted Jewish society and likely caused significant upheaval and questioning of faith among Jewish Christians.
c. AD 80-90
Deterioration of Jewish-Christian Relations
Following the destruction of the Temple, Jewish communities increasingly expelled or shunned Jewish Christians who continued to follow Jesus. This created immense social and spiritual pressure.
c. AD 80-90— this verse
Hebrew Christians Growing Weary
The recipients of Hebrews faced prolonged persecution, social ostracization, and likely disillusionment. Some were becoming spiritually apathetic and considering abandoning their Christian faith.
c. AD 90
Compilation of the Book of Hebrews
The Epistle to the Hebrews was written to encourage these struggling believers, reminding them of the superiority of Christ and the necessity of persevering in faith to receive God's promises.
This passage directly parallels the idea that trials produce steadfastness, linking the testing of faith to endurance, which is exactly what Hebrews 10:36 calls for.
Romans 5:3-4It explains how suffering leads to perseverance and character, reinforcing the 'need of endurance' mentioned in Hebrews for overcoming hardship.
Matthew 7:21Jesus' teaching that 'not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven' echoes the 'doing the will of God' as a condition for receiving what is promised.
Hebrews 11:13This chapter, often called the 'hall of faith,' describes many who 'died in faith, not having received what was promised but having seen it from a distance and hailed it' from afar, showing a historical precedent for enduring faith while waiting for the promise.
Habakkuk 2:3The Old Testament prophet Habakkuk speaks of waiting patiently for God's vision, which the author of Hebrews quotes later, highlighting the theme of endurance in the face of delay for the fulfillment of God's promises.
vincentHebrews 10:36: "For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise."
Ye might receive the promise (κομίσησθε τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν)Comp. Hebrews 11:13, Hebrews 11:39, and see on 1 Peter 1:8. The verb implies, not mere obtaining, but receiving and carrying away for use and enjoyment.
barnesHebrews 10:36: "For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise."
For ye have need of patience - They were then suffering, and in all trials we have need of patience. We have need of it because there is in us so much disposition to complain and repine; because our nature is liable to sink under sufferings; and because our trials are often protracted. All that Christians can do in such cases is to be patient - to lie calmly in the hands of God…
The real prize isn't just receiving the promise, but carrying it away for use and enjoyment. This implies the promise is a living, dynamic reality meant to be experienced and savored, not just a future reward collected at the end.
The author is reminding believers who are facing hardship and the temptation to give up. Having already shown great perseverance in their faith, they are now urged to maintain this steadfastness, or endurance, so that their ongoing obedience and suffering will ultimately lead them to receive the eternal reward God has promised.
The author is reminding believers who are facing hardship and the temptation to give up. Having already shown great perseverance in their faith, they are now urged to maintain this steadfastness, or endurance, so that their ongoing obedience and suffering will ultimately lead them to receive the eternal reward God has promised.
"For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. For,
“Yet a little while,
and the coming one will come and will not delay;" — The real prize isn't just receiving the promise, but *carrying it away for use and enjoyment*. This implies the promise is a living, dynamic reality meant to be experienced and savored, not just a fu…
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Last reviewed October 2026